Lupin III: Part 5 ルパン三世 PART5

2018 spring | Episodes: 24 | Score: 8.1 (17754)

Updated every Wednesdays at 01:29 | Status: Finished Airing

Type: TV

Producers:Nippon Television Network | TMS Music

Synopsis

Genius thief Arsene Lupin III—along with the usual crew of Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Fujiko Mine, and Daisuke Jigen—finds himself in modern-day France, where he encounters both new and old adversaries, with Inspector Kouichi Zenigata still hot on his trail. As they steal from darker, more sinister entities, they will also have to find a way to deal with the newest technology in their escapades, as well as face the ghosts of their pasts. However, this time, Lupin's choices begin to catch up with him as his pursuers use every tool at their disposal to take him down once and for all. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Voice Actors

Namikawa, Daisuke

Kobayashi, Kiyoshi

Kurita, Kanichi

Sawashiro, Miyuki

Yamadera, Kouichi

News

Reviews

whiteflame55
04/02/2024, 09:03 PM
I liked this season quite a bit. I think it was a little more consistently solid than Part IV by having a plot that felt like it very naturally built on itself over the course of the season, though it notably lacked the stylized animation that made that series pop as well as the layered plots. Its best episodes didn't quite rise to the level of the best that series had to offer, either. What this series did have was some solid emotional investment. In particular, how this series portrayed the dynamic between Fujiko and Lupin was absolutely excellent, and making that the core ofthe season makes it easy to love. I have issues with how Goemon behaved later in this season (his readiness to attack his friend just felt like it was there to create end-of-season tension and came at the cost of some character assassination), but I do think this season is still nearly as good as the one prior, mainly through just how good its little nuances were and how well it balanced its tones
CryingFreeman123
03/19/2022, 04:25 PM
I don't wanna give a simplified over-appraisal for Part 5 because it does have some flaws- no show is perfect. But what Part 5 does and how it does it is not just a treat for longtime Lupin fans but feels like a big thank you letter to everyone who's kept the franchise alive. Part 5 tackles territory we've never seen in the series: a commentary on these characters, their exploits, and us as an audience. It doesn't go uncreatively meta like so much media now but it's plot proposes questions and answers for why we enjoy the franchise so much. It takes these charactersto places we haven't seen before and it's all earned due to the events the story sets up. So, in modern day times how does a thief operate? Cameras everywhere, mindless social media usage, the concept thieving as a dated story setting. Instead of just carrying things on as they've always been Part 5 addresses our technological society. The scenarios set up here can be fun and exciting, Lupin's gang proving how they can operate in our times. Same question goes for the franchise too, right? Been running for almost 60 years, how are we still hooked on it? Especially with characters created back then, can they hold up now? The show tells us yes, and does it in the best way it possibly can: by showing us. Everyone contemplates their place with a camera in every pocket and online-fame but they come out realizing that yes, they can survive in this era. Part 5 also directly addresses flaws that we've all had in mind throughout the series. Lupin relying on his partners too much? Goemon being left out of good plot development for the sake of deus-ex machina moments? Zenigata's true opinion of Lupin? Lupin's continued infatuation with Fujiko? Even Fujiko sticking by Lupin. Things we've all thought about yet the series had never addressed or fixed due to playing it safe. Part 5 is an examination of the franchise in general and with that comes some of the best moments for all these characters. Animations spot on. Part 4 was really stylized and could be distracting but 5 keeps things at a consistent quality the entire way through. It feels like refined versions of everyone's Part 4 designs and they're given the time to shine. Soundtrack is one of Ohno's best. His musics always great sure but when he gets experimental (The Last Job for example) it shows off his flexibility. Part 5 goes for a French inspired sound, giving us some of the best remixes of his past music. It stands out in a franchise that's known for it's music and it's really impressive how he can keep putting out such high quality work, especially at his age. Some of the tunes here hit hard. The biggest issue I can say is that if you weren't a Lupin fan already it'll be harder to gel with what Part 5 does. One of the franchise's strengths is that you can jump in practically anywhere since its mostly all been self contained. Part 5, while being a self contained plot itself, is a plot that plays with the idea of already knowing these characters well. It's best moments are so impactful because of what they mean for the cast and franchise as a whole, and this is the one time I'd recommend someone watch more of the franchise before jumping in. If you've been watching the series since childhood Part 5 will tug at your strings in moments. That being said if you try other entries out, love the characters and style, then Part 5 is an easy sell. It's one of the best moments of the franchise, up there with Cagliostro, Part 2 and The First.
TedyLazaro
02/19/2022, 05:47 PM
Firstly, sorry for my English, it's not my native language. Lupin III is a work created in mid-1967 by the late Monkey Punch, who ended up several television anime adaptations; theatrical and special films. In 2018, the fifth part of the anime premiered, having its 24 episodes and becoming the best part so far. Structure: Earlier parts of Lupin III did not focus on a single continuous plot, but rather were "episodic" episodes where one did not influence the other. This changed from the fourth part, but it still contained at least half of the anime, the episodic system, already in part five, this focus on linearityis almost 100%, with some episodes honoring previous parts, taking up less than 1/4 of the anime. Worldbuilding: Part five manages to bring a depth that was not explored in previous parts, such as: How are masks made? How does Lupin make the equipment? how will they use the technology? and etc. The technology manages to be used subtly and in a polite way, not making it look like it was misused or wasted. Cast: Lupin III has always had an extremely remarkable cast of characters that have an undeniable charisma, and that thanks to their timelessness, they don't need drastic changes of ideals or personality. Part five manages to take the heights where the work had not yet reached, with a personal plot of each character with the others. To give examples, we have the relationship between Lupin and Zenigata, where even though already established by previous moments, they still manage to deepen this rivalry of thief against policeman, showing that one has respect for the other. Another example I can give that is much explored by this part is the love relationship between Lupin and Fujiko, with non-verbal demonstrations that the two make for the part, an example of this is the final moments of the 1st arc of this part, or even the Fujiko during her most prominent arc of the part. It's not just old characters that live this part, characters like: Ami; Albert; Gorou and etc, are very well fitted and create new dynamics for the characters, besides of course, they have a good base to stay in the story and have the development they needed. Technical questions: I have no experience in these things, but I can say with certainty, this part exudes production quality. The settings are beautiful and alive, a true work of art; Lupin III's soundtrack has always been excellent and you can't go wrong here, each OST is better than the other and it's still unique, from a few touches you already know which anime it's from, a rare thing these days; The voice acting work is also amazing, highlighting all of the main cast and Ami. Story: Because it is more linear, it can be more consistent and can apply big ideas freely, making it more interesting. She also manages to make the mood always interesting, leaving us questions during the journey to answer during the final arc. The characters have several striking points throughout the course of the Story, managing to leave it fluid and natural. Only one moment of this part requires the audience's interpretation, but it is not complex or difficult to arrive at an interpretation that pleases you, even you spectator reach a conclusion in the scene itself. Conclusion: I couldn't put everything I think about this part, but I can say that it encapsulates the work very well on its own, being a great start for beginners, since I knew at least the main cast. This part is careful with its details; with a great story behind the events being very fun and exciting at every moment, with the way the work has always had. 10/10
tsamporado
09/07/2020, 11:13 PM
It should be noted that I'm going into this review as someone who binged Part IV and Part V one after the other and I feel like I'm nuts for liking this season less than Part IV. This isn't to say that Part V is bad, but I do feel like it's a lot easier for me to say that I enjoyed Part IV as opposed to Part V. I have a lot of conflicting feelings on Part V: what it does well, it does really well, but the rest is more of a mixed bag. I'll start with what I liked. While I felt like theart direction read as more generic as opposed to its predecessor, the backgrounds in particular were gorgeous and the animation was clean. The soundtrack was wonderful as always, though admittedly this season's version of the theme wasn't my favorite. When it comes to the plot episodes focusing on the main cast, I felt like things were more or less handled very well (in particular, the final arc read as very solid as far as the main cast was concerned even though I do feel like they could have given Zenigata more of a chance to shine overall; but a lot of potential arcs that could have revolved around him were admittedly addressed in the prior season). The Fujiko-Lupin dynamic was handled very interestingly, and was clearly a focal point of this season which didn't bother me. On the contrary, it was refreshing to see a season where their relationship wasn't glossed over or reduced to a simple "oh they're fwb but it's not our business." ...Unfortunately I dislike that Ami was the catalyst for this discussion. I don't think that Ami, overall, is a bad character, although I did find her somewhat bland compared to last season's Rebecca. My issue with her primarily lies in her crush on Lupin. This isn't the first time that the franchise has introduced a young girl (a minor) who develops feelings for Lupin, and it's always handled with class. This season also has Lupin rejecting Ami's feelings (although as the season continues I almost wish they'd written him as firmer in his dismissiveness), but in general it grew increasingly uncomfortable if not annoying for her crush to be pushed front and center. From a writing standpoint as well, it felt kind of skeevy given Ami's backstory. Like, I just sort of sat there like. Why would the writers feel like this was an appropriate means of handling this type of character. ...But, anyway, Enzo also was a bizarre case. I felt as though I didn't understand him as a character at all. While not outright malicious his characterization was very inconsistent and he almost reads like a completely different person in the final episode. As far as other new additions, Albert was interesting, but I wish they'd done a little more with him (though I understand that a lot of what happened in Part V was likely a set up for a Part VI series). Yata was an interesting character who regrettably got very little screentime (a side effect of Zenigata feeling practically Benched after the first arc). When it comes to its MANY homages, I felt that some worked better than others. They definitely weren't done in a way that felt overly invasive, but I did feel like the imposition that every iteration of Lupin III takes place within the same universe hindered the show somewhat. As a viewer, I'm willing to appreciate the reappearance of Castle Cagliostro as a small nod or easter egg, for example, but the way the writers impose the concept that all versions of Lupin are the same felt like it was crossing the line into bizarre. Overall, the show wasn't bad. I enjoyed the parts that appealed to me personally, and disliked the parts that didn't. I'd definitely recommend starting with Part IV before this one, as Blue Jacket seems to be weaving together a more cohesive universe than previously seen with Lupin, so while it's possible, it's difficult for me to recommend this season as a starting point.
lethargilistic
09/01/2020, 09:28 PM
