A legendary thief deserves a legendary heist, and Lupin has set his sights on his biggest bounty yet:
Marco Polo, a dark-web marketplace where criminals lurk and there’s money for the taking. But just as
Lupin swipes his latest fortune and tries to make off with the goods, his hideout is inexplicably
surrounded by Zenigata and his forces thanks to a new game that’s gone viral on social media. It has a
very specific, very unfortunate objective, and the name of the game is “Arrest Lupin III”!
(Source: Sentai Filmworks)
I am new to the franchise, lupin the third. I have always heard about it and seen the gifs but it never actually watched an episode. When I saw the art and trailer for part five, I knew I had to watch it. Part five focuses on how thieves like lupin could steal not just the traditional way, but now they can steal information, digital currency, etc. Now lupin and the gang have the benefit of technology to aid them in their antics,but so does their opponents. I love how each little arc tells a self contained story but at the same time, they all tie into each other. I normally don't gravitate to supporting cast, but lupin makes everyone lovable in their own way. Ami has a great voice and personality, after first I just thought she was just a random hacker who does it because she learned of her talent at an early age, but turns out she is a girl who never experienced love or positive emotions towards her. She seeks out love but literally has no idea how to love someone or tell her crush how much he means to her, which makes a lot of sense she's young and didn't have the brightest backstory. I'm a sucker for a good story and characters with great backstories, lupin gives me just that. Lupin isn't a type of story of good versus bad, it's more of a story of playing to your strengths. When I first started watching, I kept thinking why don't they retire from this dangerous life before they get caught or killed,each and every time, the characters explained this is the life they chose and they want to keep the things the way they are. Even if you haven't seen the previous installments of the series, you still will get flashbacks and details letting know how these characters changed over time. Foes old and new return to battle with lupin and his friends, lupin will come out in the end yet it's exciting to see how lupin will win. I normally don't watch anime based on criminals or thieves, something bout lupin makes me watch each and every week. Lupin isn't a good guy but he just takes whatever he can just like a main character should, he's aware how people perceive him. Lupin comes off as an asshole, but to me, he's just one of those guys who does whatever he thinks it's interesting and fun. All in all, lupin the third part five is one of my new favorite shows due to back to back consistently great episodes.
This review can also be found on my MAL Profile: Lupin the 3rd part 5 is another fine addition to the franchise. This part stands out because it feels like a celebration of everything the series is, as well as being a modernized take on the franchise. Technology is at the forefront of this part you see, and it has changed the world greatly. Now Lupin and his crew have to deal with new threats from social media tracking where they are, face recognition technology and bio-metric security among others. But Lupin himself hasn't fallen behind the times, his kit has been updated to keep up. His main tool is his new monocle that is basically just an incredibly advanced computer allowing him to keep up with the constant stream of information. New technologies such as 3D printers and smartphones help round out his kit. The modernization of the series doesn't stop there, contemporary political issues and the impact of technology on them are brought up. They aren't the main focus of this part (Its still Lupin after all, cool heists and fun are the focus), but they are present enough that it can provide some commentary on them while adding texture to the world. Character wise one should expect more of the same from the main cast of Lupin the fun loving master thief, Jigen the mellow marksman, Goemon the stoic swordsman, and Fujiko the femme fatale. More of the same from the characters in the Lupin franchise isn't a bad thing, these characters are so enduring because their strong characterization and group dynamic; they are always a delight to watch. There are some "throwback" episodes that tell self contained stories using different styles and tones that just prove how flexible these characters are in terms of writing. But the relationships between them don't remain unexplored. There are moments where the characters express their weariness at the changing world and reflect on what they all mean to each other; a strong feature for long time Lupin fans. There are some stand out new characters too, mainly Ami. She is a young genius hacker who Lupin meets at the beginning of the series. I don't want to reveal too much about her since she is such a delightful recurring character, but what I will say is that watching her grow more confident in her skills and as well as her relationship with the other main characters is endearing. As for villains, a new one is introduced each "episode", with an episode being a three to four episode long arc. They all put Lupin to the test in new and interesting ways thanks to the ever present backdrop of technology. TMS entertainment didn't skimp