Lupin III: The First - The Review
Original Japanese Theatrical Poster. ©モンキー・パンチ／2019映画「ルパン三世」製作委員会
Sometimes you see a trailer and know “I have to see this movie”. The trailer to Lupin III: The First was released in 2019. It is 2021 now. It has been a minute. Lupin III: The First endured, just like the eponymous franchise has for the past 50 years.
Don’t you like it when a massive franchise that has been around for literal decades pops into your life like it’s nobody’s business?
Enter, Lupin III: The First.
This is one of the best animated movies I have ever seen and I grew up on a steady stream of animation highlights. Just the facial expressions in this movie alone are some of the liveliest I ever had the honour to witness. One cock of an eyebrow illustrates the half century of character history, and brings forth more personality than anything in a Disney movie.
Just look at his smile. ©モンキー・パンチ／2019映画「ルパン三世」製作委員会
The movie’s plot is honestly pretty average. A heist that turns into another heist that turns into a globetrotting adventure that includes a Nazi revival. You have seen this before. But not with these characters. 50 years of storytelling has distilled these characters into archetypes that are incredibly entertaining to watch.
Goemon, the stuck-up samurai way too obsessed with his sword: One sequence includes him agonizing of having to sacrifice said sword to the cause, only to find out he simply has to leave it on the ground. He mourns it like a lover lost.
Jigen, the sharpshooter, who is too cool for this and who definitely should not be able to see anything under his low-hanging fedora. Who treats said hat with more respect than he ever shows the main character, and who’s chemistry with Goemon makes me wish for a spin-off focused on their bromance.
Fuchiko, the femme fatale, who double-crosses the main character twice. Nobody really minds because she saves everyone’s life twice as often. She shows up where it counts and robs everybody blind with her competence. Fuchiko winning while the protagonist loses, is the epitome of “Good for her”. Fuchiko deserves it.
Interpol Inspector Zenigata, whose face makes me laugh very hard, and who commands a pack of interpol agents more ridiculous than a pile of puppies, and who strikes a truce with the hero’s because why the heck not.
And the protagonist, Lupin III, grandson of French master thief Arséne Lupin, master thief in his own right. His smile tells you everything you need to know about him. His companions tolerate him. Sometimes use his abilities. Usually disregard his plans. But they stick around.
This should be an album cover. ©モンキー・パンチ／2019映画「ルパン三世」製作委員会
We do not learn how he assembled his merry band of misfits. We do not need to see it. We see them interact with each other, joking, trusting, and loving each other and all their faults. Cool as cucumbers, even in the face of death because they know they will make it. They always do. Even when tied up.
The breezy tone of this movie, the pacing and non-stop forward motion fit the characters. They deserve no less than a brake-neck-pace. Just like Lupin III, it is only still to catch its breath. And it is beautiful when it happens. I hope they make many sequels. In the meantime, I have 50 years of Lupin III to catch up on.