While watching this, I couldn't shake the thought: "did the people behind Lupin III Part 5 secretly hate Lupin III?" On the surface, probably not. There are a lot of blink-and-you'll-miss them references splashed liberally throughout. Clearly, they have seen this show, or at least looked up all the movies and picked some characters from each to revive. But Part 5 is just such a fucking slog with no energy at all after the first arc. I watched the first 6 episodes weekly in 2018, and I thought they were a good time then. Ami was an excellent addition to the series. Everyone played an interesting rolein that story. And episode 6 was a filler that I vaguely recall, so it couldn't have been all bad. Nonetheless, I found I didn't want to keep going then, so I put the series on hold. Holy shit, did I make the right call. The second, third, and fourth arcs are all miserable experiences that don't amount to anything. They're slow. They're big mystery boxes. Worst of all, they sideline half the cast in each. Basically, they're horrible Lupin III movies that would have been stretched over WEEKS. For no reason! The fun of Lupin III is in how radically different the show can be every time. It's fun. If it has something meaningful to say about the human condition, that is explored in the margins. I should be having fun when I'm watching it. I should not be fucking bored out of my mind, wondering why Fujiko just doesn't show up for 6 episodes in a row or what these new characters are supposed to add. Maybe they didn't HATE Lupin III, but sure as hell they didn't UNDERSTAND Lupin III as a means for compelling TV. Because of this, their feeble attempts to be meta in the final arc could only fall flat.
CataOrShane
06/03/2020, 04:28 PM
I've watched a lot of Lupin III seasons and films over the years and I'm happy that after 50 years since the original Pilot film from 1969 it still gets a lot of love and attention. It really shows what a masterpiece the legendary Monkey Punch came up with. So... why the low score? Animation: 1) I absolutely love how the art style manages the capture the "old school" look. 2) no CGI usage is a plus 3) hated the OP and ED visuals 4) I love how the show begins with a brief showcase of the animation's evolution over the 50 years of LupinIII's series 5) SPOILER from the 19th episode: Lupin and Zylberstein are sitting across each other. Behind Zylberstein is Mirage with a sniper aimed at Lupin's face. As Jigen, who was behind Lupin at that time, shoots the sniper rifle, Mirage shot ends up hitting the FRONT SIDE of Zylberstein leg. This is impossible to achieve and it made no sense. 6) SPOILER: I loved how Goemon's flashbacks about his history with Lupin were done using the original animation. However, before Goemon saw the flashbacks, the same footage appeared in tv screens and there's no way that those moments were recorded by anybody. Sound: 1) I hate the version of the iconic Lupin III's theme song that they came up with 2) the soundtrack retains a lot of the usual songs and themes that have always been a part of Lupin III's magical history. Story and characters: 1) overall, it's extremely predictable. Not only the "action" sequences but also plotwists and reveals 2) SPOILERS ABOUT AMI/AMY: her backstory is that she's a child porn survivor. However, she's also portrayed as someone that has interest and curiosity about sexual stuff with Lupin "because she never had sex before". This is a contradiction and it's a disgusting, insulting portrayal of a victim of sexual violence. Not only that, but Lupin, Goemon and Jigen were incredibly dismissive about her traumatic past when they should've been outraged and possibly even interested in getting revenge/justice for her and the other children. 3) SPOILER ABOUT LUPIN/FUJIKO'S RELATIONSHIP: Lupin's personality is a lot more mature/serious this season and I appreciate that. I can totally see Fujiko and Lupin happier apart from eachother than together. Fujiko at the end of the season, states that she broke up with Lupin because they focused on each other rather than going on heists. Fujiko's personality is of a lone wolf that feels trapped in the company of others and that's perfectly fine. However, Lupin is different. With Fujiko being his love interest, you can surely see how important for him their time together was and so on. I honestly don't think that Fujiko and Lupin work as a couple at all and it makes more sense for them to be a business with benefits type of thing. 4) The 6th episode is a flashback that forgets to let the viewer know it's a flashback so until you figure it out, it feels like Fujiko and Lupin are acting completely different from the ones you see in the first 5 episodes. 5) There's a couples of episodes that focus on the financial problems of the Lupin gang and no reason is stated for the sudden struggles. This makes no sense at all. It's been stated throughout the entire Lupin III saga (including this season) that they have enough riches for each one of them to retire and live a luxurious life until they die. 6) SPOILER: Lupin acting as a wannabe Detective Conan was terrible to watch. That episode had 0 Lupin III's magic 7) SPOILER ABOUT FUJIKO: watching her single-handedly lift Lupin and at the same time carry Ami on her back and jump off with a parachute while carrying them both was one of the most badass things I've ever seen that woman do. It was awesome!!! 8) SPOILERS ABOUT AMI/DOLMA: the whole love talk was so cringe that I can't even. 9) SPOILERS ON ENDING: the ending was so bad. SO BAD. Fujiko as a damsel in distress makes no sense; Ami being Enzo's daughter was way too obvious; Enzo's sudden change in attitude from being a bag of puke that fathered a child to loving father made no sense at all either; Lupin's sudden face reveal to Fujiko was unsatisfying as heck and due to her lone wolf type of personality, I don't see how she would give two flying flippers about Lupin's feelings towards her. For me to be able to fully explain why I gave this season such a low score I had to post a solid amount of spoilers but let me put it this way: out of the 24 episodes, I only enjoyed about 9. That's less than half of the series and why the overall score for me is 5/10.
Riiakuma
04/26/2020, 08:35 PM
Honestly the Lupin series never fails to keep me on my feet. Part 5 is very well written and gives old fans service by bringing back red jacket Lupin in a couple of episodes. If you are new to Lupin the Third series, starting at any part is absolutely fine. You’ll get the gist of all the loveable characters and how they fit into the whole picture. However, don’t be scared to give part 1 or 2 a go first! Although the animation between 1 and 5 is a big jump, it’s good to see where Lupin first began and why they did give nostalgicfeelings of red jacket Lupin. Overall, part 5 is really well made and the soundtrack is beautiful. Every Lupin soundtrack is classical and I definitely listen to the soundtracks when going for a drive or going about my day. Lupin the third has amazing storyline and characters you will grow attached to. I definitely started growing into the new character Ami. She’s really cute and a great character to have join Lupin and his gang. Overall a really great watch.
Bigbone99
03/17/2020, 12:22 PM
Lupin the 3rd part 5 is another fine addition to the franchise. This part stands out because it feels like a celebration of everything the series is, as well as being a modernized take on the franchise. Technology is at the forefront of this part you see, and it has changed the world greatly. Now Lupin and his crew have to deal with new threats from social media tracking where they are, face recognition technology and bio-metric security among others. But Lupin himself hasn't fallen behind the times, his kit has been updated to keep up. His main tool is his new monocle that isbasically just an incredibly advanced computer allowing him to keep up with the constant stream of information. New technologies such as 3D printers and smartphones help round out his kit. The modernization of the series doesn't stop there, contemporary political issues and the impact of technology on them are brought up. They aren't the main focus of this part (Its still Lupin after all, cool heists and fun are the focus), but they are present enough that it can provide some commentary on them while adding texture to the world. Character wise one should expect more of the same from the main cast of Lupin the fun loving master thief, Jigen the mellow marksman, Goemon the stoic swordsman, and Fujiko the femme fatale. More of the same from the characters in the Lupin franchise isn't a bad thing, these characters are so enduring because their strong characterization and group dynamic; they are always a delight to watch. There are some "throwback" episodes that tell self contained stories using different styles and tones that just prove how flexible these characters are in terms of writing. But the relationships between them don't remain unexplored. There are moments where the characters express their weariness at the changing world and reflect on what they all mean to each other; a strong feature for long time Lupin fans. There are some stand out new characters too, mainly Ami. She is a young genius hacker who Lupin meets at the beginning of the series. I don't want to reveal too much about her since she is such a delightful recurring character, but what I will say is that watching her grow more confident in her skills and as well as her relationship with the other main characters is endearing. As for villains, a new one is introduced each "episode", with an episode being a three to four episode long arc. They all put Lupin to the test in new and interesting ways thanks to the ever present backdrop of technology. TMS entertainment didn't skimp out on the art and animation either. Part 5 is set in France this time around, and all of the background art of buildings, countrysides, scenic roads and interiors (whether they be lavish or homely) are rendered with such love and care. Small details like making all of the signs French, making all of the vehicles European models and even paying attention to cuisine make it all the more authentic. What I'm pointing out is pretty obvious when you look at it, but this sort of consistency and dedication to setting must be applauded. The fact that it would go unnoticed speaks to how effective the immersion is. Character designs are still very appealing. They are a little softer looking than in part 4, giving them more of the classic style to them, but not so soft that they don't look modern. Ami again is a stand out character in this department. The more classic look makes things feel less jarring when we transition to the throwback episodes as well. Animation is also very strong and consistent throughout too, with all of the vehicles being animated without the use of CGI, even in car chases too. The music still consists of groovy big band jazz tracks, some funk, fusion and the use of the accordion in the opening song and main theme of the series to situate it in France even further. So the final verdict is go watch Lupin Part 5. You will be treated to an entertaining thrill ride with great characters and visuals, as well as an astounding finale. If you are a newcomer, I would suggest you start with Part 4, but if you watch Part 5 first, you will still be in good hands since each Part is more or less self contained, with minor references to earlier bits of Lupin media. If you're already a fan, DO NOT HESITATE, watch it as soon as you can!
Haneken2086
11/25/2019, 10:52 AM
Anime’s most popular robber, Arsene Lupin III, continues his escapades with this new show. And while he reaches fifty years, changing times have not changed his enthusiasm for impossible thefts. With that said, the world has evolved and become tougher for him. This adaptation puts Lupin against the current world, specifically the aspect of information technology that has become so much of current culture: cellphones, social services, digital money, hacking and surveillance. It’s a long way from Lupin’s origins in the late 1960s, when all he seriously needed was his wit. The challenge is whether he can still hold up, after all these years. Tohis credit, Lupin realizes he needs a tech-savvy ally and brings in Ami Enan, a hacker who wants to experience the world. The story isn’t a simple tale of the old guard dealing with tech, as Lupin has dealt with computers before. It goes beyond that: the series’ main villain: Enzo, is a perfectionist IT surveillance officer who seeks to prove his system is perfect by targeting and bringing down the world’s best thief. It’s a battle to preserve Lupin’s reputation and legend (marked by the show having one-episode adventures of Lupin from different eras). There’s no fear, though: at fifty years, Lupin proves himself as still unstoppable and entertaining an outlaw, and so do his close friends. They do need a bit of time to reflect on their long history (a few episodes touch on this), but on the whole they’re still ready for thrills and excitement. It’s worth noting that the show has a few boring moments, and perhaps more seriously there are some colorful characters who debut on this show who deserve more time than what they got. Particular attention is for Albert D’Andresy, Lupin’s rival who’s set his eyes on stealing nations through political strategies. Albert, who debuts in this show, is a fascinating character who deserved more time to explore his history with Lupin and his grand schemes. But what little we saw of Albert was good enough to guarantee him a possible appearance in the future. This show stands out as a commemoration of Lupin’s legend, a bit faulty in some places but otherwise a fun ride for both fans and non-fans.
