A Film directed by Takeshi Koike

Lupin the 3rd is one of the most enduring franchises in Japanese popular culture, with a lifespan that stretches back to 1967, when author Monkey Punch’s original manga debuted. Since then, the series has existed in almost constant production for nearly six decades, spanning multiple manga runs, six main television series, dozens of TV specials, theatrical films, OVAs, stage adaptations, and video games. Few properties have maintained this level of output for so long without long dormancy periods. Each generation has effectively received its own version of Lupin, allowing the franchise to remain culturally relevant. Because of this immense longevity and variety, fans often separate Lupin into alternate continuities, commonly identified by jacket color, as a way to make sense of the franchise’s tonal shifts. Green jacket stories reflect the darker, more adult edge of the original manga and early anime. Red jacket entries emphasize action, humor, and broad appeal, becoming the most iconic era. Pink jacket material leans heavily into absurdity and experimental comedy, while blue jacket Lupin represents a modern, more serialized approach with deeper characterization. Recent films by Takeshi Koike, like this one, despite being blue jacket Lupin, sit largely outside these groupings, forming a stark, minimalist reinterpretation that functions as its own parallel continuity with a deliberate nod to perhaps the first Lupin stories and the much darker original manga.

“After fending off a series of skilled assassins, gentleman thief Lupin III and his band of allies follow a strange invitation to an uncharted island. When their plane is shot down, the gang is stranded and soon hunted by the island’s inhabitants, past enemies, and a monstrous immortal being known as Muom, who threatens to destroy Lupin’s legacy.”

So, what exactly sets these apart from things like the zany Lupin III cartoon that was on Toonami back in the day? As mentioned, they are usually darker, and more grounded in the most simple terms. They often deliberately strip away slapstick comedy of some of the more popular interpretations, and replace it with eroticism, violence, and tales of moral ambiguity. These all appear to be set largely in the late 1960s to early 1970s, which becomes VERY important to this story as it moves along. Previous to this movie, the film assumes you have watched the following:

• Lupin the IIIrd: Jigen’s Gravestone (2014)
• Lupin the IIIrd: Goemon’s Blood Spray (2017)
• Lupin the IIIrd: Fujiko Mine’s Lie (2019)
• Lupin the IIIrd: Zenigata and the Two Lupins (2025)

However, I have not seen all of them, and everything made perfect sense to me. Then again I am a long-time fan of the franchise so my experience is not potentially everyone else’s. All of the above films are summarized at the beginning of the film, so there is a slight attempt to bring the viewer up top speed, which was appreciated.

Now that I have said the Koike films tend to be more grounded, let me immediately contradict that by pointing out just how quickly this one dives into strange science fiction territory. The story opens with Lupin and the gang arriving on an island hidden within the Bermuda Triangle, a place where a shadowy organization discards failed assassins, including several who previously tried to eliminate Lupin’s crew. The island resembles a post apocalyptic wasteland, littered with rusting weapons and abandoned nuclear missiles, while grotesque mutants known as “garbage men” wander through the fog. The air itself is poisoned and lethal within twenty four hours. Escape seems practically impossible. Naturally, Lupin decides the only solution is to identify the mastermind behind it all and steal whatever treasure is being concealed. That leads them to a bizarre humanoid figure named Muom, who claims immortality and seeks to rule the world through a warped vision of natural selection.

If this premise sounds closer to one of the wilder seventies era entries, that is no accident. The film ultimately reveals itself to be a prequel to Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo, the very first theatrical outing for Lupin III in 1978. For longtime fans, that connection is a fun and rewarding twist. For newcomers, however, it may be disorienting. Fully appreciating the callbacks assumes familiarity not only with several recent films, but also with a famously over the top late seventies entry that has always been one of the franchise’s more divisive installments.

The film smartly splits the cast into smaller pairings, Fujiko with Zenigata, Goemon with Jigen, and Lupin largely operating on his own. Everyone technically has a role to play, though I was a bit disappointed in how uneven that balance felt. Fujiko, in particular, is sidelined for stretches of the film and framed more as eye candy than as the cunning operator she can be at her best. After being captured, stripped, and nearly burned alive by the island’s inhabitants, she spends much of the runtime in a hastily improvised outfit that the camera seems far more interested in than her agency. Meanwhile, Inspector Zenigata and Lupin drive most of the central conflict, which is not surprising, but I tend to prefer when the ensemble feels more evenly utilized.

It is impossible to wrap this up without talking about Muom, one of the strangest antagonists I have seen in anime. His design is immediately bewildering, with exaggerated proportions, an enormous head, and bizarre clothing choices that make him look both theatrical and absurd (he basically has reverse chaps on). Instead of projecting straightforward menace, he often inspires confusion simply by existing on screen. That said, when he begins dismantling opponents with superhuman judo techniques, it somehow feels completely consistent with the chaos he embodies. The character is undeniably memorable, even if I am not entirely convinced he is effective in a traditional sense. Once the story’s connection to Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo becomes clear, his over the top presence feels much more intentional, aligning with the heightened insanity that has always defined some of those older films.

Overall, I really liked the story here despite my smaller criticisms. The animation is outstanding, with fluid movement and striking compositions throughout. The action sequences are especially strong, including a genuinely thrilling car chase that delivers exactly the kind of stylish chaos I expect from this franchise. More importantly, the film places the characters back into familiar territory after years of TMS Entertainment trying to modernize the brand in various ways. Personally, I have come to feel that Lupin III works better as a period piece rather than a story constantly chasing the contemporary era. There is something about the retro aesthetic, the analog tech, and the globe trotting adventure tone that just fits these characters more naturally. This film really solidified that stance for me. I felt similarly about Lupin III: The First, which essentially played like an Indiana Jones style adventure, but in a wildly fun and distinctly Lupin way. When the series embraces that timeless caper energy instead of trying to be cutting edge, I think it is at its strongest.

I think discussing my theater experience is important here in this review as well. I have admittedly been a bit spoiled lately, with several recent anime films playing conveniently at my local theater. This one, however, had a more limited release, and I had to drive about an hour into the Eastern Kansas Kansas City area to catch it. Normally that would not be a big deal, but I have had mixed experiences with theaters out there, so I went in cautiously optimistic. Thankfully, I ended up at a venue I had never visited before and it turned out to be excellent. I mention all of this because I worry that the limited rollout may have hurt the film’s overall performance. If I was hesitant to make the drive, I imagine others may have been too. My screening had fewer than ten people in attendance, which certainly did not feel like a runaway hit. Even so, my son and I had an absolute blast. It was our first time seeing a Lupin III film in theaters, and I sincerely hope more entries from the franchise make their way to U.S. cinemas in the future.

In closing, I would say this movie is good and fun, but probably not one of the stronger Lupin III films simply because the barrier to entry is so high if you want to fully appreciate what it is doing. As an anniversary project and a love letter to longtime fans, it absolutely works. However, it is unlikely to win over many newcomers, since the plot leans heavily on nostalgia and deep cut callbacks. That said, as I mentioned earlier, it looks fantastic, features great music, and delivers plenty of stylish action. It was a very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon at the theater, and I am genuinely glad it received a release here at all.