The Lupin III franchise, about a clever devil-may-care, talented thief and his crew, has been around for a long time, spanning multiple television shows, movies, including a couple live-action, and television specials. (It's kind of like the Japanese equivalent of Scooby-Doo in terms of longevity and main character count.) However, this is the first time Lupin has ever gone computer animation. This time Lupin is searching for a diary leading to the one treasure his famous grandfather thief couldn't steal. Also, he's going up against Nazis, not Neo-Nazis, old school Nazis. I liked it but didn't love it.
The movie does a great job of maintaining the ol' Lupin feel: Action and adventure combined with slapstick comedy. There are several bits that are genuinely fun and interesting traps and clues.
The animation looks great. The Lupin characters are known for their distinctive style and the movie does a great job of recreating that in 3D. The movie is colorful, lively, and has a nostalgic 70's feel to it. There are some impressive chase and fight scenes in this. The opening scene also has this really cinematic feel to it.
The music is retro. Longtime Lupin composer Yuji Ohno brings a 70's jazz feel.
Although there's a lot about this movie I liked, it's not the strongest entry in the franchise. It does suffer a little from basic Lupin plot fatigue. It also has one of its most worn out subplots: guest female with her own backstory that takes up a good part of the film. This one's name is Laetitia. Her story and that of the two main villains in this should've been more compelling. They've all got solid motivations, some interesting twists and the antagonists have more personality than in many other Lupin films. But, their story is too drawn out, you can tell what's going to happen long before it happens, and it takes too much time away from Lupin and his gang. Also, I felt that the darker tones of Laetitia's story contrasted with the upbeat aspects of Lupin's parts. Don't get me wrong, there are several darker or more serious Lupin stories, but those stuck with a tone.
I can't say this is one of the best entries, but it does manage to stand out in a series whose proclivity causes many of the stories to blend together. The movie has style and some well executed scenes. If you like Lupin, you'll like this, and it's a decent watch for a general viewer, which they can enter without having to see the rest of the series.
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