The iconic "gentleman thief" Lupin III returns in an action-packed, continent-spanning adventure, as Lupin III and his colorful underworld companions race to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Bresson Diary, before it falls into the hands of a dark cabal that will stop at nothing to resurrect the Third Reich. The gang undertakes trap-filled tombs, aerial escapades, and daring prison escapes with the trademark wit and visual finesse that have made Lupin the 3rd one of the most storied animation franchises in the world, in a thrilling new caper that is sure to delight fans old and new.
(Source: GKIDS, edited)
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Comentários
anime-prime
Once again, Lupin takes the stage in easily my favorite Lupin film that isn't directed by Hayao Miyazaki (The Castle of Cagliostro). Lupin the Third: The First (yes, it is a very confusing title) is a typical Lupin movie through and through with just a single new addition, it is in CGI. Not just any regular anime CGI, Hollywood level CGI. Disney/Dreamworks level CGI. The animation itself made this movie better than most of its Lupin counterparts, but the story has a couple of extra things that made this installment stand out among its peers (besides for the CGI). First off, the story: Classic Lupin story,if you have seen any other Lupin installment than you know what happens here. No twists you won't be able to see coming a mile away. However, this movie adds a Indiana Jones aspect to it that fits in quite well for Lupins character. I won't call this movie a complete rip off of Indiana Jones, but it is obvious to tell where the inspiration came from.
For those who haven't seen a Lupin film before: Lupin is a thief and he and his team steal something, it gets taken from them, then they try to get it back with Inspector Zenigata on their trail trying to arrest them. Very simple concept which somehow is still interesting even after seeing it over one hundred times.
Moving on to the technical aspects of the film, I can't praise the art/animation enough. The CGI is on par (or at least close) to a Disney film. While a couple of the character models look a little weird compared to their 2D counterparts, the CGI is great, particularly in the action sequences. The animation is super smooth and fluid and everything looks clean and polished. The chase scenes in particular are fantastically animated and directed and it is easy to just replay them over and over.
However great the animation is however, just like usual, the greatest thing in every Lupin film/series continues to be the Soundtrack/OST. Yuji Ohno has succeeded in making one of the most iconic themes in all of anime and this is proven when the same theme has been used and praised for over 40 years. It's not just the main theme song however, every one of his pieces are brilliantly orchestrated and are arranged in different ways for different movies. It is impossible to not just hum/tap along to the main theme and the ED "Gift" sung by Lyn Inaizumi is another beautiful addition to the Lupin music library.
The voice acting (Japanese) was very good, which is no surprise coming from Lupin which has a long history of good voice acting. Even the new roles in the movie were done really well, with a shout out to Suzu Hirose who voiced Latiana.
The main characters are the same as always. Lupin is a playful not so serious thief, Fujiko is mysteriously trustworthy/untrustworthy as usual, Jigen is the serious partner, Goemon is the cool headed samurai, and Zenigata is the stubborn, persistent, and foolish inspector. The side characters however really make this movie stand out. Latiana is a great new addition used to attract our the viewers sympathy, and it succeeds. The antagonists are also given a lot of screen-time to help them not just be the forgettable Lupin villain. One of the antagonists actually has a little bit of depth.
This movie was extremely enjoyable to watch as a huge Lupin fan. Even in CGI, it feels like a Lupin movie. I will definitely watch this a couple more time once the English dub gets released.
Overall, this movie was as perfect as a copy paste story-telling Lupin movie could be. Th CGI was visually appealing, the OST was gorgeous, the new characters were given some depth, and the plot was an Indiana Jones movie. The movie couldn't have been much better.
Score: 10: A masterpiece and so good that i would watch it again and again and again.