GuanYu_7
11/17/2018, 01:20 AM
The famous Lupin's gang, 50years now, after 3 years came back with a new series. The first introduction story presents a new character and probably the most infurious hunting of the most famous thief in the world, Lupin III. Τechnology seems to be one of the most dangerous enemies. Lupin follows italian fashion and wears the blue jacket one more time. Part 5 doesnt have the same story line as the previous part in Italy, arcs with 5 or 6 episodes, flashbacks and from the first moment give us the feeling that going to be more emotional than ever. Characters' relationships are strong, often recollectmoments from the past, joking about their age and in addition to their struggle they have with texhnology recall ages when their life wasn't that hard. Ami was a fresh addition and strengthen the sentimental atmposhere with many intense moments. Νevertheless, the strong point of the cage is the interaction Lupin has with Fujiko. Their relationship is more fragile as ever, Fujiko on surface is cynical but romantism overflows everywhere and their feelings are stronger than ever. Some stories were great some not that much, aesthetic was on the point with a great effort also considering the small budget studio has but when the final story came out nothing else matters. Needed e few minutes to make the series one of the most important things to me, Lupin-Jigen dialogue, impact of the feelings right there gives me goosebumps every time when i think about it. Goemon and Zenigata have their moments too, with a fantastic episode when Zenigata-Lupin role is reversed and times when Goemon-Lupin relationship becomes sensible and ready to break.
VampireNaomi
11/03/2018, 12:46 PM
The other reviews for Lupin III Part 5 are overwhelmingly positive, so I decided to offer a different opinion that explains why I found the series pretty disappointing. I've seen quite a lot of Lupin over the years, so I've learned to identify which elements of the characters and their adventures I enjoy the most. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about Part 5 is that all through its run, it looked like it was aiming for the exact flavour that I love, but something was always missing. In Part 5, Lupin and his gang are having adventures in France, the home country of Lupin's famous grandfather.Technology and especially social media play a big part this time. While Lupin has always adapted to the technology available, this is the first time that it's getting such a focus. I wasn't sure how to feel about this at first since I like Lupin because of the sleek, classic feel of the franchise, but the social media aspect was actually used in a clever way that felt natural. The Lupin Game that was introduced in the first story arc was especially fun. I'll start by listing everything that I think the series did well. From a technical standpoint, the series is amazing. The backgrounds bring the locations to life, especially all the little back alleys in French towns and quiet countryside with its fields and villages. I don't think the world of Lupin's adventures has ever looked this good, even in movies. The animation and character designs are also impressive and retain a high quality all through the series. While certain scenes or episodes are better animated than others, there weren't any moments where I noticed a clear drop in quality. Combine the visuals with a great soundtrack by Yuji Ohno and the Lupin experience is nearly perfect. Another thing that I think made Part 5 stand out positively is the group of new side characters. Ami is the young hacker girl with a tragic past who becomes involved in Lupin's adventures and brings some fresh perspective to the group. Out of the new characters, she plays the most important part in the overall plot, and it's lovely to see her grow and find herself as the series progresses. There are some details in her story that some viewers might find tiresome and trite, but the series never takes this far enough to make it truly tasteless. Another new character is Albert d'Andrésy, a mysterious man who knows Lupin's past. I can't really say much more without spoiling the story arc in which he plays a major part, but he was entertaining, particularly well voiced, and brought some interesting elements to the franchise since we very rarely get any backstory for Lupin. The third new character, Zenigata's new partner Yata, is a welcome addition and fun to watch because of his reactions to everything, but I wish he'd gotten to play a bigger part. Finally, I think Part 5 had a lot of cool, fresh ideas that it brought to the table. Part 4 already changed the formula somewhat by introducing an on-going plot rather than featuring just self-contained episodes. Part 5 takes it further with tightly plotted story arcs that slowly push the main story onwards. The stakes are higher than in any other Lupin TV series and watching Part 5 is an exciting experience that makes you feel absolutely anything could happen to the characters. Unfortunately, I don't think the series ever really fulfilled that promise. After a while it became clear to me that even though the series liked to introduce new ideas and tease the possibility that it'd reveal something revolutionary about the characters and push them beyond the usual limits, it never had the guts to deliver. The series raises interesting questions but never answers them, instead burying them as soon as the story arc is over. For example, the second story arc hints at things in Lupin's past and the Lupin bloodline that could shake the foundation of the franchise, but the series never touches on these ideas again after casually dropping them in dialogue. One of the central themes is Lupin's relationship with the rest of his gang, particularly Fujiko, and this is where the biggest disappointment for me lies. Those expecting Fujiko to be part of the gang's adventures and play a big role in the series, lower your expectations right now. She's absent for most of the series, and there are frequent hints that something happened between her and Lupin that drove them apart. You don't get the answer to this question until the very end, and I didn't find it satisfying, especially when keeping in mind that the price to pay was not seeing Fujiko in action except for a couple of episodes around the middle of the series. Lupin and Fujiko spend most of their scenes together exchanging wistful dialogue that is clearly meant to be deep but just comes across as too try-hard. I think the story arcs drop in quality one after another. The first one is easily the best because it delivers a coherent story and ends at a point that feels natural and deserved for all the characters. It's the only one that gets five episodes rather than four, and that gives it more time to develop its story and characters. I enjoyed the second one a great deal when I first watched it, but the series never returned to the elements and potential it introduced there, making the second arc feel like it doesn't belong among the others. I didn't enjoy the third one much because I feel it was the spot where the series should have resolved its Lupin and Fujiko plotline, but instead it prolonged it by pushing her aside for no good reason just to keep the questions unanswered until the end. I know others loved the action, political themes and Ami's character growth, though, so there might still be something in the third arc for you. The only arc I'd describe as a total failure is the last one because there is simply way too much material to be covered in just four episodes. The arc rushes through a lot of elements that I think needed more time to be effective and instead chooses to focus on random cameos by old characters, badass action scenes, and meta about who Lupin is, and eventually reaches an ending that I feel is a lazy cop-out in every way. It's similar to the ending of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine in the way that it gets you invested in the questions it raises about the characters and then tells you that actually, none of this matters enough to be resolved because we're all just in for a fun ride, right? So whether you like the ending of Part 5 will probably depend on whether you liked the ending of the Fujiko series. One element that I didn't enjoy at all (but which a lot of other fans loved) was the number of random cameos by old characters and the clear attempt to build continuity between Part 5 and all other entries in the franchise. Personally, I have always chosen to see most Lupin titles as their own thing with no connection to the others. The way Part 5 tries to tell me that its Lupin is the same one from The Castle of Cagliostro, all the other TV series and a few random TV specials breaks the world in my eyes because Lupin comes in many different flavours and they aren't all consistent with each other. At the same time, the series never goes full meta like Green vs. Red, so I'm not sure what the creative team was trying to do here. The story arcs are separated by one-off episodes that play homage to earlier versions of Lupin. Some of these episodes are great, some not. Personally, I would have rather seen these episodes spent on deepening the plot and characters of the main story, but I can't deny that there were some gems among them. In particular, I liked the silly Pink Jacket episode and the sniper battle episode with Jigen. So, all in all, I don't think Part 5 is without merit and it's certainly a complete pleasure to look at and listen to. The plot and character themes were interesting in theory, but the way they were handled left me completely disappointed. I really miss the fun adventure feel that a lot of earlier entries in the franchise offer. I'm not opposed to taking a bleaker look at the gang's dynamics, but Part 5 spends too much time telling you that it's exploring those themes without actually doing it. I think the movie The Secret of Mamo is a much better example of how to shake the core dynamics of the group. Despite all this, I hope we will return to this continuity and characters in the future. I think there's still lots of potential to be explored and the series made me care about its new characters. But knowing how the franchise operates, it could very well be that we never hear from them again, at least outside cameos.
Volvagia
09/24/2018, 08:36 PM
So I don't have the full background when it comes to the Lupin series. I picked up this series in part 4, and that was good but nothing special, but part 5 is definitely something special. Lupin's characters are very familiar to the point where you can pick up any part and still get a conventional understanding of their roles. Lupin is the zany but brilliant thief, Fujiko is the fem fatal who has an ongoing on and off relationship with Lupin. Jigen a crack shot and Lupin's bro who always has his back, Goemon is the stoic samurai who can slash through anything, andZentigata is the detective who was still chasing Lupin but is always one step behind him. In addition, they have been at this chase so long they kind of have a proxy friendship or at the very least mutual respect for each other. This part introduces a new character, a young girl named Ami who I enjoyed. She serves to primarily bridge the generational gap as she is a hacker an more in tune with today's fore technology-focused world. They have also changed the structure of the series from episodic to a more extended 4-5 episode arcs/parts. Which are kind of makes the arc's mini movie's now that I think of it? Either way, I rather enjoyed this change as it allowed for some great stories. Interspersed between these arcs are tribute episodes to older lupin parts which you can tell by which jacket Lupin is wearing ( pink =part 3, red =part 2, green= part 1) to give you a taste of what to expect from those parts. These also were pretty great. Lupin part 5 has adapted to the current times and its stories incorporate today's tech and current events, with that fun Lupin feel while also paying homage to its past iterations making it a worthwhile entry point for anyone who is interested in this series.
Daddy-O
09/19/2018, 08:52 PM