out on the art and animation either. Part 5 is set in France this time around, and all of the background art of buildings, countrysides, scenic roads and interiors (whether they be lavish or homely) are rendered with such love and care. Small details like making all of the signs French, making all of the vehicles European models and even paying attention to cuisine make it all the more authentic. What I'm pointing out is pretty obvious when you look at it, but this sort of consistency and dedication to setting must be applauded. The fact that it would go unnoticed speaks to how effective the immersion is. Character designs are still very appealing. They are a little softer looking than in part 4, giving them more of the classic style to them, but not so soft that they don't look modern. Ami again is a stand out character in this department. The more classic look makes things feel less jarring when we transition to the throwback episodes as well. Animation is also very strong and consistent throughout too, with all of the vehicles being animated without the use of CGI, even in car chases too. The music still consists of groovy big band jazz tracks, some funk, fusion and the use of the accordion in the opening song and main theme of the series to situate it in France even further. So the final verdict is go watch Lupin Part 5. You will be treated to an entertaining thrill ride with great characters and visuals, as well as an astounding finale. If you are a newcomer, I would suggest you start with Part 4, but if you watch Part 5 first, you will still be in good hands since each Part is more or less self contained, with minor references to earlier bits of Lupin media. If you're already a fan, DO NOT HESITATE, watch it as soon as you can!
~~~A Love Letter to Lupin III~~~ Lupin III is a franchise myself, among many others, hold very near and dear to our hearts. It is a story filled with excitement, laughter, and just enough seriousness to feel important and impactful. From classics like the [Fuma Conspiracy](https://anilist.co/anime/1432/Lupin-the-3rd-The-Fuma-Conspiracy/) to modern adaptations like [Part 4](https://anilist.co/anime/20906/Lupin-the-3rd-Part-IV/), Lupin is the eastern counterpart to a series like Scooby-Doo. It's known to most everyone in some capacity, and has been airing in *some* form or another for the last 50 years. **Lupin the 3rd: Part 5** exemplifies that, and makes a number of classic homages to it's past. Lupin is, at it's core, a character story. The main five, Goemon, Jigen, Zenigata, Fujiko, and of course, Lupin, are the heart of the story. Their antics are the basis of nearly every action which takes place in the universe. The focus typically has been less on the story across episodes or seasons, and far more on how the characters will react to a given situation. *Part 5*, on the contrary, doesn't play too much into this in the first few episodes. Opening with an underwater raid on the "twin-towers" they meet Ami, who, as many are quick to predict, would become this seasons "Bond Girl" character. Along with meeting our partner of the season, *Part 5* jumps right into a story about drug trafficking and the dark web. It follows a consistent and relatively linear story for a few straight episodes, before finally stating that "Episode 1" has ended near the end of the fourth *actual* episode. This is where I was the most uncomfortable with *Part 5*. Instead of the typical character comedy/action/drama Lupin fans are used to, especially fans more acquainted with modern Lupin, a la Part 4 or the [CGI Movie](https://anilist.co/anime/110413/Lupin-III-The-First/) (Which is really good by the way!), we are kicked off with an actual expansive story. It is by no means bad, but it definitely betrays expectations of the series, while setting up new ones for the greatness that is about to ensue. As the series progresses, we are met with a number of random filler-esque episodes (that are actually just plain-old Lupin episodes), and a number of "lost-episodes". These are episodes featuring previous styles of Lupin, such as his more gritty Green Jacket or Pink Jacket selves, with the side characters adapting to their previous incarnations as well. They all felt really fun, and are great homages to the number of different interpretations of Lupin. One of my favorite examples was Episode 17 (Introducing Detective Jim Barnett III), which is a classic murder-mystery style episode, and features the theme music from [Castle of Cagliostro](https://anilist.co/anime/1430/Lupin-III-The-Castle-of-Cagliostro/), as a nice homage. Surrounding these "Lost Episodes" are the actual plot of the story. A thrilling modern adventure, as a massive tech company attempts to take over the world. While I would hate to spoil the plot too much, the final two episodes feature a number of cameos from previous Lupin characters, and even the original Yellow Mercedes that Jigen rides up in to face off against Interpol on the road. This brings us to the main point of this review. *Lupin III: Part 5* is a wonderful and fun story full of tons of classic Lupin both literally and figuratively. It is filled to the brim with references to classic Lupin, from the Princess of Cagliostro herself, our modern Bond Girl from *Part 4* Rebecca. It is a wonderful take on the Lupin franchise that manages to keep a large and relatevly complex overarching plot in place while still feeling like good 'ol Lupin III.
