Forum - View topicLupin the Third: The Complete Guide to Films, TV Specials and OVAs
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BadNewsBlues
Posts: 6043 |
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I'd argue the same regarding the lighthearted and soft tone introduced in certain episodes of the green jacket series and made famous by "Castle Of Cagliostro". But to the topic I've seen probably half the specials/movies and so far the only ones I liked/like somewhat were. Dead Or Alive Orders to Assassinate Lupin In Memory of the Walther P-38 Alcatraz Connection Farewell to Nostradamus $1 Money Wars Burn, Zantetsuken! Angel Tactics Stolen Lupin Seven Days Rhapsody Castle of Caligostro Thought were meh First Contact Elusiveness of the Fog Sweet Lost Night Green vs Red Hated Return Of The Magican |
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gravediggernalk
 Space Cowboy Posts: 246 Location: Alabama |
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I thought that Green vs Red OVA was absolute garbage-tier. Personally, I wouldn't even use the discs for coasters if I got them for free.
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Black Thunder 6
Posts: 128 |
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What? The manga is R-rated Looney Tunes. The humor is the main set piece not something MP injected to keep it from being depressing its tone is very much in-line with American adult animation like Rick and Morty, Futurama and American Dad with no real ongoing plot just episodic capers that delve heavily into black comedy, hell even touchy subject matter like rape and sexual violence is scofffed at and isn't treated seriously in the manga despite how frequent it is making it feel like pure expoitation. Woman Called Fujiko is nothing like the manga it suffers the same problems as darker entries in that its far too serious and humorless for its own good with a 2deep4u plot that's ripped directly from Memento, it tries to emulate the manga through its "style" but its tone and characterization (as dark as the manga was even Zenigata didn't go as far as to kill Lupin) are off. |
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Black Thunder 6
Posts: 128 |
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That seems to be the main criticism for Red Jacket entries since he's generally perceived to be the family orientated version of the character and he's associated with a lot of the bad in the franchise biggest ordeal is that he's far too goofy at times and comes off as an unlucky pervert than Green Jacket's suave ladies man which is also a far cry from the demented sex maniac in the mangs. There's just not enough moments with Lupin being cool in the TV specials which is why they're a slog to get through and the allusions to Castle of Cagliostro seems more damaging than it is helpful since they don't capture the same feel. Wouldn't mind more TV specials if they incorporate Blue Jacket but it helps to have a good staff on board. |
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penguintruth
 Posts: 8468 Location: Penguinopolis |
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Dude, in the very first volume of the manga, they do a storyline where a criminal has multiple personalities and that ending is just dark as f***, not humorous. I'm literally looking at it as I speak. That's the kind of story the Fujiko TV series does. The final chapter in the first volume of the manga sees Lupin on an island, being messed with by a sadist who gets a knife in the back at the end in a not-funny-at-all manner. Yeah. There are more gags and pratfalls in the manga. Which is why I call the Fujiko series a "more focused" version. But it's not like the Fujiko series is utterly lacking in humor, because it isn't. At all. There's always humor sprinkled in. So yeah... it is like the manga.
Except unlike the manga, it's well-written. Monkey Punch's stories tended to be sloppy and fall apart under any scrutiny, as fun as they were. Just like most of the early Green Jacket episodes, most of which had barebones plots that barely fit together disparate elements. I mean, they started off with an episode that doesn't even establish who Lupin is or what he does. And there's tons of terrible crap, like the entirety of the "witch" episode. Part II had silliness, yes, but its plots were better written. |
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Black Thunder 6
Posts: 128 |
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I'm willing to admit that I admire Green vs Red's ambition rather than I like it as a product, it relies heavily on the audience getting its meta narrative and is filled with well hidden easter eggs for hardcore fans to spot, the plot is fairly boring once you get over its gimmicky direction and the franchise main stays are barely relevant despite it being a celebration of Lupin as a whole but dammit I can't hate it. The opening is glorious and the amount of details given to its narrative right down to differentiating between Yamada's Lupin with Kurita's is quite something. So it gets an 'A' effort because that alone has become a rarity in this franchise. |
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russ869
Posts: 424 |
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Who the hell likes Dead or Alive but not Farewell to Nostradamus? Nostradamus had great animation and took place in a 1000 story skyscraper. Dead or Alive on the other hand still had a lot of fluid animation but was off model basically all the time and had a boring story.
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SolHerald
 Posts: 99 |
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Man you tore those TV specials up; although I have to agree, most of them are not worth watching for someone who is wanting to get into the franchise. But if you're a fan of Lupin I would cautiously say that they all can be enjoyable - except Return of Pycal, I wouldn't touch that flaming pile with a 30 foot pole.
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FLCLGainax
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Still waiting for someone to license Alcatraz Connection. Hiroyuki Imaishi of Studio Trigger did the opening sequence for that one.