YeeYeeAss
I can't believe how cool this looks. After waiting for some while I finally got to watch this but since it was fansubbed there were many hilarious mistranslations here and there. Gotta give the studio props since this cg looks fantastic. It is like the level of Pixar or Dreamworks. It is smooth and looks and feels quite nice. Of course I thing Lupins artstyle works well as CG anime. It isn't overly anime looking so it works, it is like some cartoon artstyle. Story: So Nazis are trying to get their hands on this one dudes journal but it goes missing. Later it was foundand thrown in to a museum in France. Of course Lupin wants said thing so he goes to get it. Well the journal gets taken by a girl named Letizia and Lupin follows. Well shit happens and Luping gets caught. Then comes another rescue operation. The journal contains information and the whereabouts of an ancient weapon of mass destruction. This one man wants to get that weapons and deliver it to Hitler. We then follows the adventures of Lupin III, Letizia, Mine Fujiko, Jigen Daisuke, Ishikawa Goemon and Zenigata. Who gets the weapon first will be the winner.
Characters: They are the same as before. Letizia is a girl who wants to go to the Boston University to study archaeology. His so called "dad" will send her to the university if she brings the journal to him. Later on she joins Lupins gang to find the weapon. Lupin is still the quirky, comedic and sometimes badass thief. Jigen is still the master marksman he has always been. But in this it feels like he is a bit closer to Lupin than in the previous shows. Goemon still does cool samurai stuff and gets awkward around women. Also he really doesn't want to lose his sword. Mine Fujiko is back with in my opinion the best character model she has ever had. It looks so good. She still uses her charm to get out of tough situations.
The theme is the Ol' Reliable. So it is the same as Part 4 and 5 and etc.
If you like Lupin, then watch this. If you haven't seen Lupin then this is a very good show to start with.
abystoma2
Unless you have a hate boner for any kind of CGI, Lupin III: The First is a treat for all Lupin fans and a nice movie even if you aren't interested in Lupin that much. Apart from short Lupin III 3DCG special, this is the first time Lupin has been animated in full 3D and boy I'm really pleased with the result. The animation is fluid and detailed, and it really makes the action scenes shine. The character design was translated into 3D perfectly and respectful to the original (though not without any change. I'm especially a fan of the movie look of Jigen, albeit I'ma bit saddened that Jigen and Goemon didn't get more spotlight. Laetitia, the newest addition to collection of Lupin ladies is also seriously cute. I also really liked the animation of facial expression of the characters. Yes, the style of animation looks quite like a western-made movie, to an extent that it at first felt almost unnatural that the dubbing was Japanese and not English, but I don't see a problem with that, if anything it keeps things fresh, something that a franchise with so many specials and movies certainly needs.
The plot isn't ground-breaking, but I don't think anyone expected a revolutionary script for a non-reboot Lupin Movie, go watch The Woman Called Fujiko Mine and its related movies for that. Regular Lupin movies (and specials) are foremost meant to be fun and this one passes with flying colors. If you've seen some amount of Lupin anime you probably already know what to expect plot-wise, so there is no need to go into greater detail here. I'll just note that this one feels a bit Indiana Jones-ish, and I don't mean that in a bad way.
Overall, I certainly recommend it to Lupin fans, but it works as a family movie too, even if not every member of said family is a Lupin fan.
CataOrShane
I've watched all of Lupin III's seasons and a lot of the movies, OVAs, specials and so on. 50 years old and Lupin and his gang still get a lot of love and attention. I love it! Animation: 1) the style reminds me of Shrek so it took me a bit to get used to how the characters look, particularly Zenigata, Lupin and Jigen. One thing that helped me like the style for Lupin and Jigen is understand that in the Lupin III's timeline this had to be one of the first adventures because SPOILER: age-wise, Hitler could still be alive. So, Lupin and Jigenlooking younger makes sense but Zenigata's face looks wrong to me for some reason that I cannot quite pinpoint.
