Lupin III: The First (2020)

Lupin III: The First (2020)

6/10

Starring the voice of

Kanichi Kurita

Kiyoshi Kobayashi

Daisuke Namikawa

Miyuki Sawashiro

Kōichi Yamadera

Directed by Takashi Yamazaki

The plot of Lupin III: The First isn’t one of the best introductions to the character, but it does a decent job filling in the gaps for those who’ve never seen or read anything about Lupin III and his crew. As someone like me, who’s never hopped on the Lupin train since its inception in 1967, I’d say the plot makes an effort. At least I didn’t fall asleep while watching it, and Lupin managed to pull off some unexpected heists. While it won’t win many awards for its story, the animation is a fine showcase of 3D CGI artistry.

I’ve known about Lupin III’s existence for a while, though I’ve never read the manga or watched any of his anime. My friends, however, have helped fill in the gaps over the years.

The characters in this series, created by Monkey Punch in 1967, are led by Lupin III, a master thief. His persona feels like a blend of all the characters from Ocean’s Eleven, Sherlock Holmes, and James Bond. His grandfather, Lupin I, was one of the greatest thieves of his time, and Lupin III is determined to live up to that legacy.

The story revolves around a book called the Bresson Diary, believed to contain directions to an enormous fortune.

The movie begins with an old man giving his son a book and his grandchild a round object. They’re being chased by a group, which leads to tragedy. Fast forward to the present, where the story is set: the book is now on display, and the men guarding it receive a letter warning them that Lupin plans to steal it.

Things take an interesting turn when another lady steals the book—only for Lupin to steal it from her, before it’s stolen again by Fujiko Mine. Fujiko, another master thief, always seems to operate in Lupin’s shadow.

The book eventually ends up in the hands of men trying to restore Nazi power, believing that Hitler is still alive and hiding out in Brazil. The story is set in the 1960s, and among these men is a young woman whose involvement seems more a matter of circumstance than choice. Lupin, of course, refuses to give up and relentlessly pursues the book—all while being chased by the ever-persistent Inspector Zenigata.

The animation is fun to watch, though it’s neither a classic nor a masterpiece. It’s simply an entertaining way to pass the time while waiting for more exciting releases in 2021.