I’m glad that Lupin III still attracts enough of an audience to fund the steady output of shows and films. I wouldn’t give the label “masterpiece” to much in the Lupin III franchise—maybe to The Castle of Cagliostro and a few of the specials from the 90’s—but I can always count on enjoyment no matter how corny the writing. I grew up on the Miyazaki film and so was destined to become a certified Lupin III fanboy. I can say I enjoyed the hell out of this season. I struggled with Lupin III Part 5 for the first few episodes. I believe the words Iused to describe the pilot to friends were “horseshit” and “garbage writing.” The whole livestreaming plot that this season begins with is corny as hell, but I think I was primarily pissed off by the panty shot of the teenage girl and the subsequent “Do you want to have sex with me, Lupin?” It might not have been such a problem for me if teenage characters in anime didn’t look like they were ten years old. In any case, after getting over the initial flaws the season really gets its act together. At episode 5 they hit you with a throwback episode, creating a whole one-off Lupin heist plot in the style of the pink jacket series. It’s fucking awesome, and it worked as a sort of relieving message to the audience: “We’re fans too.” This concept continues throughout the season, doing fantastic one-off throwbacks to each of the old Lupin III seasons. These were the highlights of the season for me, as they cover pretty much exactly what I want out of any new addition to the franchise: classic heist episodes. The actual over-arching plot to this one is a serious improvement over Part 4’s. It’s your basic utopian antagonist who couldn’t care less what gets in the way of his ideals of universal peace and safety… but he’s a smart phone app designer. Unfortunately, the writers ooze out their personal politics onto some of the plot, but these moments are brief and largely irrelevant. One episode features a corrupt “anti-immigration” politician who orders fake terrorist attacks to gain public support. This is a bizarre strawman of a complex issue going on in Europe now, and so the writers’ open-borders-policy bias is made obvious. Further on throughout the season, the writers make continual reference to the "evil" ways of American foreign policy. One subplot actually ends with the success of a theocratic monarch over an American-backed revolution. Fortunately, the writers keep their politics out of the dialogue of the main characters… that would piss me off. In any case, it never got as bad as the episode of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine that out-of-nowhere started spewing Fidel Castro propaganda. Overall, this was a really good season. The animation was on point, the plot wasn’t complete nonsense (looking at you Part 4), and the famous characters were all perfectly designed and fully in-character. There was actually some awesome character writing with tension between Lupin and his cohorts, giving Goemon some great introspection that I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen in previous series. The final episode includes Lupin expressing the sentiment that he’ll keep on being the world-famous gentleman thief as long as the audience is interested. I hope the audience remains interested for decades to come, ‘cause Lupin III is one cool motherfucker.
Somali_Strawhat
09/19/2018, 06:37 PM
TL;DR It's great...watch it. For everyone else: There's this tendency among Lupin enthusiasts to praise every iteration, giving it special treatment, regardless of it's faults. I'm one of those enthusiasts so forgive my sense of bias. What makes a Lupin III series fun is in capturing the magic of watching the titular character and his crew of thieves do whatever the hell they want and getting away with it.Parts 1-3 as well as the specials and movies used this in episodic adventures about kinetic fast paced heists and rescuing princesses and saving/destroying countries. Part 4 is where that format changes and I'd say for the better with an overarching plot. And don't get it twisted, those episodic adventures are fun, but each episode feels like a slightly different Lupin depending on what his goal for the standalone adventure might be and who's the writer and episode director staffed to work that day. Remember how episode 4 and episode 21 of Lupin Part 1 are BOTH green jacket series Lupin entries? The overarching plot allows us to finally spend more in continuity time with Lupin, less about the cathartic payoff of watching hundreds of scores and plans come together, but witnessing the struggle in accomplishing a grand heist. Part 4 also started the trend of introducing characters that act as recurring foils/sidekicks in order to create new situations for our criminal mastermind. Part 5 is like Part 4, except instead of watching the struggles of a quasi married Lupin, we watch the struggles of a quasi internet famous Lupin. And it's amazing. The series smartly has Lupin be quite handy with cyber security and the modernities of stealing valuable items in the age on the brink of a technological singularity. However, he's not adept enough to beat hackers better than him. Ami is one such hacker and is the recurring side character/foil that succeeded Lupin's ex-wife Rebecca Rosallini. We witness him truly struggle against the eyes of social media, his attention we thought he craved since he loves sending those calling cards, has become weaponized against him. It's a genius conflict to have and we watch him slowly have the rug get pulled from under him as he has to learn to adapt to his newfound paparazzi like celebrity. Never leaving the hideout without a disguise on after a certain point. This is explored between 2 cours first in the form of a death game, and next as a supercomputer that can predict his every move. The series also has fun in exploring these concepts and it's fun watching Lupin and the gang get the much needed extra time they deserve to flesh out their characterization. They all act like who they usually are, but the times have worn on them a little. There's always this hint of nostalgia you catch on the characters' faces and you can tell they're reminiscing about the more simpler times and it's compelling character writing to add a ironically fresh perspective on characters who realize they're not as fresh as they used to be. The fact the series is broken into 2 cours with 2 separate (to an extent) plots allows the series to move at a brisk pace. even having room for side stories that don't necessarily connect to the main narrative but are still welcomed nonetheless. And as far as the sound is concerned? It's Yuji Ohno...so...it's nothing short of amazing.... The opening is nostalgic with a playful Parisian twist that gets you excited for every episode and the ending is sung by Miyuki Sawashiro (Fujiko Mine's voice actress) and uses footage of Lupin and Fujiko during an unexplored time in their relationship. What could have just been a simple ED is made all the more intimate as it ends up being more of a bittersweet love song about Fujiko and Lupin's breakup. Something that plays a key point in the plot and is used as a recurrent source of tension between the two. It's strange how most series don't incorporate music into their plot like this series does. In the last episode they even cued the famous Samba Temperado from past adventures at the climax and I wanted to tear up at how the series ties up everything about the best parts of this series' history so well. The character designs are sleek and Blue is definitely a great color for Lupin. Jigen and Goemon look great too. Fujiko Mine looks even sexier than before, and might be my favorite version of her character design since she got her own spin off a while back. You'd think background designs would end up suffering from the fact that this is a show about globe trotting super thieves, and the studio would try to cut corners. NOPE EVERY SET PIECE IS DETAILED AND BEAUTIFUL AS ALL FUDGE And these guys animate great too, so as not to make the iconic trio of Zantesuken, .357 Magnum and Walther P-38 not act like simple props. The action has weight and reads easy on screen. Sure there are alot of uses of cut reverse cut here and there. But there's also a crap ton of shots were everyone is in the wide and you just watch people duke it out. Shootouts, car chases and hand to hand combat are stylized and beautiful to watch and with the number of series using CGI in excess it's great to see series use what modern technology can offer anime in less jarring fashion to create some fluid and aesthetically pleasing animation. So if you can't tell, I love this series. Part 5's strongest element is the fact that it knows what made watching these characters fun over the years and instead of trying to change everything out of a need to keep things fresh, or changing nothing in order not to anger the fans, it instead acts like the cast of the show and did whatever they want and had fun doing it. I can't wait for future movies featuring Blue Jacket Lupin, as parts 4&5 have dropped enough cool unused plot threads and explored such new territory with the gang as to leave me clueless for what will happen next. Like that plot twist at the end that makes you question everything about Lupin...you know the one if you've seen it. Seriously it's a 10/10. Go watch it if you haven't already. I know this was just an enthusiast gushing like a schoolgirl at a Bieber concert but that's what Lupin III is to me... it's like being a schoolgirl at a Bieber concert. A subjectively phenomenal experience for Lupin fans, and a solid way to get into the franchise as a whole. I'd recommend starting with Part 4 before this one but I'm sure that those just wanting to get in to the newest iteration won't get lost. Somali Strawhat
ggultra2764
09/18/2018, 04:52 PM
This latest installment of the Lupin III franchise adds some new elements to Lupin's thieving adventures that helps freshen up the now 50 year old franchise. First, it explores Lupin dealing with the challenges of modern technology such as the Internet and smartphones. This adds some new challenges for Lupin to deal with as technological elements like hackers, webcams, drones, and social media serve to complicate Lupin's crimes in the modern era. Yet in spite of this and unlike his companions who feel overwhelmed by the changing times at points, Lupin is shown to be quite adaptable in changing technologies and gains a new companionin the form of teen hacker Ami who aids him at a number of points throughout Lupin III: Part V. The second element that helps make this series a unique one in the Lupin III franchise is that it actually takes time to exploring the relationship dynamics with the members of Lupin's gang. This is quite different from many past installments of Lupin III that mostly focused either on Lupin's thievery, dealing with a worst enemy threat, lusting for Fujiko, or evading Zenigata. With the challenges everyone faces from changing technologies, the members of the gang also come to question what sort of bonds they each have with one another in their connection with Lupin, this especially getting some interesting perspective with Lupin and Fujiko's neverending on and off relationship with one another. This new focus helps to add some new dimension to these characters since older anime fans would mostly identify them from the standard character types they exhibited from past installments of the Lupin III franchise. In regards of plotting, Lupin Part V is mostly similar to Lupin Part IV in that it features ongoing plot developments throughout its entire series run. This series is divided up into several arcs where Lupin and his gang are challenged in some form with whatever big adventure they are involved in revolving the mentioned themes above, carrying a solid balance of serious and amusing moments throughout each arc. With the 24-episode run time, each character has enough time to get their own spotlight of focus throughout the series, this even including series character Ami who gets a fair amount of development throughout the series as she breaks out of her introverted shell. Outside of the series arcs, Lupin: Part V also has the occasional episodes serving as buffer between arcs that have the tone of the episode be similar to that from past Lupin III TV anime, serving as a homage of sorts to past Lupin III works as long-time fans of the franchise can pick up on what series is being portrayed through the color of Lupin's jacket. Overall, I was quite entertained with what this latest addition to the Lupin III franchise had to offer. It added in some new story elements that helped freshen up the franchise's typical story formula, while retaining the ongoing story developments offered from Part IV and having the occasional episode serving as a homage to past Lupin anime. If you've been a longtime fan of the Lupin franchise, this is a definite recommendation I would suggest you try to watch at some point.
JokerVentura
09/18/2018, 11:43 AM
Damn, what a love letter to Lupin this series has been. We got Lupin as he adjusts to a modern age of thievery, having to deal with modern technology as it's used to thwart him at every turn. The main episodes are truly brilliant, balancing humour, action and violence around amazing stories. The side episodes have the obligatory Goemon & Jigen one off episodes, and odes to former parts with episodes based on Lupin’s past, shown by his change in jackets. All of which are truly brilliant, honestly there isn’t a single episode I don’t love. The main cast are delightful as always, especially when showing the relationshipand humorous interactions between Lupin & Jigen, and Lupin & Zenigata. The relationship between Fujiko and Lupin is also explored, which shows there really is more to them, other than flirting and trying to get one over on each other, plus might I add ‘pervy moment warning’ damn does Fujiko look especially good this season. The final arc also does an amazing job of examining the complicated relationship between Lupin & Goemon. The series also introduces a new brilliant young hacker called Ami, who is an amazing addition to the cast. Overall Part V of Lupin III really is a brilliant series, that has taken all the best parts of Lupin and made something truly magnificent.

