Article #241429

Takeshi Koike’s latest take on Monkey Punch’s vintage manga thief is beautifully animated, but the gossamer-thin plot and characterisation mean it’s one for superfans only

Created by manga artist Kazuhiko Katō, AKA Monkey Punch, Lupin the IIIrd has lived a thousand lives since his 1967 debut. A devil-may-care thief with a dazzling set of skills, the character has crossed over from comic pages to anime, live-action films, and even video games. Film-makers have to follow in the footsteps of such luminaries as Hayao Miyazaki and Seijun Suzuki; faced with this legacy, director Takeshi Koike has been charged with revitalising the franchise. Across an anime series and a trilogy of feature films, his visual approach has signaled a return to the original manga, characterised by dynamic, graphic lines and a darker sensibility.

Koike’s latest film, intended as the concluding chapter to his previous Lupin outings, is still wonderfully animated. For the newbies, there’s a 10-minute recap of the character’s past escapades, filled with madcap heists and blood-soaked standoffs. With his trusted crew by his side – including marksman Jigen, samurai Goemon, and vixen spy Fujiko Mine – Lupin heads to an uncharted island ruled by an immortal being called Muom. He falls into a maze of perilous traps, forcing the team to separate and combat demonic creatures, as well as longstanding foes.