I couldn’t wait to see Lupin III: The First ever since I first
saw its trailer. I had never been that
much excited for a Lupin the Third
movie since the crossovers with Detective Conan. It was because it’s computer-animated
this time around, and it actually looked spectacular.
Lupin III: The First sees Arsène Lupin III pursuing the Bresson
Diary – a treasure that even his grandfather, the original gentleman thief Arsène
Lupin, supposedly couldn’t steal. This enterprise
brings him and his gang to collaborate with a young woman aspiring to be an archaeologist
named Laetitia and to contend with a secret Nazi organization which believes
that the diary holds information about the location of an ancient superweapon.
If you’ve enjoyed the anime
series and films, you will likely enjoy this new movie, too. The five main characters – Arsène Lupin III,
Daisuke Jigen, Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Fujiko Mine, and Inspector Koichi Zenigata
– delight with their usual bits. The
action, comedy, and old-fashioned sense of adventure are pretty strong as always. The plot, which has elements reminiscent of Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade, unfolds
as you expect these Lupin the Third
capers unfold.
Yes, Lupin III: The First is basically just your standard Lupin the Third caper. But since its formula rarely fails in
delivering something fun and stylish, being formulaic is to its advantage.
Besides, what really makes this
film so appealing in the first place is – as what I mentioned – the
animation. It’s the first time that this
property has had a CGI production, and what’s been rendered is an absolute
eye-candy. Apparently, this movie is
directed by Takashi Yamazaki, who already has had experience with translating
into 3D an originally 2D anime as he was the director of the excellent Stand by Me Doraemon.
In summary, Lupin III: The First is extremely entertaining in general. But it does nothing substantially special storytelling-wise
(though one can argue that Lupin the
Third’s storytelling is always special).
However, the new animation style makes it an utter must-watch as it truly
gives the anime fresh and breathtaking visual dynamics.
As a result, it’s a movie that
old fans will be pleased with, and at the same time, can serve as a worthwhile
introduction for the younger generation to this beloved property.
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