2) the animation becomes a little bit inconsistent and sloppy one hour into the movie
3) overall the animation is very fluid and once you get used to it, you realize it's really well-done
Sound:
1) the soundtrack is faithful to Lupin III's iconic themes
2) voice acting was flawless
This movie is a lot of fun to watch for those that like comedy but also action. It has awesome action sequences and the story is interesting as well. My only complain about the story is SPOILER: the "grandfather" should've remained a bad guy until his death.
All things considered, this movie gets a 9/10 from me.
brandotendie
Lupin the Third: The First is Lupin PERFECTION i watched it with a cinema that was full (socially distanced) of very obvious Lupin fans and even thought there was only like 20 of us max in the theater, it was one of the most FUN experiences i've ever had in a cinema! the whole film just felt like a film straight from the Red Jacket era and the CGI was a flawless fusion of realistic textures and cartoon physics that i haven't seen in such a dazzling manner since Spielberg/Jackson's TinTin. from the iconic Yuji Ohno tracks to all of the main crew's mannerisms and iconicskillsets, i'm blown away by how much this film adheres to the formula and tropes of the Red Jacket era, forgoing modernization through plot elements completely and relying on the time tested elements that makes Lupin so timeless.
i was pleasantly surprised to see that even the side characters had moments to shine and written in a way that had me connect to them more than the usual throwaway side characters featured in Lupin outings.
all in all just everything i expected and more! it totally understands the Lupin formula and has a plethora of subtle callbacks and jokes that were just a delight. there was nary a moment that i wasn't beaming from ear to ear.
the ending note from the late Monkey Punch really hit me hard! a perfect cherry on top for a perfect representation and love letter of our favorite thief.
RIP Monkey Punch, long live Lupin III!
AnimeObasan
I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was to see this! First off, With COVID, movie theaters closed for months. When they reopened, they offered this as a Fathom event. I booked my family asap. SOUND: Top notch, Red Jacket dub sound. My husband, who is a sub elitist, loved it. ANIMATION: Are you kidding me? I was so impressed with this. I played the Lupin III PS2 game, which was an acceptable port to 3D models and is still passable. This was like reliving that x100000. My husband thought that it was a real movie with 2D/3D on top of it when he sawthe previews (Roger Rabbit style, I guess?).
STORY: Typical damsel in distress of the week. Lupin movies/OVAs seem to be either amaze balls or terrible, with nothing in between. Lately, they’ve been stealthing new storylines to become the new normal. So beyond Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, Zenigata, and Fujiko we have Zenigata’s assistant and Rebecca. But neither were in this installation. It seems to be a simple spin off, sort of a one off story. And that was absolutely fine.
CHARACTER: Typical fare. I suppose it could be difficult for a newer fan to understand some of the relationships, but for Lupin fans it was just fine.
MakingAList
To preface this, I'm a beginner Lupin fan, with this being the 2nd movie I've seen (the other being Castle of Cagliostro) so I won't be able to offer much input on whether this film does the franchise justice or how good it is compared to everything else in the Lupin cinematic universe. But, I can say that although prior experience with the series may help offer context for the main characters, it isn't necessary. The story I will admit isn't the most groundbreaking, and formulaic if anything. Gave me Indiana Jones vibes and even if a bit formulaic, it's based off of a tried-and-trueformula. It works.
The characters help the movie shine. I love the group of main characters, all of their unique quirks, and seeing them interact with each other. There's a good handful of funny moments with the crew. The villains were good as well.
Now, the art. When I first saw the trailers I was surprised they were going to do a fully 3DCG Lupin movie. If you're worried about the art, don't be. I think they were able to bring the same vibes and energy into the CG as they had in the 2D. Everything was very well animated. High quality stuff. It was refreshing to see such a good CG anime movie.
The music was amazing too, with the talented Yuji Ohno behind it. I've listened to a good bit of his music that wasn't Lupin and other movie soundtracks so I know this man knows what he's doing. I particularly loved the main theme and the end credits song.
I respect this movie for going in the direction it did and pulling it off. This will be an enjoyable watch for most, Lupin fan or not. I recommend it !