Lupin III: Part 5 ルパン三世 PART5

2018 spring | Episodes: 24 | Score: 8.1 (17754)

Updated every Wednesdays at 01:29 | Status: Finished Airing

Type: TV

Producers:Nippon Television Network | TMS Music

Synopsis

Voice Actors

Namikawa, Daisuke

Kobayashi, Kiyoshi

Kurita, Kanichi

Sawashiro, Miyuki

Yamadera, Kouichi

News

Reviews

whiteflame55
04/02/2024, 09:03 PM
I liked this season quite a bit. I think it was a little more consistently solid than Part IV by having a plot that felt like it very naturally built on itself over the course of the season, though it notably lacked the stylized animation that made that series pop as well as the layered plots. Its best episodes didn't quite rise to the level of the best that series had to offer, either. What this series did have was some solid emotional investment. In particular, how this series portrayed the dynamic between Fujiko and Lupin was absolutely excellent, and making that the core ofthe season makes it easy to love. I have issues with how Goemon behaved later in this season (his readiness to attack his friend just felt like it was there to create end-of-season tension and came at the cost of some character assassination), but I do think this season is still nearly as good as the one prior, mainly through just how good its little nuances were and how well it balanced its tones
CryingFreeman123
03/19/2022, 04:25 PM
I don't wanna give a simplified over-appraisal for Part 5 because it does have some flaws- no show is perfect. But what Part 5 does and how it does it is not just a treat for longtime Lupin fans but feels like a big thank you letter to everyone who's kept the franchise alive. Part 5 tackles territory we've never seen in the series: a commentary on these characters, their exploits, and us as an audience. It doesn't go uncreatively meta like so much media now but it's plot proposes questions and answers for why we enjoy the franchise so much. It takes these charactersto places we haven't seen before and it's all earned due to the events the story sets up. So, in modern day times how does a thief operate? Cameras everywhere, mindless social media usage, the concept thieving as a dated story setting. Instead of just carrying things on as they've always been Part 5 addresses our technological society. The scenarios set up here can be fun and exciting, Lupin's gang proving how they can operate in our times. Same question goes for the franchise too, right? Been running for almost 60 years, how are we still hooked on it? Especially with characters created back then, can they hold up now? The show tells us yes, and does it in the best way it possibly can: by showing us. Everyone contemplates their place with a camera in every pocket and online-fame but they come out realizing that yes, they can survive in this era. Part 5 also directly addresses flaws that we've all had in mind throughout the series. Lupin relying on his partners too much? Goemon being left out of good plot development for the sake of deus-ex machina moments? Zenigata's true opinion of Lupin? Lupin's continued infatuation with Fujiko? Even Fujiko sticking by Lupin. Things we've all thought about yet the series had never addressed or fixed due to playing it safe. Part 5 is an examination of the franchise in general and with that comes some of the best moments for all these characters. Animations spot on. Part 4 was really stylized and could be distracting but 5 keeps things at a consistent quality the entire way through. It feels like refined versions of everyone's Part 4 designs and they're given the time to shine. Soundtrack is one of Ohno's best. His musics always great sure but when he gets experimental (The Last Job for example) it shows off his flexibility. Part 5 goes for a French inspired sound, giving us some of the best remixes of his past music. It stands out in a franchise that's known for it's music and it's really impressive how he can keep putting out such high quality work, especially at his age. Some of the tunes here hit hard. The biggest issue I can say is that if you weren't a Lupin fan already it'll be harder to gel with what Part 5 does. One of the franchise's strengths is that you can jump in practically anywhere since its mostly all been self contained. Part 5, while being a self contained plot itself, is a plot that plays with the idea of already knowing these characters well. It's best moments are so impactful because of what they mean for the cast and franchise as a whole, and this is the one time I'd recommend someone watch more of the franchise before jumping in. If you've been watching the series since childhood Part 5 will tug at your strings in moments. That being said if you try other entries out, love the characters and style, then Part 5 is an easy sell. It's one of the best moments of the franchise, up there with Cagliostro, Part 2 and The First.
TedyLazaro
02/19/2022, 05:47 PM
Firstly, sorry for my English, it's not my native language. Lupin III is a work created in mid-1967 by the late Monkey Punch, who ended up several television anime adaptations; theatrical and special films. In 2018, the fifth part of the anime premiered, having its 24 episodes and becoming the best part so far. Structure: Earlier parts of Lupin III did not focus on a single continuous plot, but rather were "episodic" episodes where one did not influence the other. This changed from the fourth part, but it still contained at least half of the anime, the episodic system, already in part five, this focus on linearityis almost 100%, with some episodes honoring previous parts, taking up less than 1/4 of the anime. Worldbuilding: Part five manages to bring a depth that was not explored in previous parts, such as: How are masks made? How does Lupin make the equipment? how will they use the technology? and etc. The technology manages to be used subtly and in a polite way, not making it look like it was misused or wasted. Cast: Lupin III has always had an extremely remarkable cast of characters that have an undeniable charisma, and that thanks to their timelessness, they don't need drastic changes of ideals or personality. Part five manages to take the heights where the work had not yet reached, with a personal plot of each character with the others. To give examples, we have the relationship between Lupin and Zenigata, where even though already established by previous moments, they still manage to deepen this rivalry of thief against policeman, showing that one has respect for the other. Another example I can give that is much explored by this part is the love relationship between Lupin and Fujiko, with non-verbal demonstrations that the two make for the part, an example of this is the final moments of the 1st arc of this part, or even the Fujiko during her most prominent arc of the part. It's not just old characters that live this part, characters like: Ami; Albert; Gorou and etc, are very well fitted and create new dynamics for the characters, besides of course, they have a good base to stay in the story and have the development they needed. Technical questions: I have no experience in these things, but I can say with certainty, this part exudes production quality. The settings are beautiful and alive, a true work of art; Lupin III's soundtrack has always been excellent and you can't go wrong here, each OST is better than the other and it's still unique, from a few touches you already know which anime it's from, a rare thing these days; The voice acting work is also amazing, highlighting all of the main cast and Ami. Story: Because it is more linear, it can be more consistent and can apply big ideas freely, making it more interesting. She also manages to make the mood always interesting, leaving us questions during the journey to answer during the final arc. The characters have several striking points throughout the course of the Story, managing to leave it fluid and natural. Only one moment of this part requires the audience's interpretation, but it is not complex or difficult to arrive at an interpretation that pleases you, even you spectator reach a conclusion in the scene itself. Conclusion: I couldn't put everything I think about this part, but I can say that it encapsulates the work very well on its own, being a great start for beginners, since I knew at least the main cast. This part is careful with its details; with a great story behind the events being very fun and exciting at every moment, with the way the work has always had. 10/10
tsamporado
09/07/2020, 11:13 PM
It should be noted that I'm going into this review as someone who binged Part IV and Part V one after the other and I feel like I'm nuts for liking this season less than Part IV. This isn't to say that Part V is bad, but I do feel like it's a lot easier for me to say that I enjoyed Part IV as opposed to Part V. I have a lot of conflicting feelings on Part V: what it does well, it does really well, but the rest is more of a mixed bag. I'll start with what I liked. While I felt like theart direction read as more generic as opposed to its predecessor, the backgrounds in particular were gorgeous and the animation was clean. The soundtrack was wonderful as always, though admittedly this season's version of the theme wasn't my favorite. When it comes to the plot episodes focusing on the main cast, I felt like things were more or less handled very well (in particular, the final arc read as very solid as far as the main cast was concerned even though I do feel like they could have given Zenigata more of a chance to shine overall; but a lot of potential arcs that could have revolved around him were admittedly addressed in the prior season). The Fujiko-Lupin dynamic was handled very interestingly, and was clearly a focal point of this season which didn't bother me. On the contrary, it was refreshing to see a season where their relationship wasn't glossed over or reduced to a simple "oh they're fwb but it's not our business." ...Unfortunately I dislike that Ami was the catalyst for this discussion. I don't think that Ami, overall, is a bad character, although I did find her somewhat bland compared to last season's Rebecca. My issue with her primarily lies in her crush on Lupin. This isn't the first time that the franchise has introduced a young girl (a minor) who develops feelings for Lupin, and it's always handled with class. This season also has Lupin rejecting Ami's feelings (although as the season continues I almost wish they'd written him as firmer in his dismissiveness), but in general it grew increasingly uncomfortable if not annoying for her crush to be pushed front and center. From a writing standpoint as well, it felt kind of skeevy given Ami's backstory. Like, I just sort of sat there like. Why would the writers feel like this was an appropriate means of handling this type of character. ...But, anyway, Enzo also was a bizarre case. I felt as though I didn't understand him as a character at all. While not outright malicious his characterization was very inconsistent and he almost reads like a completely different person in the final episode. As far as other new additions, Albert was interesting, but I wish they'd done a little more with him (though I understand that a lot of what happened in Part V was likely a set up for a Part VI series). Yata was an interesting character who regrettably got very little screentime (a side effect of Zenigata feeling practically Benched after the first arc). When it comes to its MANY homages, I felt that some worked better than others. They definitely weren't done in a way that felt overly invasive, but I did feel like the imposition that every iteration of Lupin III takes place within the same universe hindered the show somewhat. As a viewer, I'm willing to appreciate the reappearance of Castle Cagliostro as a small nod or easter egg, for example, but the way the writers impose the concept that all versions of Lupin are the same felt like it was crossing the line into bizarre. Overall, the show wasn't bad. I enjoyed the parts that appealed to me personally, and disliked the parts that didn't. I'd definitely recommend starting with Part IV before this one, as Blue Jacket seems to be weaving together a more cohesive universe than previously seen with Lupin, so while it's possible, it's difficult for me to recommend this season as a starting point.
lethargilistic
09/01/2020, 09:28 PM
While watching this, I couldn't shake the thought: "did the people behind Lupin III Part 5 secretly hate Lupin III?" On the surface, probably not. There are a lot of blink-and-you'll-miss them references splashed liberally throughout. Clearly, they have seen this show, or at least looked up all the movies and picked some characters from each to revive. But Part 5 is just such a fucking slog with no energy at all after the first arc. I watched the first 6 episodes weekly in 2018, and I thought they were a good time then. Ami was an excellent addition to the series. Everyone played an interesting rolein that story. And episode 6 was a filler that I vaguely recall, so it couldn't have been all bad. Nonetheless, I found I didn't want to keep going then, so I put the series on hold. Holy shit, did I make the right call. The second, third, and fourth arcs are all miserable experiences that don't amount to anything. They're slow. They're big mystery boxes. Worst of all, they sideline half the cast in each. Basically, they're horrible Lupin III movies that would have been stretched over WEEKS. For no reason! The fun of Lupin III is in how radically different the show can be every time. It's fun. If it has something meaningful to say about the human condition, that is explored in the margins. I should be having fun when I'm watching it. I should not be fucking bored out of my mind, wondering why Fujiko just doesn't show up for 6 episodes in a row or what these new characters are supposed to add. Maybe they didn't HATE Lupin III, but sure as hell they didn't UNDERSTAND Lupin III as a means for compelling TV. Because of this, their feeble attempts to be meta in the final arc could only fall flat.
