Lupin the 3rd vs. Cat's Eye

7/10

Having already had Lupin the 3rd team up twice with Detective Conan, the studios have sought a new property to crossover and can fit Lupin's world, one from the 80's. Lupin the 3rd vs. Cat's Eye, on Amazon Prime, brings together prolific anime/manga master thief Lupin the 3rd and his gang and Cat's Eye, a trio of sister art thieves trying to retrieve all the artwork by their missing father. The two groups find themselves in competition for a trio of paintings, which the dangerous Syndicate is also pursuing.

Much how the Lupin/Conan movies felt more like they were set in the Conan world, the tone here feels more like a Cat's Eye film than a Lupin film (at least I think, I don't have a lot of experience with CE), more emphasis is put on the sisters and the movie has a more grounded tone than some other Lupin entries. Not that I'm knocking it. The tone of Lupin has varied frequently over the decades with you getting a bit more lighter Lupin movies over the years than weighty ones, and people who prefer the latter will like this. It's not a hard "adult" title like the early years of Lupin, but there are moments where the situations get more threatening than the majority of the films. 

The sisters are played pretty straight and just aren't as entertaining as the Lupin gang. Also, it hurts the Cat's Eye as main protagonists and believability as professional thieves when Lupin & co. seem quicker on the uptake than them. Lupin is the only member of his group that really gets a chance to shine, with the others just kinda being there. The best use of characters in this are definitely the pairing of Lupin's foe Inspector Zenigato and Cat's Eye's foe detective Toshio Utsumi, who serve as a sort of comic relief. They are both quite similar in goals and outlooks, but their different personalities make things interesting.

As for the basic plot itself, it's solid. I wouldn't say it's the most standout adventure, but it's up there as one of the better Lupin films. Theft/fight scenes are good and everything moves at a steady pace.

The movie utilizes 2d backgrounds with cell shaded 3D characters. Can't say this is the best looking anime I've ever seen, but competent effort was definitely put into this. Backgrounds are detailed and character designs aren't too shabby. However, the filmmakers decided to have the Lupin characters designs changed to fit more into the more realistic aesthetic of the Cat's Eye character designs. Lupin's chin is too short and it bugs me. An interesting detail is that to match the Cat's Eye world, which was very 80's, they had Lupin wear his pink jacket which he wore during that period of time on his third show. Although, I don't think the color blends well with the rest of the scenery.

Kinda recommended. Not a must-watch, but if you're looking for an adventure film, this is a good time. Does stand out a little from the plethora of Lupin films that blend together.