Creanis
In short - it's an ok movie dragged down by the same story we've seen hundred times already. Let's start with the strong points of the movie: 3D animation looks outstanding, at points you can forget you're watching an animated movie, the backgrounds, vehicles, and objects in general looks amazing, the music is great, the characters just work while feeling unique and actors behind them are selling them really, really well, the jokes are landing and the movie will get a chuckle or two out of everyone and overall when the movie is focused on these elements it's fun and it would be a great filmif it would stick just to doing this.
But there's also the ugly side of the movie, it simply cannot sell the "heavier" part of the story, the more serious scenes feels like don't belonging anywhere but had to be added to somehow close out the movie by simply checking the most cliche elements on the list and just be done with it which makes the last 1/3 of the movie a slog, you were breezing through the first hour just to be hit with the final act that's absolutely out of the place, lost all the pace and have issues with making any kind of sense of itself; the facial animation doesn't work at times and it pains me to say that since animators did a great job everywhere else but any kind of expression beyond the resting face doesn't look good, to say the least. The story overall leaves you with a great feeling of "meh", there's nothing to it, nothing to chew on, no reason to get back to the movie, no afterthought, you went through and emerged victorious, the movie is over, you've already forgot it.
Would I recommend this movie?
To fans of Lupin - probably, the common elements are there and are the strongest part of the movie, it feels like a Lupin story and you may find what you are looking for in here.
To people who simply are looking for a good movie? Nah, you should be able to find a better way to spend 90 minutes.
Krankastel
Digital 3D animation is the future, though of course that is not to say 2D digital, or more laborious techniques (such as stop-motion or painting-on-glass) will die out as long as artists have enough incentives and/or love for their art. As of now however, few anime studios or studio departments can elevate it into competing with American productions, instead turning to often awkward and disharmonious blending of 2D and 3D (although some succeed, such as Ufotable). This is why anime of Orange (Land of the Lustrous and Beastars) pleased me with their decent full 3D production, of course coupled with great sound direction and decent narratives.Some short works are even better in the animation department.
But they cannot compete with the current object for reviewing.
[1. Starting with the visual production...]
I can confidently say it’s a wonder of animation (among Japanese), and its 3D animation comes very close to rivaling American productions.
Highly animated sequences are smooth, dynamic and never cumbersome, whether it is e.g. hand-to-hand combat or dogfights. It’s also successful in the special effects department. Character designs have transited from 2D to 3D very well, with some aesthetic changes, such as Jigen wearing a beard closer to stubble or a slimmer model for Fujiko. I liked almost all (save for Goemon’s) for their rich facial expressions. However, I must point out that although animation is excellent, there are a couple of limitedly animated scenes that stuck out and I spotted an off-model.
Outside animation, backgrounds were rich, varied and fitting each region portrayed (e.g. Paris). Also, I loved how clearly and correctly French and English letters were presented, I literally paused the film in order to read them.
[2. Proceeding with the audio production...]
The OP is an arrangement of the primary theme of Lupin III, a highly iconic jazz theme used since 1977. The rest of the music is a jazz score fitting with the old-school feel of Lupin III movies, whereas the ED is a soothing soul/jazz/ambient (I’m not certain on the genre) vocal song, performed by Lyn Inaizumi.
Voice acting is solid and up to the standards of a good anime movie, be it reoccurring or new characters, but my favorite audio aspect is sound direction. Sound effects and lines matched perfectly with body and facial movements of characters or motions of objects. I rewatched certain scenes just because I enjoyed the sound effect in question; an example includes an anti-material rifle being fired.
[3. And concluding with story and characters...]
[a.] For the purpose of this section, I will first initiate readers to movies of the Lupin III franchise. Each installment is part heist adventure and part action-comedy, although certain also take a thriller approach. There are countless such “specials” and movies, with varying quality, yet no matter the work twists tend to be predictable and with quite some clichés. And it’s perfectly fine so!
