I wish to keep sending Lupin for adventures worldwide
- Monkey Punch, 2017
Lupin III continues to be a classic franchise staying close to its roots of origin. And for its first 3DCG film, it was everything the fans expected it to be(unlike the piss poor live-action adaptation)- the grand escapades, the toony goofiness, the gorgeous location/setting designs, an adventurous treasure hunt, the characters teaming up, Jigen and Goemon being badass while Lupin sparking with charisma.
- Art and Animation- This is literally the most beautiful-looking Lupin film ever. Yes, even more than the retelling of the franchise starting with 'Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna'. Bold claim? Nope, it is true. The 3DCG adapts Lupin's style perfectly intermixing a sense of reality with the familiar cartoony physics that has been a staple of the series since its inception in the 1970s. The most notable and absolute improvement over the usual 2D art style is the facial expressions. The character expressions form the heart of the show and the 3DCG absolutely improves on this aspect, thereby making the characters more lively. The character designs are gorgeous and seem on par with Pixar's works, all characters looking the perfect counterpart of their 3D self. If I have to really nitpick it'd be Jigen's design, cause he just turned way younger and hotter that absolutely doesn't suit his gruff voice. Moreover, the short beard kind of takes his old man's charm away and replaces it with a different charm.
- Soundtrack- Yuji Ohno is a staple for Lupin III and thereby the soundtrack maintains consistency with its staple jazz. Lupin's iconic theme still kicks ass and hits the sweet spots with the weight of nostalgia behind it- what made the series so beloved in the first place.
- Character- Lupin III was never much of a character-driven show except for a few installments. This doesn't help here either. Other than Lupin himself, the rest of the cast is used as they are in most titles. Jigen's moments are absolutely badass and Goemon finally found something worthy to slay. Zenigata teaming up with Lupin doesn't come as a surprise. The most underused of the evergreen cast would be Fujiko since the plot doesn't involve her except for a rescue. Same with Jigen, but somehow with his design and 'wow' moments he really stands out. Now coming to the movie's unique characters- Laetitia is the kind enthusiastic girl who reminds you a lot of so many female characters that appeared throughout the franchise. However, the way she bonded with Lupin over the matter of her inheritance was really good to see. Her adoptive grandfather was the forgettable kind of egomaniacal character with a final sacrifice that you don't even remember his name. The main villain is a trophy Neo-Nazi, which has been done so many times that any hardly stands out. Thankfully his obsession is still moderately portrayed which helps the movie to be entertaining till the end.
- Enjoyment- This is nearly a full. As I mentioned in my introduction, this movie manages to hold up nearly everything that makes Lupin as iconic as Tom and Jerry in its own way: the reason fans never get tired of a new Lupin title. It isn't anything new, but that's what is good about it- it's like going to your favourite guilty pleasure you enjoyed growing up but wrapped in a new package.
Verdict- A thoroughly enjoyable film if you are acquainted with the franchise and its style. Something Monkey Punch would definitely approve if he was still around. Yes, this is classic Lupin III.
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