This review is spoiler free. img600(https://i.imgur.com/Y9V4VWE.png) img600(https://i.imgur.com/e3VubUp.png) Have you ever had your opinion of an anime change upon a revisit? That’s the situation I find myself in with “Lupin III: Part V”. This most recent viewing was my third time watching it and I was surprised by how different it felt this time around. Previously I felt that, while it was good, it spent too much time focusing on its narrative it was trying to build at the expense of the character dynamics that drew me in. This was the first Lupin anime that brought me on board to explore the franchise. Not my first Lupin anime, that was “The Castle of Cagliostro”, but it really left me wishing I had more time to spend with the Lupin gang. The second time I watched it my opinion didn’t change, but this most recent time I really found myself appreciating it more than I previously had. There were some aspects of the anime I still wasn’t sold on, but they weren’t as disruptive to the things I did like. And the elements that did work ended up being far more enjoyable than I remembered. If you asked me just a few months ago what I thought about this anime I would have provided a very different response. It’s fascinating how that happens. Part V aired from April to September of 2018 and was directed by one of the men behind Part IV, Yuichiro Yano. The series composition was provided by Ichiro Okouchi, one of the creators of “Code Geass” with writing credits on anime like “Turn A Gundam”, “Devilman Crybaby”, and one of the best episodes of “Space Dandy”. The setting this time is in France bringing the franchise full circle as Monkey Punch based our Lupin off of Maurice Leblanc’s Arsene Lupin, who is also his grandfather in canon. The structure for this series is different this time around. Here we have four mini arcs, as I describe them, which eventually tie into each other leading to a consistent narrative. However, in between these mini arcs are multiple episodes that don’t actually tie into those stories. I enjoy this about Part V, the episodic nature is something I don’t want the franchise to abandon. The first mini arc is what I call the Lupin Game arc. This is about Lupin stealing money off of the deep web and rescuing a young, captive hacker named Ami Enan while the people he stole from create the viral Lupin Game to bring him down. The rules of the game are simple, photograph and document Lupin and his friends and post your findings to social media. This leads to Lupin being in a situation where anyone with a smart phone has become a photo journalist and can leak his whereabouts to Zenigata and anyone out for his head. Our second mini arc is about a man from Lupin’s past named Albert d’Andresy and a political conspiracy concerning a book with information on various crimes and scandals covered up by the French government. The third mini arc is about Ami and her schoolmate, Princess Dolma of the Padar kingdom. The girls are kidnapped and caught up in a political conflict concerning Padar traditionalists and reformists while Fujiko and Lupin are in pursuit of Dolma’s family heirloom, a necklace called The Bloody Teardrop. The final mini arc is about a new app called PeopleLog created by Enzo Bron, the president of the multimedia conglomerate Shake Hanz. Through various AI and facial recognition the app can determine and post a vast and invasive amount of information on a person and make it all public. With just the snap of Lupin’s picture he is once again incapable of hiding. img600(https://i.imgur.com/Gh5AwR6.jpg) One of the first things that allows Part V to stand out is how it embraces technology. Considering how old the franchise is many were surprised to see them go this route. The first episode of this anime sets it up that you’re going to see the internet and technology play a role and it’s honestly the best opening episode to any Lupin anime we’ve had so far. There’s so much energy within it and it establishes the tone and nature of this anime perfectly. Not only is Lupin using a smartphone and advanced tech like his monocle, but various aspects of the anime are derived from this modern social media culture. In the Lupin Game arc we see Ami discuss how growing up secluded and consumed by technology and coding led to her possessing different values. Within the same arc we see Lupin use his wits to take advantage of social media and outsmart the people who think they’re in control of the situation. The PeopleLog arc asks questions about privacy in the internet age and how much damage that could bring to society. And on a more lighthearted