The strength of Lupin III movies lies into freedom and simple entertainment. Outside a trilogy of movies connected to Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna, there are no restrictions in watch order whereas narratives are easily digestible, with fair amounts of kooky humor, frequent changes of scenery and action sequences.
The First’s narrative draws influence from Raiders of the Lost Ark. The story begins with a “cold open” in France during WW2, with Nazis attempting to take by force a clockwork mechanism holding a diary belonging to a French archaeologist. After the opening sequence the story switches to a time skip in the 60s. Lupin attempts a heist at a site where the mechanism is held, and he and the rest of the gang are gradually involved in a conspiracy of Nazi remnants. Anything else I note may spoil too much fun, so I’ll let it be, but will note that the narrative’s pacing is smooth, the story is not too complex but compelling, yet also a bit too extravagant concerning some “rule of cool” sci-fi elements.
[b.] The gang of four remains the same as other movie titles: Lupin is quirky, super quick on his toes, a womanizer, crafty and cunning.
Jigen is a cool-headed marksman and aloof friend/ally of Lupin, Goemon is a cool samurai (and even speaks like one) and Fujiko is the resident femme fatale of the show: equally quick on her toes as Lupin, uses her beauty and charm to escape of being cornered and frequently outsmarts our womanizer protagonist. And the reoccurring antagonist also appears: inspector Zenigata from Interpol. He is obsessed with chasing Lupin and the gang throughout the world, to arrest and bring them into justice. Of note is an amusing moment involving him and romance.
The main cast also includes Laetitia. She is a young French woman forced to cooperate with the Nazis due to certain circumstances, and dreams of studying archaeology in the US. Other than being adorable and sympathetic, she is also a huge bookworm and extremely knowledgeable on ancient civilizations, even being able to read cuneiform. As for the rest of the cast, they include mooks and the leadership of the Nazi remnants, which are a step above typical action movie villains, but remain the weakest link as despite a little depth they fall flat.
Hope you enjoyed my review!
derpinat0rz
"I would like to take Lupin III around the world" - Monkey Punch An incredibly achievement of a movie. Hopefully first of many of this kind for Lupin III. Breaking the 3D world of anime and stealing the first place. Making the standards higher each time. The master thief himself! A marvelous film that had achieved what many in japan has tried but failed. I would truly Recommend everyone to watch this movie. Along with other Lupin III works in this big and very long Running franchise. Monkey Punch's Word for this movie alone gives me big hopes for more incredible and unique Lupin IIIworks!
GrooseLord420
Straight up, I have never really liked CGI. I've never gotten invested into a CGI show, and when CGI is mixed with traditional art it's even worse. Despite that opinion, this is one of the greatest pieces of animated media I've ever seen. The story is somewhat predictable, nothing too deep and certainly nothing surprising, despite the fact that I haven't seen any other Lupin seasons or movies. But it's also not bad, and not taking away from the experience. Please watch, even if just for that experience, because the experience is incredible. The animation is like nothing I've ever seen or know to exist,the characters are all compelling enough that I'm invested in looking for more Lupin content.
Pandametal_
Extremely fun movie overall, including any shenanigan you'd expect from Lupin, with a new 3D animation style never seen before with these characters. All the Lupin band is here, even though I feel Jigen or Goemon are quite under-exploited, but all get their time to shine. Some GREAT over the top action scenes along to the incredible Lupin soundtrack (the classic Yuji Ohno themes made me smile all along, very reminescent of part 4/5 versions with some castle of cagliostro touches). Several hilarious moments, as well as more emotionnal scenes that work a bit less for me (especially compared to some of the previous Lupin series/movies). The story itselfis quite simple yet still intriguing, works well to develop the characters with this Indiana Jones-esque adventure.
Some characters facial animations fall somewhere in the uncanny valley for me (especially Zenigata and sometimes Lupin as well), but most of the animation is incredibly dynamic, and Lupin-style in the poses, fighting styles etc. It mostly translated really well the spirit of the original material. Several astonishingly detailled shots at times, with great sound design once again, that really surprised me.
