Introduction
“Lupin III – The First” is an animated work based on “Lupin III”, a manga written and drawn by Monkey Punch inspired by the literary character created by Maurice Lebalnc.
The film in Japan was released on December 6, 2019
Plot
“Lupin III – The First” begins as usual with Lupin attempting to steal a valuable item and subsequently escape from Interpol’s Inspector Zenigata.
The object in question is the Diary of Bresson, now deceased professor and archaeologist, this diary contains the map and the indications to obtain a treasure able to allow those who own it to control the World.
In his enterprise Lupin III is always accompanied by his trusted colleagues Jigen and Goemon and his inevitable femme fatale Fujiko Mine, however in this adventure they have another young girl on their side, Letitia.
Unfortunately, the Gang is not alone in the search for Bresson’s elusive treasure, but there is also a powerful and mysterious Nazi-like organization and ideology in the games.
Will Lupin III and his companions be able to find the entrance to the treasure but with no small difficulty, will they be able to defeat the Nazi organization and save the world in this race against time?
Opinions and Reflections
“Lupin III – The First” begins as usual with an adrenaline rush of Lupin III, director Yamazaki succeeded in capturing the gaze of the spectators from the first seconds. In the end we find exactly what a loyal fan of the series expects to find according to a well-established narrative scheme.
The plot is trivial but not at all boring also because the Master Monkey Punch was able to endorse it before he died.
The soundtrack is pleasant to listen to like all those of Lupin III but it does not shine and will not be remembered as a masterpiece.
The animations are made in CGI 3D, they are not bad indeed, after a few minutes you get used to the new style but they are slightly reminiscent of the Playstation 2 videogame characters. I must confess that I still prefer the old style, perhaps because I am more abused than other.
To conclude, it remains a very valid film to see as it brings Lupin III back to the big screen with his companions Jigen, Goemon, Fujiko and the inspector Zenigata that we have enjoyed since the first releases of the anime.
Trailer
In case you are interested in viewing it you can find it on Prime Video from September 15th.
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