note there was a running gag where Goemon struggles with basic technology and it consistently made me smile. The man who once boasted he was “the only normal Japanese person” because he rejected modernity and westernization, brought to his knees because he couldn’t open Lupin’s text message. A small, but very appreciated touch, was the user name Lupin adopts. He goes by Monkey Python, what a great twit. I like that you can see things like this all throughout the anime and that it wasn’t mere window dressing. While the anime isn’t trying to tell the most realistic or even nuanced stories on this subject, it does have very interesting and engaging stories built around it. And it isn’t going to leave you with the same feeling you get when an old person complains about the kids these days. img600(https://i.imgur.com/bf3wU0e.png) img600(https://i.imgur.com/j9vzYWU.png) img600(https://i.imgur.com/EA169Jr.png) Something else that really won me over with Part V is how it pays tribute to the franchise’s history. Most notably there are episodes littered throughout the anime where Lupin and his friends wear their color schemes from the previous eras while the writers have fun paying homage to those anime. They even go so far as to have the characters behave the way they did in those versions even if it isn’t how this incarnation of Lupin generally acts. The pink jacket episode is great, it’s hilarious seeing these Showa era gags in something so recent. The premise of a safe that requires Lupin literally dumbing himself down is the epitome of wacky and I applaud that. The red jacket episode about the treasure trove of cars feels right at home with that anime, right down to the strange supernatural element that goes unexplained as if it doesn’t matter. The green jacket episode where an old woman tasks Lupin with determining which dinner guest murdered her husband is a personal favorite of mine. Lupin’s written in this episode in a way that really captures the unique charm Miyazaki and Takahata helped give him and it was refreshing to see him work alone. What’s most impressive to me is that none of this closes the anime off to just the seasoned fans. The anime has so many Easter eggs and references to past installments, even “Mystery of Mamo” got a shout out, but it’s handled in a way where it won’t cripple a newcomer’s experience. This anime does feel designed with preexisting fans in mind, but they understood to play it a certain way so someone unfamiliar can enjoy it too. I wasn’t very acquainted with Lupin when I first saw this and I didn’t feel lost in the slightest. Now that I have gone further into the franchise I find there to be new discoveries in part V. I couldn’t hold back my joy when I saw green jacket Lupin and Goemon sitting on the ground laughing like they did in the first series. I also appreciated seeing Deca Melon again, the callback to the Shiranami Five episode, and the person at the airport holding a sign for Yuji Ohno. I’m rather amazed at how much rewatch value lies within this anime and its partly because of how well they wove these references in. img600(https://i.imgur.com/W7K0DVI.png) Like in Part IV this anime brings us some new characters that we see throughout the show. I’ll start with our computer genius Ami, voiced by Inori Minase. I’m going to get to the point, I have never been keen on this character. I don’t find her deadpan personality very appealing and the anime’s attempts at making her seem like a social misfit don’t work. They should have had her years of isolation lead to her lacking the social graces to make many friends, instead it’s that other girls are creeped out by her being a hacker. And like several other female characters in this franchise, she develops feelings for Lupin. The thing about that is she approaches everything with a highly logical eye, something Lupin says you can’t do with emotions like love, and it almost feels like she’s misunderstanding her feelings. She confesses to him in a way that makes it sound more like she admires him or he simply puts her mind at ease, but it’s supposed to be romantic attraction. She even tells him she’ll be a better woman than Fujiko once she’s older and I’ve never found this one sided love triangle well executed, but we’ll get to that. Albert meanwhile was a great addition to the cast. He’s voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda and there’s something to his gravelly voice that loans itself well to the anime. Some modern seiyuu I just can’t see fitting in with this world, but Tsuda does. Albert and Lupin have a history between them where