The end made me smile too, with the half-nostalgic, half-light-hearted feeling of the never-ending Zenigata vs Lupin band chase cycle restarting one more time, as usual.
ModVAVet
Basically, give something the feel of a Bond film. Then, make it extremely humorous whilst maintaining that feel. That's what you get from Lupin III: The First. Exceptional CGI. Gorgeous backgrounds. Fluid animation. A kick-ass opening. A story that made me laugh, and then made me cry at the end (the good sort of cry). A jazzy soundtrack that fits perfectly with everything happening visually. I'm really sad that Monkey Punch wasn't alive for the finished product. I think he'd have been absolutely pleased with what came out of it, and I know I was. This was my first taste of Lupin. Pardon me; I have roughly halfa century to catch up on.
DanTheMan2150AD
Inspector Zenigata did nothing wrong! 😤 Possibly one of the most lavish uses of CGI animation ever, Lupin III: The First is an absolute visual treat, full of joy and zaniness, a charming and old-fashioned adventure romp. It's an unspooling like a mashing of James Bond and Indiana Jones, but equally reminiscent of The Adventures of TinTin's stylings. The animation has fun playing with the laws of physics, it frees itself from the constraints of anatomy with gorgeous fluidity. Yes, the story may be rather straightforward and its twists are easy to predict, but it doesn't make the movie any less fun as the film managesto pull it off with exceptional speed and scale. Matched by its incredible vocal performances and simply magnificent score by Yuji Ohno, Lupin III: The First balances a hilarious sense of humour with genuinely exhilarating adventure, making it perfect for newcomers and hardcore fans alike.
ImRingo
Lupin the Third: The First is a showcase that not all anime is “anime looking”. The notion that animation has to be hand drawn for it to be “good” anime is stupid beyond belief. For many years now, there have been fully CG animation projects from Japanese studios. This just happens to be the first one that really pushes the “Pixar” levels of quality. The film absolutely feels like a Lupin project. Lupin and his gang of thieves go to steal something. Before they are able to though, there are thwarted by Zenigata, an officer of Interpol. Little do they know that Fujiko as well asan unknown young female are also after the treasure. Add in literal Nazis and you have what feels like a bonified Lupin project.
As I mentioned earlier, this film looks absolutely stunning. The visuals are so crisp and detailed, the animation is so smooth (note it is of the motion blur variety in case you hate that), and the characters have so much visual personality. It is also worth noting that this film does not go overboard with visual content. In a lot of animation projects, you get the feeling that the animators just want to flood the screen full of shit because they can (Looking at you Star Wars Prequels). In this film though, there is clear direction and purpose to what is on screen. This is, in my opinion, a visual masterpiece.
On the voice acting and music side, yeah it is fucking great. Maybe I've been deceived but it sounds like to me that the full OG cast is here voicing their respective roles. They fit their on-screen counterparts perfectly. The music is also great and fitting. I will say that there were a couple scenes that really could have utilized some sort of music as they were completely silent. However, from what I can recollect, the film did a great job with the music+visual synergy.
The plot is fully a Lupin feeling thing. I will say though, it belongs in the more “wacky” Lupin plot group. Such as with the episodes of Castro in the Fujiko series, it's almost...too wacky. Plus Nazis have been the butt end of so many movie and tv plots that, at this point, it seems like a cop out to use them as the bad guys.
That all being said, the entirety of the film is a pleasure to watch. I am super glad we now have such a high quality CG anime film to point to all the fucking naysayers. I love hand drawn anime (thank god for TRIGGER). However, there is a place for CG. Yes it is mostly used as a timesaving technique, but when used correctly with proper direction, it is art as well. Seriously watch this film if you want a wacky thief filled time. If you enjoyed this, go watch the Lupin The Third: Part 4 and 5 tv series as well as the Fujiko Mine spinoff tv series. They are fantastic.
