Lupin attempts to get his hands on a treasure map, but finds himself in a crisis where the future of Tokyo hangs in the balance. Lupin has his eye set on a set of unique photographic plates, which hold the key to an ancient treasure dating back to the Edo period. These plates are in the keeping of Michael Suzuki, a multi-millionaire who is about to open a water park in Tokyo. Unfortunately, two of his partners aren't in good condition at the moment: marksman Daisuke Jigen is suffering from a toothache that impedes his aim, and swordsman Goemon Ishikawa has had his prized sword stolen from him… and in Suzuki's collection! Meanwhile, Inspector Zenigata must reluctantly deal with Maria, a journalist assigned to report on the Lupin case but who would much rather report on Suzuki. However, she holds a dark secret to Suzuki's past that he is prepared to hide at any cost. And just what is the secret hidden within the plates? I recently watched this on DVD.<br/><br/>And it was flipping awesome! Every minute of this Lupin movie was action packed! The animation is great, the story is great, and even the additional characters are great too.<br/><br/>This is also the first time they have Inspector Zenigata playing a bigger role.<br/><br/>It's all taken place in Tokyo and has a lot to do with this new Aquapolis resort and a young woman named Maria who has a connection with the owner of Aquapolis, Micheal Susuki.<br/><br/>Has all the good stuff you'd expect from a good Lupin TV movie.<br/><br/>i highly recommend this to all the Die-Hard Lupin Fans.<br/><br/>I give this a 8/10. Of all the Lupin animated features that the saga has had in its long history, this one is my top favourite. It embodies all the elements that make up a great Lupin tale, but also stands out as being different from a normal expected Lupin tale. And it's just so much fun to see, too! Not since the Miyazaki era has there been a Lupin story that has been as entertaining as this one.<br/><br/>The story is the standard for a "soft-boiled" Lupin tale: Lupin and his mates carry out a caper with Zenigata in pursuit, Fujiko has her own plans in effect, and then everyone gets sidetracked by an innocent's plight who they help out against the bad guy troubling them. While it's the basic status quo, it's told competently and well and provides a great blend of action, comedy, danger and fun that engages and entertains. <br/><br/>What makes this a refreshingly different story for Lupin fans, is that the focus is on the tenacious Inspector Zenigata, an underrated character in the Lupin saga. Zenigata is famously portrayed as a comical figure that Lupin loves to make a fool of, but what most fans overlook is that it takes a master cop to catch or even catch up with a master thief. This feature gives Zenigata an excellent display of serious intelligence and bravery and prove himself a real hero to Maria, this story's supporting female. <br/><br/>Consequently this sidelines Lupin and his gang, a little uncomfortably but not unreasonably. The master gunman Jigen is hampered by a toothache, the master swordsman Goemon loses his sword and gets utterly emasculated, and Lupin and Fujiko are seriously outmatched by the villain, businessman Michael Suzuki. It serves in making Suzuki more dangerous and unstoppable, and his campaign is made more sinister by Maria experiencing visions of a terrible future… Of course the heroes manage to save the day and pull off their caper, but it's not really a victory unless their enemy was a serious threat. <br/><br/>The artwork is wonderful for a 1990s anime, the voice cast is reliable (in both the original Japanese and English dub), and the music is jazzy in both an exciting and mellow manner. It's a great ride to go through, and anyone who wishes to learn of Lupin III would be well advised to start off with this story.
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327 weeks ago