they were once rival thieves until Albert left to go work a government job with the intentions of controlling France. Usually when the franchise tries to dive into Lupin’s personal history it’s hit or miss, this I’d consider among the good ones. I liked the flashbacks to Lupin before he met Jigen and the way he and Albert worked off each other felt right. It didn’t feel forced and it definitely didn’t feel like we kept this character around for no good reason like what happened in Part IV with Nix. We have another new character, Zenigata’s partner Yata voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki. This character doesn’t actually do much. I feel like I need to acknowledge him because he was a new addition, one that’s being kept around for the upcoming Part VI like Albert, but at the same time I question why he exists. I would say he was created to give Zeniagata someone to talk to, but this wasn’t an issue before. Aside from a scene near the end where he addresses why Zenigata was assigned the Lupin case and the issues it caused him I really don’t think he added much. Hopefully in the future he’s given more to do because right now you could write him out of Part V and little would change. img600(https://i.imgur.com/8ECCbLk.png) As far as our main characters go I think this anime improved on my criticisms from Part IV. I feel like the time spent with them is distributed more evenly and Goemon ends up playing a critical role in the climax. I’ve seen people who don’t like the way this anime tries to break down the way Lupin relates to his friends, but I think it works. Because the franchise doesn’t have a strict canon I find myself accepting each version as its own entity. Granted this anime does refer back to events from previous versions, however I don’t see this as a coherent timeline spanning across every anime like how Universal Century “Gundam” is supposed to operate. And as a result of this I can accept that in this version we’re going to see characters like Fujiko and Goemon question where they fit into Lupin’s life. In one of the earlier episodes there’s a scene where Ami mentions how Lupin doesn’t appear to take care of the things he possesses which serves as nice foreshadowing to this conflict. It didn’t swallow the anime up though, we built up to it for when we needed it to matter most. And along the way we still get to see those fun dynamics we know and love. Again, this anime made me pursue the franchise because I really enjoyed the character driven moments. Small things like Jigen stealing Lupin’s venison, Zenigata entering their apartment because he smelled Goemon’s miso soup and wanted some, Lupin giving Goemon a hair ribbon so he can disguise himself as his granddaughter, Fujiko mocking Jigen for always wearing the same suit which leads to him pointing out this is the summer version of it, Fujiko and Jigen smiling at each other in the pink jacket episode, these are the types of scenes that help give the characters their personality and the anime its charm. img600(https://i.imgur.com/ESbwzch.png) So among my issues with this on past viewings was what the anime chooses to do between Lupin and Fujiko. They decided at some point to have the two of them try dating and be broken up in this series. My issue with this is I just found myself wishing we saw their relationship instead. Fujiko is still seen often in the anime, it isn’t an issue of screen time. It’s that instead of seeing Ami admonish Fujiko for breaking up with Lupin for several episodes I’d rather have seen them be an item. That Padar mini arc is one where Ami’s the main focus and she spends a lot of time with Fujiko, but I wish that wasn’t the case as her perspective on Fujiko throughout is colored by jealousy and very unflattering as a result. Considering its obvious Ami was never going to pose a romantic threat it just makes watching her chastise Fujiko and blush over seeing Lupin shirtless quite annoying. Of the four mini arcs this is my least favorite and the frustrating part is there is an easy fix to it. I think I would have enjoyed the arc more if Fujiko served as the main character, I wish they did that even if I still had to endure all of Ami’s awkwardness. However, I understand this anime wanted to keep Fujiko fairly mysterious. In some ways this breakup arc feels like a twist on the questionable loyalty she had towards Lupin in the past, you are left asking what she’s playing at. But then you get moments that show what their relationship was like and it all just feels like a missed opportunity. This doesn’t ruin the anime for me, but I do find