Enjoyment: 8.8/10
Overall: 8.6/10
Feduddle
This is coming from someone who has never seen any of the Lupin III media. When I saw the previews for this film I thought it would be a very character-driven fun and lighthearted adventure film, and boy was that completely accurate! The story was more or less a standard adventure, using a very strong formula for an extremely enjoyable experience. It wasn't trying too hard to be original and that definitely works in its favor as the film has more time to lean into the story's real strength, the characters. The characters were very enjoyable and easy to understand. They have had years of developmentand it really shows. I had this weird feeling of nostalgia as if I had grown up with these characters, and in a sense I had. The characters fit into well established tropes, and were extremely fun to watch because they didn't need to take up screen time to explain themselves and how they fit into the story.
The art was absolutely spectacular, and the 3D designs and animations were exemplary. Due to its stylization, I am sure the animation will stand the test of time.
The sound was well crafted but nothing too spectacular. The sound and music weren't trying to stand out, and simply added to the experience. This is fine. The sound design delightfully complemented the animations, stylized but not too cartoony, with its main purpose being to set the mood for adventure.
Overall, I had no expectations when first watching this movie, and no idea what it would be about. The film doesn't try too hard to be original, which is oddly one of its biggest strengths as it lends more time to just sit back and enjoy the ride. I enjoyed this movie way more than I thought I ever would, and will definitely be re-watching it again in the future whenever I want to indulge in lighthearted adventure!
Vjestiprime
Lupin III is a franchise that I see go under far too many people's radar's, the impact it's had on anime is quite revolutionary and one of its most recent entries have truly become a game changer. After decades upon decades of anime studios trying and failing to make stylish 3D anime, along comes TMS studios with 2019's Lupin III: The First, a stunning entry into the franchise which proves it is indeed possible to nail 3D anime to the point where it almost rivals big budget studios like Disney and Dreamworks. So much love and detail went into the animation of this film, there's tinylittle details hidden in the background throughout the film which gives it that extra bit of life a film like this needs, the animation of so fluent and beautiful to watch It's almost like art. The only complaint I have with the animation is that at times it makes the dubbed voices look mismatched with the characters mouth movement, with 2D animation it is completely unnoticeable, but with 3D animation as smooth and fluent as this it's quite noticeable at certain parts of the film, however this is only with extensive focus on it, if it's ignored it will not ruin your watching experience in the slightest and i can't really downgrade the film for having animation that is simply 'too good for the dub' (I must add both the dub and sub for the film are spectacular so pick whichever one you prefer, I personally prefer to watch Lupin dubbed as Tony Oliver, Richard Epcar and Doug Erholtz will always be the top dogs when it comes to Lupin III in my eyes).
The story reminds me of something you'd see in a Spielberg movie such as Indiana Jones, a great comparison to this film would be his 2011 film 'The Adventures of Tintin (which is an excellent movie in its own right). The story is full of mystery, action and suspense and is honestly a truly exciting adventure you'll want to experience again and again.
I can't discuss Lupin III without talking about Yuji Ohno's flawless score for the film, Ohno has composed utterly beautiful jazz score's for Lupin iii since it's humble beginnings back in the 1970's, and to this day he still manages to create scores that are full of life and truly express the mood and aesthetic Lupin has, his work in this film is by far one of his best as well as his new version of the classic Lupin theme.
Something small I greatly enjoyed was the films opening title's which really get you ready for the thrilling adventure you're about to go on, resembling an opening similar to a Bond film (which correlates nicely with the two having similar spy espionage conventions.
Overall Lupin III: The First is a masterpiece of anime and has truly changed my gold standard when it comes to animation within the industry, it's a film that should be watched by all as there's something for everyone to enjoy within the adventures of Lupin and the gang.