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Black Thunder 6
Posts: 128 |
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A lot of hate for Return of Pycal as expected, I'm ashamed to admit that it was among the first Lupin entries I watched when I was first getting into the franchise so I don't hate it as much same with Twilight so it has a weird place in my heart even if its hated by fans on both sides of the Pacific.
The very first chapter has Lupin breaking the fourth wall giving us a tour of his secret base complete with the password "Lupin the Third is a hell of a guy" among escapades in this volume is his first confrontation with Goemon which is anything but serious. Its best to say that the manga was all over the place in terms of tone but never dead serious and there was never any message to any of it.
Its "focused" because it has a more linear narrative while the manga was more madcap randomness with only a few recurting plotlines and characters, like I said the manga didn't have a message or point to make it was about Monkey Punch having fun. Outside Goemon's running "boyfriend" gag not really, even the episode involving Lupin and Jigen saving a mute tattoo women was serious and episodes where they paired up were usually more upbeat meanwhile the manga would crack the occasional rape joke every so often because Monkey Punch is known for his class.
We'll agree to disagree, not saying that the original manga was well-written but there's appeal to it that none of the animated entries has managed to capture. The manga is raw and unrelenting and you can tell that MP wasn't being restrained which is both a good thing and a bad thing. Woman Called Fujiko feels moreso like waste of time that's neither a faithful recreation of the manga or an interesting re-imagining just a story with an obvious conclusion that got bogged down by its own muddled plot. I guess that's the beauty of episodic storytelling is that there's no real commitment and you can jump in at anytime, personally I think so much of the franchise benefit from this and tends to stumble when its geared towards serial storytelling, I agree that Part II had much better writing even if I liked Part I more as a whole. |
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BadNewsBlues
Posts: 6043 |
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Lupin could be goofy and an unlucky pervert even in the Green Jacket series but it wasn't as redundant as it was in the Red Jacket series where those traits practically get used in a good portion of the 2nd show's episodes. Hell red jacket even decides to go the extra mile by having characters make jokes about Lupin's plain looks which was never really done in part 1.
I'd argue that as stretch given that we got episodes with such premises as Lupin agreeing to star in a commercial just so he can kiss Fujiko or The one where some fat bastard wants to eat Lupin's brain just because. Red jacket had some good episodes in it but also had quite a few really out there and just plain terrible episodes.
Probably be better liked if Pycal wasn't such a weak but somewhat overpowered villain.....and if he wasn't defeated in such a bizarre fashion. Last edited by BadNewsBlues on Wed Jan 27, 2016 10:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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doomydoomdoom
 Posts: 278 Location: Michigan, USA |
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I think anybody who is getting into Lupin needs to see Mystery of Mamo, as well as the other theatricals.
TV specials...those are definitely much more debatable. Many here are immediately disagreeing on what is worth watching. I thought Bye Bye Lady Liberty was pretty tops. Osamu Dezaki was one of the greats whose style is instantly recognizable, so I think anybody who considers themselves an anime buff should be familiar with his work in general. So I wouldn't skip his Lupin specials, for better or for worse. But my advice to possible Lupin initiates is to start with Green Jacket. If you like what you see there (I adored it, and agreed with Reed's choice of episode 4 as a premium cut), you're a Lupin fan. It's got the humor, it's got the drama, and is a prime example of why Lupin is so appealing: the ensemble cast just gels like no other. The finale was fantastic. |
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Lupin the Third
Posts: 88 Location: Idaho |
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Yeah, Lupin stuff is SO varied in what appeals to different viewers that it's bound to have disagreement on what is watchable and what isn't. Someone posted earlier asking how someone could like Dead or Alive but not Nostradamus. Man, Die! Nostradamus is not a very good movie, and because it's so well animated it's just the biggest letdown!
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ZanraiKid
Posts: 102 |
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I never knew how to express with certainty why I didn't like Return of Pycal, because the whole OVA is really ramshackle from start to finish. This, however, hit the nail on the head. |
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residentgrigo
 Posts: 2446 Location: Germany |
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I have read the very same 60s manga penguintruth did and it is THE definition of pulpy trash. There are a few good episodic adventures (a lot of them got adapted) but the majority was an exercise in cruelty, deeply problematic porn and darkness with little characterization, focus and highly uneven art. Hiding behind "humor" saves nothing so my weak (6,3 eh?) stands.
Fujiko Mine fuhrer has about as much humor as IV and i just noticed the original manga´s
Koike and company rock and Monkey "I am responsible for Musashi!" Punch sucks. Nearly as much as Return of Pycal which is Lupin´s lowest point without a doubt. That is all. Frogot: I looked into the Italian Game special (my only non-ongoing anime Lupin gap) and isn´t the later "new" content just a still to be resealed episode or two? |
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