myself asking “what if”. youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59u_6G5LDjo) In terms of the audio visual department, this is fantastic. You should know by now I love Yuji Ohno and what he brings to each anime. I strongly recommend listening to the two soundtracks, “Lupin III Part V: Si Bon! Si Bon!” and “The Other Side of Lupin III Part V”, because the music in this series is marvelous. The version of the main series theme that we get here is among my favorites. It’s a beautiful arrangement that, once again, captures the essence of Lupin as a character and an anime. The version of “Magnum Dance” that plays during episode 19 made me light up the second I heard it. It really speaks to the timelessness of his music that it still feels fresh after all this time. I also love these versions of “Love in Sao Paulo”, “Dangerous Zone”, and “Love is Everything”. Tracks like “Crafty Girl” and “Happy Flight Boogie” also deserve mentions. Once again, I am not a musician and don’t understand the complexities of jazz, but I can tell Ohno is a man who delivers every time. Our closing song this time is actually sung by Fujiko’s seiyuu, Miyuki Sawashiro. It’s called “Seine no Kaze ni… (Adieu)” and I never realized what a good singer she is. The song feels very relaxed compared to the bombast of Part IV’s closing number, but in between the sensual visuals animated by our friend Kazuhide Tomonaga and Sawashiro’s voice it makes for one of the most memorable in the franchise. Visually the anime is stunning. It is similar to Part IV’s aesthetic, but instead of that sketchy quality its cleaner. I think both animation styles have merit and suit the stories they were telling. The character designs for the most part are unchanged, except with Fujiko and Goemon. Fujiko has auburn curls, which reminds me of her original 1971 design, and Goemon looks closer to his original counterpart as well. I honestly prefer their designs in this anime to Part IV. I know I praised Fujiko’s design in the last one, and I do love it, but in this anime she has this perfect balance of sex appeal, beauty, and cuteness going on. And this is one of my favorite designs Goemon has had, I want to embrace him. The new characters like Ami, Albert, and Yata look good too. I don’t think they are designed too modern to work with these older characters. TMS doesn’t appear to be a studio known for their visuals, but they really bring the heat with Lupin when they want to. img600(https://i.imgur.com/RTpM4OC.png) Every now and then I look back on this franchise and just can’t help but feel a sense of awe. It all started as a manga that Monkey Punch never intended on fully committing to. It was just something he was supposed to make for a few months and then move on. The first TV series was plagued with production issues and low ratings only to be cancelled. And look at it all now. We’re moving towards Part VI and into Lupin’s fifth decade in anime. I can’t help but believe that “Lupin III” beat the odds when everything seemed to be working against it, not unlike the titular character’s own adventures. When it comes to long running franchises people tend to have this idea that they’re only being kept around for a sense of nostalgia or tradition, but I do believe Lupin exists because there is still potential within it. Monkey Punch once spoke of how Lupin and Zenigata could chase each other forever after all. TMS picked it up to make the “Pilot Film” in 1969 for a reason and they’ve continued to keep it alive for a reason. Even with Monkey Punch no longer being with us to provide new stories we are still seeing people create new things with his characters. While I don’t think every Lupin anime is a masterpiece, there are still ones I don’t like and ones I found mediocre, it also doesn’t really matter that those exist. Lupin isn’t defined by his weaker entries when there is so much more that he offers us. Whether it’s the gritty Takeshi Koike films or the sophistication of “Cagliostro” or the TV shows there is plenty to see. My opinion on Part V has evolved through the years, but that’s just part of being a consumer sometimes. What matters to me is I now realize and appreciate all that Part V has done. Not only are experienced fans going to gain something from it, but so are new fans. You don’t even need to see Part IV to enjoy Part V the way it is. Some people did get into the franchise through this anime, myself included, and that alone makes it a success in my eyes. I don’t know where the franchise is heading from here, but I am happy to keep chasing Lupin and see where he takes me.