Rakmaninoff
Lupin III: The First. Terrible title, pretty amazing movie. An absolute classic type of Lupin adventure with everything you expect being executed well, BUT IN 3D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The most notable feature about this film is its CGI medium, and I’m grateful that its executed so well. It has that touch of emotion as well as texture in reality that work well, what I would describe as less anime styled 3D of newer features like Beastars and more closer to a grounded and ‘live action’ approach to aesthetic. There’s that special 3D simulation about fabrics flapping and being pulled, and it’s abundant in here. When Lupin isfalling out of a plane it’s hard to not be caught up in the astounding amount of movement, feeling in place with the energy of the scene. And it goes to this feeling I have with the film, where it feels like a truly beautifully manga that has evolved into a butterfly of a film. The style and texture is so much to wonder and look at on a single screen cap alone, that I could easily enjoy this as a series of panels and still frames. The fact that it flows into each moment with such precision while maintaining its quality is astonishing, and feels much more above a simpler/commercial anime feature of which Lupin often resides in.
It is by no means overdone in realistic style. The beauty in this film’s colouring shines strong. With the gorgeously vibrant character designs that are so iconic and never tiring, along with the wonderful scenery that is created. Such as the emotional duologues between Lupin and Laetalia that shifts on each of their meetings, each a gorgeous sunset that represents their relationship on a changing course throughout the picture. This also being included with the very solid direction done by Takashi Yamazaki, which is clear and well orchestrated. I will also mention now, the character animation is godly. This going with my moving manga comparison, it gives the illusion that each face is particularly sculpted of clay for a fraction of a second for maximum effect. Which is entirely possible, even though I don’t suspect Arc System Works style of insane processes but good 3D is no small achievement backed by passion. The character movement is also super sharp, the nuances or extremely bold action is an immersive treat. From that hilarious upside down goal post neutral pose for Zenigatta or when Laetalia taps Lupin’s shoulder in a realistically endearing/intimate moment, the movement is all purposeful and put to good use.
The story is a pretty classic Lupin affair. Nazis, magic books, you get it. The characterisation and interaction does not slack, which is the main reason we watch Lupin anyway. And the new girl is pretty heckin cool. She’s got a solid personal narrative and is very entertaining. It’s all definitely assisted by the voice acting, which is so very good. The current voice for Lupin particularly amazed me, since I only just watched Tokyo Crisis the other day and thought that Lupin was terribly generic. But to find out it was the same guy shocked me, and I must give my commandments to Kanichi Kurita. He carries that Lupin joy so strong and has refined it to be on par with the late Yasuo Yamada’s. It’s wonderful to still have Kiyoshi Kobayashi as Jigen, even though he sounds pretty damn old he fits so well. The other actors were good and felt befitting. But I will take note of Koichi Yamadera’s Zenigatta, which is so damn good and filled with an excitedly forceful version of the police inspector. And he was also Spike Spiegel, which amazes me.
The music is a banger once again, Yuji Ohno can somehow never get tired of slightly adjusting his pieces for a Lupin project, and chucking in a few numbers as well. I shall most definitely acquire the soundtrack for a good listen. Whenever I have the need to drive a Fiat and steal some stuff.
But yeah, this movie is fantastic and I will probably come back again for a good ol’ time.
LegionIscariot
Nazi treasure in a Lupin story. What a shocker. Great movie. Terrible art style. I will always choose the charm of hand-drawn over 3D/CGI. Lupin teams up with a Disney princess who dreams of something more. The characters are great. Except for the cliché Nazi villains. Come to think of it, this movie is basically Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The main cast get to show their kills.Fujiko is a treacherous beach as always. But still ends up being very likable.
Zenigata’s obsession with Lupin is funny as ever, and is willing to go to the ends of the Earth for Lupin.
The Disney princess is adorable I wont lie.
Jigen and Goemon get to do their stuff.
And Lupin’s design in these 3D animations always makes him look like a monkey. (Is it a nod to Monkey Punch? I doubt it)