CataOrShane
06/03/2020, 04:28 PM
I've watched a lot of Lupin III seasons and films over the years and I'm happy that after 50 years since the original Pilot film from 1969 it still gets a lot of love and attention. It really shows what a masterpiece the legendary Monkey Punch came up with. So... why the low score? Animation: 1) I absolutely love how the art style manages the capture the "old school" look. 2) no CGI usage is a plus 3) hated the OP and ED visuals 4) I love how the show begins with a brief showcase of the animation's evolution over the 50 years of LupinIII's series 5) SPOILER from the 19th episode: Lupin and Zylberstein are sitting across each other. Behind Zylberstein is Mirage with a sniper aimed at Lupin's face. As Jigen, who was behind Lupin at that time, shoots the sniper rifle, Mirage shot ends up hitting the FRONT SIDE of Zylberstein leg. This is impossible to achieve and it made no sense. 6) SPOILER: I loved how Goemon's flashbacks about his history with Lupin were done using the original animation. However, before Goemon saw the flashbacks, the same footage appeared in tv screens and there's no way that those moments were recorded by anybody. Sound: 1) I hate the version of the iconic Lupin III's theme song that they came up with 2) the soundtrack retains a lot of the usual songs and themes that have always been a part of Lupin III's magical history. Story and characters: 1) overall, it's extremely predictable. Not only the "action" sequences but also plotwists and reveals 2) SPOILERS ABOUT AMI/AMY: her backstory is that she's a child porn survivor. However, she's also portrayed as someone that has interest and curiosity about sexual stuff with Lupin "because she never had sex before". This is a contradiction and it's a disgusting, insulting portrayal of a victim of sexual violence. Not only that, but Lupin, Goemon and Jigen were incredibly dismissive about her traumatic past when they should've been outraged and possibly even interested in getting revenge/justice for her and the other children. 3) SPOILER ABOUT LUPIN/FUJIKO'S RELATIONSHIP: Lupin's personality is a lot more mature/serious this season and I appreciate that. I can totally see Fujiko and Lupin happier apart from eachother than together. Fujiko at the end of the season, states that she broke up with Lupin because they focused on each other rather than going on heists. Fujiko's personality is of a lone wolf that feels trapped in the company of others and that's perfectly fine. However, Lupin is different. With Fujiko being his love interest, you can surely see how important for him their time together was and so on. I honestly don't think that Fujiko and Lupin work as a couple at all and it makes more sense for them to be a business with benefits type of thing. 4) The 6th episode is a flashback that forgets to let the viewer know it's a flashback so until you figure it out, it feels like Fujiko and Lupin are acting completely different from the ones you see in the first 5 episodes. 5) There's a couples of episodes that focus on the financial problems of the Lupin gang and no reason is stated for the sudden struggles. This makes no sense at all. It's been stated throughout the entire Lupin III saga (including this season) that they have enough riches for each one of them to retire and live a luxurious life until they die. 6) SPOILER: Lupin acting as a wannabe Detective Conan was terrible to watch. That episode had 0 Lupin III's magic 7) SPOILER ABOUT FUJIKO: watching her single-handedly lift Lupin and at the same time carry Ami on her back and jump off with a parachute while carrying them both was one of the most badass things I've ever seen that woman do. It was awesome!!! 8) SPOILERS ABOUT AMI/DOLMA: the whole love talk was so cringe that I can't even. 9) SPOILERS ON ENDING: the ending was so bad. SO BAD. Fujiko as a damsel in distress makes no sense; Ami being Enzo's daughter was way too obvious; Enzo's sudden change in attitude from being a bag of puke that fathered a child to loving father made no sense at all either; Lupin's sudden face reveal to Fujiko was unsatisfying as heck and due to her lone wolf type of personality, I don't see how she would give two flying flippers about Lupin's feelings towards her. For me to be able to fully explain why I gave this season such a low score I had to post a solid amount of spoilers but let me put it this way: out of the 24 episodes, I only enjoyed about 9. That's less than half of the series and why the overall score for me is 5/10.
Riiakuma
04/26/2020, 08:35 PM
Honestly the Lupin series never fails to keep me on my feet. Part 5 is very well written and gives old fans service by bringing back red jacket Lupin in a couple of episodes. If you are new to Lupin the Third series, starting at any part is absolutely fine. You’ll get the gist of all the loveable characters and how they fit into the whole picture. However, don’t be scared to give part 1 or 2 a go first! Although the animation between 1 and 5 is a big jump, it’s good to see where Lupin first began and why they did give nostalgicfeelings of red jacket Lupin. Overall, part 5 is really well made and the soundtrack is beautiful. Every Lupin soundtrack is classical and I definitely listen to the soundtracks when going for a drive or going about my day. Lupin the third has amazing storyline and characters you will grow attached to. I definitely started growing into the new character Ami. She’s really cute and a great character to have join Lupin and his gang. Overall a really great watch.
Bigbone99
03/17/2020, 12:22 PM
Lupin the 3rd part 5 is another fine addition to the franchise. This part stands out because it feels like a celebration of everything the series is, as well as being a modernized take on the franchise. Technology is at the forefront of this part you see, and it has changed the world greatly. Now Lupin and his crew have to deal with new threats from social media tracking where they are, face recognition technology and bio-metric security among others. But Lupin himself hasn't fallen behind the times, his kit has been updated to keep up. His main tool is his new monocle that isbasically just an incredibly advanced computer allowing him to keep up with the constant stream of information. New technologies such as 3D printers and smartphones help round out his kit. The modernization of the series doesn't stop there, contemporary political issues and the impact of technology on them are brought up. They aren't the main focus of this part (Its still Lupin after all, cool heists and fun are the focus), but they are present enough that it can provide some commentary on them while adding texture to the world. Character wise one should expect more of the same from the main cast of Lupin the fun loving master thief, Jigen the mellow marksman, Goemon the stoic swordsman, and Fujiko the femme fatale. More of the same from the characters in the Lupin franchise isn't a bad thing, these characters are so enduring because their strong characterization and group dynamic; they are always a delight to watch. There are some "throwback" episodes that tell self contained stories using different styles and tones that just prove how flexible these characters are in terms of writing. But the relationships between them don't remain unexplored. There are moments where the characters express their weariness at the changing world and reflect on what they all mean to each other; a strong feature for long time Lupin fans. There are some stand out new characters too, mainly Ami. She is a young genius hacker who Lupin meets at the beginning of the series. I don't want to reveal too much about her since she is such a delightful recurring character, but what I will say is that watching her grow more confident in her skills and as well as her relationship with the other main characters is endearing. As for villains, a new one is introduced each "episode", with an episode being a three to four episode long arc. They all put Lupin to the test in new and interesting ways thanks to the ever present backdrop of technology. TMS entertainment didn't skimp out on the art and animation either. Part 5 is set in France this time around, and all of the background art of buildings, countrysides, scenic roads and interiors (whether they be lavish or homely) are rendered with such love and care. Small details like making all of the signs French, making all of the vehicles European models and even paying attention to cuisine make it all the more authentic. What I'm pointing out is pretty obvious when you look at it, but this sort of consistency and dedication to setting must be applauded. The fact that it would go unnoticed speaks to how effective the immersion is. Character designs are still very appealing. They are a little softer looking than in part 4, giving them more of the classic style to them, but not so soft that they don't look modern. Ami again is a stand out character in this department. The more classic look makes things feel less jarring when we transition to the throwback episodes as well. Animation is also very strong and consistent throughout too, with all of the vehicles being animated without the use of CGI, even in car chases too. The music still consists of groovy big band jazz tracks, some funk, fusion and the use of the accordion in the opening song and main theme of the series to situate it in France even further. So the final verdict is go watch Lupin Part 5. You will be treated to an entertaining thrill ride with great characters and visuals, as well as an astounding finale. If you are a newcomer, I would suggest you start with Part 4, but if you watch Part 5 first, you will still be in good hands since each Part is more or less self contained, with minor references to earlier bits of Lupin media. If you're already a fan, DO NOT HESITATE, watch it as soon as you can!
Haneken2086
11/25/2019, 10:52 AM
Anime’s most popular robber, Arsene Lupin III, continues his escapades with this new show. And while he reaches fifty years, changing times have not changed his enthusiasm for impossible thefts. With that said, the world has evolved and become tougher for him. This adaptation puts Lupin against the current world, specifically the aspect of information technology that has become so much of current culture: cellphones, social services, digital money, hacking and surveillance. It’s a long way from Lupin’s origins in the late 1960s, when all he seriously needed was his wit. The challenge is whether he can still hold up, after all these years. Tohis credit, Lupin realizes he needs a tech-savvy ally and brings in Ami Enan, a hacker who wants to experience the world. The story isn’t a simple tale of the old guard dealing with tech, as Lupin has dealt with computers before. It goes beyond that: the series’ main villain: Enzo, is a perfectionist IT surveillance officer who seeks to prove his system is perfect by targeting and bringing down the world’s best thief. It’s a battle to preserve Lupin’s reputation and legend (marked by the show having one-episode adventures of Lupin from different eras). There’s no fear, though: at fifty years, Lupin proves himself as still unstoppable and entertaining an outlaw, and so do his close friends. They do need a bit of time to reflect on their long history (a few episodes touch on this), but on the whole they’re still ready for thrills and excitement. It’s worth noting that the show has a few boring moments, and perhaps more seriously there are some colorful characters who debut on this show who deserve more time than what they got. Particular attention is for Albert D’Andresy, Lupin’s rival who’s set his eyes on stealing nations through political strategies. Albert, who debuts in this show, is a fascinating character who deserved more time to explore his history with Lupin and his grand schemes. But what little we saw of Albert was good enough to guarantee him a possible appearance in the future. This show stands out as a commemoration of Lupin’s legend, a bit faulty in some places but otherwise a fun ride for both fans and non-fans.
GuanYu_7
11/17/2018, 01:20 AM
The famous Lupin's gang, 50years now, after 3 years came back with a new series. The first introduction story presents a new character and probably the most infurious hunting of the most famous thief in the world, Lupin III. Τechnology seems to be one of the most dangerous enemies. Lupin follows italian fashion and wears the blue jacket one more time. Part 5 doesnt have the same story line as the previous part in Italy, arcs with 5 or 6 episodes, flashbacks and from the first moment give us the feeling that going to be more emotional than ever. Characters' relationships are strong, often recollectmoments from the past, joking about their age and in addition to their struggle they have with texhnology recall ages when their life wasn't that hard. Ami was a fresh addition and strengthen the sentimental atmposhere with many intense moments. Νevertheless, the strong point of the cage is the interaction Lupin has with Fujiko. Their relationship is more fragile as ever, Fujiko on surface is cynical but romantism overflows everywhere and their feelings are stronger than ever. Some stories were great some not that much, aesthetic was on the point with a great effort also considering the small budget studio has but when the final story came out nothing else matters. Needed e few minutes to make the series one of the most important things to me, Lupin-Jigen dialogue, impact of the feelings right there gives me goosebumps every time when i think about it. Goemon and Zenigata have their moments too, with a fantastic episode when Zenigata-Lupin role is reversed and times when Goemon-Lupin relationship becomes sensible and ready to break.
VampireNaomi
11/03/2018, 12:46 PM
The other reviews for Lupin III Part 5 are overwhelmingly positive, so I decided to offer a different opinion that explains why I found the series pretty disappointing. I've seen quite a lot of Lupin over the years, so I've learned to identify which elements of the characters and their adventures I enjoy the most. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about Part 5 is that all through its run, it looked like it was aiming for the exact flavour that I love, but something was always missing. In Part 5, Lupin and his gang are having adventures in France, the home country of Lupin's famous grandfather.Technology and especially social media play a big part this time. While Lupin has always adapted to the technology available, this is the first time that it's getting such a focus. I wasn't sure how to feel about this at first since I like Lupin because of the sleek, classic feel of the franchise, but the social media aspect was actually used in a clever way that felt natural. The Lupin Game that was introduced in the first story arc was especially fun. I'll start by listing everything that I think the series did well. From a technical standpoint, the series is amazing. The backgrounds bring the locations to life, especially all the little back alleys in French towns and quiet countryside with its fields and villages. I don't think the world of Lupin's adventures has ever looked this good, even in movies. The animation and character designs are also impressive and retain a high quality all through the series. While certain scenes or episodes are better animated than others, there weren't any moments where I noticed a clear drop in quality. Combine the visuals with a great soundtrack by Yuji Ohno and the Lupin experience is nearly perfect. Another thing that I think made Part 5 stand out positively is the group of new side characters. Ami is the young hacker girl with a tragic past who becomes involved in Lupin's adventures and brings some fresh perspective to the group. Out of the new characters, she plays the most important part in the overall plot, and it's lovely to see her grow and find herself as the series progresses. There are some details in her story that some viewers might find tiresome and trite, but the series never takes this far enough to make it truly tasteless. Another new character is Albert d'Andrésy, a mysterious man who knows Lupin's past. I can't really say much more without spoiling the story arc in which he plays a major part, but he was entertaining, particularly well voiced, and brought some interesting elements to the franchise since we very rarely get any backstory for Lupin. The third new character, Zenigata's new partner Yata, is a welcome addition and fun to watch because of his reactions to everything, but I wish he'd gotten to play a bigger part. Finally, I think Part 5 had a lot of cool, fresh ideas that it brought to the table. Part 4 already changed the formula somewhat by introducing an on-going plot rather than featuring just self-contained episodes. Part 5 takes it further with tightly plotted story arcs that slowly push the main story onwards. The stakes are higher than in any other Lupin TV series and watching Part 5 is an exciting experience that makes you feel absolutely anything could happen to the characters. Unfortunately, I don't think the series ever really fulfilled that promise. After a while it became clear to me that even though the series liked to introduce new ideas and tease the possibility that it'd reveal something revolutionary about the characters and push them beyond the usual limits, it never had the guts to deliver. The series raises interesting questions but never answers them, instead burying them as soon as the story arc is over. For example, the second story arc hints at things in Lupin's past and the Lupin bloodline that could shake the foundation of the franchise, but the series never touches on these ideas again after casually dropping them in dialogue. One of the central themes is Lupin's relationship with the rest of his gang, particularly Fujiko, and this is where the biggest disappointment for me lies. Those expecting Fujiko to be part of the gang's adventures and play a big role in the series, lower your expectations right now. She's absent for most of the series, and there are frequent hints that something happened between her and Lupin that drove them apart. You don't get the answer to this question until the very end, and I didn't find it satisfying, especially when keeping in mind that the price to pay was not seeing Fujiko in action except for a couple of episodes around the middle of the series. Lupin and Fujiko spend most of their scenes together exchanging wistful dialogue that is clearly meant to be deep but just comes across as too try-hard. I think the story arcs drop in quality one after another. The first one is easily the best because it delivers a coherent story and ends at a point that feels natural and deserved for all the characters. It's the only one that gets five episodes rather than four, and that gives it more time to develop its story and characters. I enjoyed the second one a great deal when I first watched it, but the series never returned to the elements and potential it introduced there, making the second arc feel like it doesn't belong among the others. I didn't enjoy the third one much because I feel it was the spot where the series should have resolved its Lupin and Fujiko plotline, but instead it prolonged it by pushing her aside for no good reason just to keep the questions unanswered until the end. I know others loved the action, political themes and Ami's character growth, though, so there might still be something in the third arc for you. The only arc I'd describe as a total failure is the last one because there is simply way too much material to be covered in just four episodes. The arc rushes through a lot of elements that I think needed more time to be effective and instead chooses to focus on random cameos by old characters, badass action scenes, and meta about who Lupin is, and eventually reaches an ending that I feel is a lazy cop-out in every way. It's similar to the ending of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine in the way that it gets you invested in the questions it raises about the characters and then tells you that actually, none of this matters enough to be resolved because we're all just in for a fun ride, right? So whether you like the ending of Part 5 will probably depend on whether you liked the ending of the Fujiko series. One element that I didn't enjoy at all (but which a lot of other fans loved) was the number of random cameos by old characters and the clear attempt to build continuity between Part 5 and all other entries in the franchise. Personally, I have always chosen to see most Lupin titles as their own thing with no connection to the others. The way Part 5 tries to tell me that its Lupin is the same one from The Castle of Cagliostro, all the other TV series and a few random TV specials breaks the world in my eyes because Lupin comes in many different flavours and they aren't all consistent with each other. At the same time, the series never goes full meta like Green vs. Red, so I'm not sure what the creative team was trying to do here. The story arcs are separated by one-off episodes that play homage to earlier versions of Lupin. Some of these episodes are great, some not. Personally, I would have rather seen these episodes spent on deepening the plot and characters of the main story, but I can't deny that there were some gems among them. In particular, I liked the silly Pink Jacket episode and the sniper battle episode with Jigen. So, all in all, I don't think Part 5 is without merit and it's certainly a complete pleasure to look at and listen to. The plot and character themes were interesting in theory, but the way they were handled left me completely disappointed. I really miss the fun adventure feel that a lot of earlier entries in the franchise offer. I'm not opposed to taking a bleaker look at the gang's dynamics, but Part 5 spends too much time telling you that it's exploring those themes without actually doing it. I think the movie The Secret of Mamo is a much better example of how to shake the core dynamics of the group. Despite all this, I hope we will return to this continuity and characters in the future. I think there's still lots of potential to be explored and the series made me care about its new characters. But knowing how the franchise operates, it could very well be that we never hear from them again, at least outside cameos.
Volvagia
09/24/2018, 08:36 PM
So I don't have the full background when it comes to the Lupin series. I picked up this series in part 4, and that was good but nothing special, but part 5 is definitely something special. Lupin's characters are very familiar to the point where you can pick up any part and still get a conventional understanding of their roles. Lupin is the zany but brilliant thief, Fujiko is the fem fatal who has an ongoing on and off relationship with Lupin. Jigen a crack shot and Lupin's bro who always has his back, Goemon is the stoic samurai who can slash through anything, andZentigata is the detective who was still chasing Lupin but is always one step behind him. In addition, they have been at this chase so long they kind of have a proxy friendship or at the very least mutual respect for each other. This part introduces a new character, a young girl named Ami who I enjoyed. She serves to primarily bridge the generational gap as she is a hacker an more in tune with today's fore technology-focused world. They have also changed the structure of the series from episodic to a more extended 4-5 episode arcs/parts. Which are kind of makes the arc's mini movie's now that I think of it? Either way, I rather enjoyed this change as it allowed for some great stories. Interspersed between these arcs are tribute episodes to older lupin parts which you can tell by which jacket Lupin is wearing ( pink =part 3, red =part 2, green= part 1) to give you a taste of what to expect from those parts. These also were pretty great. Lupin part 5 has adapted to the current times and its stories incorporate today's tech and current events, with that fun Lupin feel while also paying homage to its past iterations making it a worthwhile entry point for anyone who is interested in this series.
Daddy-O
09/19/2018, 08:52 PM
I’m glad that Lupin III still attracts enough of an audience to fund the steady output of shows and films. I wouldn’t give the label “masterpiece” to much in the Lupin III franchise—maybe to The Castle of Cagliostro and a few of the specials from the 90’s—but I can always count on enjoyment no matter how corny the writing. I grew up on the Miyazaki film and so was destined to become a certified Lupin III fanboy. I can say I enjoyed the hell out of this season. I struggled with Lupin III Part 5 for the first few episodes. I believe the words Iused to describe the pilot to friends were “horseshit” and “garbage writing.” The whole livestreaming plot that this season begins with is corny as hell, but I think I was primarily pissed off by the panty shot of the teenage girl and the subsequent “Do you want to have sex with me, Lupin?” It might not have been such a problem for me if teenage characters in anime didn’t look like they were ten years old. In any case, after getting over the initial flaws the season really gets its act together. At episode 5 they hit you with a throwback episode, creating a whole one-off Lupin heist plot in the style of the pink jacket series. It’s fucking awesome, and it worked as a sort of relieving message to the audience: “We’re fans too.” This concept continues throughout the season, doing fantastic one-off throwbacks to each of the old Lupin III seasons. These were the highlights of the season for me, as they cover pretty much exactly what I want out of any new addition to the franchise: classic heist episodes. The actual over-arching plot to this one is a serious improvement over Part 4’s. It’s your basic utopian antagonist who couldn’t care less what gets in the way of his ideals of universal peace and safety… but he’s a smart phone app designer. Unfortunately, the writers ooze out their personal politics onto some of the plot, but these moments are brief and largely irrelevant. One episode features a corrupt “anti-immigration” politician who orders fake terrorist attacks to gain public support. This is a bizarre strawman of a complex issue going on in Europe now, and so the writers’ open-borders-policy bias is made obvious. Further on throughout the season, the writers make continual reference to the "evil" ways of American foreign policy. One subplot actually ends with the success of a theocratic monarch over an American-backed revolution. Fortunately, the writers keep their politics out of the dialogue of the main characters… that would piss me off. In any case, it never got as bad as the episode of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine that out-of-nowhere started spewing Fidel Castro propaganda. Overall, this was a really good season. The animation was on point, the plot wasn’t complete nonsense (looking at you Part 4), and the famous characters were all perfectly designed and fully in-character. There was actually some awesome character writing with tension between Lupin and his cohorts, giving Goemon some great introspection that I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen in previous series. The final episode includes Lupin expressing the sentiment that he’ll keep on being the world-famous gentleman thief as long as the audience is interested. I hope the audience remains interested for decades to come, ‘cause Lupin III is one cool motherfucker.
Somali_Strawhat
09/19/2018, 06:37 PM
TL;DR It's great...watch it. For everyone else: There's this tendency among Lupin enthusiasts to praise every iteration, giving it special treatment, regardless of it's faults. I'm one of those enthusiasts so forgive my sense of bias. What makes a Lupin III series fun is in capturing the magic of watching the titular character and his crew of thieves do whatever the hell they want and getting away with it.Parts 1-3 as well as the specials and movies used this in episodic adventures about kinetic fast paced heists and rescuing princesses and saving/destroying countries. Part 4 is where that format changes and I'd say for the better with an overarching plot. And don't get it twisted, those episodic adventures are fun, but each episode feels like a slightly different Lupin depending on what his goal for the standalone adventure might be and who's the writer and episode director staffed to work that day. Remember how episode 4 and episode 21 of Lupin Part 1 are BOTH green jacket series Lupin entries? The overarching plot allows us to finally spend more in continuity time with Lupin, less about the cathartic payoff of watching hundreds of scores and plans come together, but witnessing the struggle in accomplishing a grand heist. Part 4 also started the trend of introducing characters that act as recurring foils/sidekicks in order to create new situations for our criminal mastermind. Part 5 is like Part 4, except instead of watching the struggles of a quasi married Lupin, we watch the struggles of a quasi internet famous Lupin. And it's amazing. The series smartly has Lupin be quite handy with cyber security and the modernities of stealing valuable items in the age on the brink of a technological singularity. However, he's not adept enough to beat hackers better than him. Ami is one such hacker and is the recurring side character/foil that succeeded Lupin's ex-wife Rebecca Rosallini. We witness him truly struggle against the eyes of social media, his attention we thought he craved since he loves sending those calling cards, has become weaponized against him. It's a genius conflict to have and we watch him slowly have the rug get pulled from under him as he has to learn to adapt to his newfound paparazzi like celebrity. Never leaving the hideout without a disguise on after a certain point. This is explored between 2 cours first in the form of a death game, and next as a supercomputer that can predict his every move. The series also has fun in exploring these concepts and it's fun watching Lupin and the gang get the much needed extra time they deserve to flesh out their characterization. They all act like who they usually are, but the times have worn on them a little. There's always this hint of nostalgia you catch on the characters' faces and you can tell they're reminiscing about the more simpler times and it's compelling character writing to add a ironically fresh perspective on characters who realize they're not as fresh as they used to be. The fact the series is broken into 2 cours with 2 separate (to an extent) plots allows the series to move at a brisk pace. even having room for side stories that don't necessarily connect to the main narrative but are still welcomed nonetheless. And as far as the sound is concerned? It's Yuji Ohno...so...it's nothing short of amazing.... The opening is nostalgic with a playful Parisian twist that gets you excited for every episode and the ending is sung by Miyuki Sawashiro (Fujiko Mine's voice actress) and uses footage of Lupin and Fujiko during an unexplored time in their relationship. What could have just been a simple ED is made all the more intimate as it ends up being more of a bittersweet love song about Fujiko and Lupin's breakup. Something that plays a key point in the plot and is used as a recurrent source of tension between the two. It's strange how most series don't incorporate music into their plot like this series does. In the last episode they even cued the famous Samba Temperado from past adventures at the climax and I wanted to tear up at how the series ties up everything about the best parts of this series' history so well. The character designs are sleek and Blue is definitely a great color for Lupin. Jigen and Goemon look great too. Fujiko Mine looks even sexier than before, and might be my favorite version of her character design since she got her own spin off a while back. You'd think background designs would end up suffering from the fact that this is a show about globe trotting super thieves, and the studio would try to cut corners. NOPE EVERY SET PIECE IS DETAILED AND BEAUTIFUL AS ALL FUDGE And these guys animate great too, so as not to make the iconic trio of Zantesuken, .357 Magnum and Walther P-38 not act like simple props. The action has weight and reads easy on screen. Sure there are alot of uses of cut reverse cut here and there. But there's also a crap ton of shots were everyone is in the wide and you just watch people duke it out. Shootouts, car chases and hand to hand combat are stylized and beautiful to watch and with the number of series using CGI in excess it's great to see series use what modern technology can offer anime in less jarring fashion to create some fluid and aesthetically pleasing animation. So if you can't tell, I love this series. Part 5's strongest element is the fact that it knows what made watching these characters fun over the years and instead of trying to change everything out of a need to keep things fresh, or changing nothing in order not to anger the fans, it instead acts like the cast of the show and did whatever they want and had fun doing it. I can't wait for future movies featuring Blue Jacket Lupin, as parts 4&5 have dropped enough cool unused plot threads and explored such new territory with the gang as to leave me clueless for what will happen next. Like that plot twist at the end that makes you question everything about Lupin...you know the one if you've seen it. Seriously it's a 10/10. Go watch it if you haven't already. I know this was just an enthusiast gushing like a schoolgirl at a Bieber concert but that's what Lupin III is to me... it's like being a schoolgirl at a Bieber concert. A subjectively phenomenal experience for Lupin fans, and a solid way to get into the franchise as a whole. I'd recommend starting with Part 4 before this one but I'm sure that those just wanting to get in to the newest iteration won't get lost. Somali Strawhat
ggultra2764
09/18/2018, 04:52 PM
This latest installment of the Lupin III franchise adds some new elements to Lupin's thieving adventures that helps freshen up the now 50 year old franchise. First, it explores Lupin dealing with the challenges of modern technology such as the Internet and smartphones. This adds some new challenges for Lupin to deal with as technological elements like hackers, webcams, drones, and social media serve to complicate Lupin's crimes in the modern era. Yet in spite of this and unlike his companions who feel overwhelmed by the changing times at points, Lupin is shown to be quite adaptable in changing technologies and gains a new companionin the form of teen hacker Ami who aids him at a number of points throughout Lupin III: Part V. The second element that helps make this series a unique one in the Lupin III franchise is that it actually takes time to exploring the relationship dynamics with the members of Lupin's gang. This is quite different from many past installments of Lupin III that mostly focused either on Lupin's thievery, dealing with a worst enemy threat, lusting for Fujiko, or evading Zenigata. With the challenges everyone faces from changing technologies, the members of the gang also come to question what sort of bonds they each have with one another in their connection with Lupin, this especially getting some interesting perspective with Lupin and Fujiko's neverending on and off relationship with one another. This new focus helps to add some new dimension to these characters since older anime fans would mostly identify them from the standard character types they exhibited from past installments of the Lupin III franchise. In regards of plotting, Lupin Part V is mostly similar to Lupin Part IV in that it features ongoing plot developments throughout its entire series run. This series is divided up into several arcs where Lupin and his gang are challenged in some form with whatever big adventure they are involved in revolving the mentioned themes above, carrying a solid balance of serious and amusing moments throughout each arc. With the 24-episode run time, each character has enough time to get their own spotlight of focus throughout the series, this even including series character Ami who gets a fair amount of development throughout the series as she breaks out of her introverted shell. Outside of the series arcs, Lupin: Part V also has the occasional episodes serving as buffer between arcs that have the tone of the episode be similar to that from past Lupin III TV anime, serving as a homage of sorts to past Lupin III works as long-time fans of the franchise can pick up on what series is being portrayed through the color of Lupin's jacket. Overall, I was quite entertained with what this latest addition to the Lupin III franchise had to offer. It added in some new story elements that helped freshen up the franchise's typical story formula, while retaining the ongoing story developments offered from Part IV and having the occasional episode serving as a homage to past Lupin anime. If you've been a longtime fan of the Lupin franchise, this is a definite recommendation I would suggest you try to watch at some point.
JokerVentura
09/18/2018, 11:43 AM
Damn, what a love letter to Lupin this series has been. We got Lupin as he adjusts to a modern age of thievery, having to deal with modern technology as it's used to thwart him at every turn. The main episodes are truly brilliant, balancing humour, action and violence around amazing stories. The side episodes have the obligatory Goemon & Jigen one off episodes, and odes to former parts with episodes based on Lupin’s past, shown by his change in jackets. All of which are truly brilliant, honestly there isn’t a single episode I don’t love. The main cast are delightful as always, especially when showing the relationshipand humorous interactions between Lupin & Jigen, and Lupin & Zenigata. The relationship between Fujiko and Lupin is also explored, which shows there really is more to them, other than flirting and trying to get one over on each other, plus might I add ‘pervy moment warning’ damn does Fujiko look especially good this season. The final arc also does an amazing job of examining the complicated relationship between Lupin & Goemon. The series also introduces a new brilliant young hacker called Ami, who is an amazing addition to the cast. Overall Part V of Lupin III really is a brilliant series, that has taken all the best parts of Lupin and made something truly magnificent.

Lupin III: Part 5 ルパン三世 PART5

North American Anime & Manga Releases for October

'Lupin III: Part 6' TV Anime Announced for Fall 2021

Q2 2021 Anime & Manga Licenses [Update 6/17]

'Lupin III' Franchise Gets New TV Special

Spring 2018 Simulcast List [Update 5/6]

Spring 2018 Preview

TV Anime 'Lupin III: Part V' Announces New Cast Members

'Lupin III: Part V' Anime Series Announces Staff

'Lupin III' Franchise Receives Fifth Anime Series

Lupin III: Part 5 ルパン三世 PART5

North American Anime & Manga Releases for October

'Lupin III: Part 6' TV Anime Announced for Fall 2021

Q2 2021 Anime & Manga Licenses [Update 6/17]

'Lupin III' Franchise Gets New TV Special

Spring 2018 Simulcast List [Update 5/6]

Spring 2018 Preview

TV Anime 'Lupin III: Part V' Announces New Cast Members

'Lupin III: Part V' Anime Series Announces Staff

'Lupin III' Franchise Receives Fifth Anime Series