Anime Absurdity: Lupin the IIIrd: Jigen's Gravestone

Howdy folks, so Tuesday was evil brain issues, yesterday I had to grab a nerve block shot and host my first visited podcast for Rotten Ramblin' On. That is getting processed right now so hopefully the director Dustin Ferguson and his friends, family and co-workers have a good time with it. That being said, back to the anime. Today's flick we follow the legendary thief Lupin the third, with Jigen getting into typical mischief as they are out for treasure, the Little Comet. This is Lupin the 3^rd: Jigen's Gravestone.

Those pesky Mormons will follow you anywhere.

Partnered up for the latest gig, Lupin and Jigen are catching up after Fujiko Mine, Jigen has just left a bodyguard engagement where the queen of fictional land of West Doroa, was killed by a sniper that has a gravestone issued for each of his victims before he kills them. Lupin and Jigen give chase for this assassin they discovered is Yael Okuzaki has left a headstone for Jigen. The clock is tickling, our assassin is hot on their trail taking his time and playing with his opponent for the simple fact he really gets a challenge let alone a fellow professional to combat with. He also lets fate decide how many bullets he will use rolling a six-sided die to determine how many shots will be needed.

This film has kind of a different from the typical heist film, we have some great shootouts, an excellent car chase and well a sort of slip and slide and downright filthy dance and BDSM number with Fujiko with some sort of bot, lubricants and metallic tentacles. Yeah folks, this is definitely NOT for the kiddies. Pops or Inspector Zenigata does not get a huge part in the particular film and that irked me so.

Fujiko remembers she is wearing more clothes than her contract allows.

Shockingly enough Fujiko is at the very castle after Little Comet and the dirt on East Doroa's effects in social, political and economic offering info in kick backs, pay offs and all sorts of incrimination but...Fujiko gets abducted several men in elaborate masks that drop her in with said robot for whatever warped hentai scenario was on the rise. Now why Goemon is not around for this outing is being me. Guess the swordmaster had other things to do this time.

Can Lupin save his friends, get the try and find out who hired Okuzaki thus putting a stop to him? It's a pretty tall order but hey, it's Lupin.

The story's overall vibe follows the Monkey Punch traits of perversion on Lupin's behalf, some light comedy interspersed with drama, some action and good times to be had.

As a fan of the franchise, I took away that this was more geared towards adults and really allows for future takes and continuation. It's got a decent story, the action is packed and a good steady pace for the film. Our Japanese and English voice cast know what they're doing giving each signature character the nearest equivalent of that of the series has been. Not a bad flick so dig up Jigen's Gravestone when you have the chance.

Seems quiet enough.

Anime Picks Week: Lupin the 3rd

Hello folks and greetings for Day 3 of Anime Picks Week. Scatterbrained me almost did an extensive blog on the ins and outs of City Hunter forgetting... I have already done that. Thankfully my brilliant and lovely girlfriend pointed that out along with me and I decided the best course of action is to find an anime that combines humor with a fair degree of action, heist and police evasion. I speak none other than the thief extraordinaire, the convincing conman, the rascally rogue. This is Lupin the 3^rd.

Damn, that girl on the elliptical is really going to it.

Based on the Manga of Kazuhiko Kato (a.k.a. Monkey Punch) this series follows the insane heists and general shenanigans of one master thief Arsene Lupin the third, grandson of fictional character Arsene Lupin the gentleman thief and detective of the Maurice Leblanc novels. That character was sort of a doppelganger of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's own Sherlock Holmes. Complicated, ain't it?

With that in mind, let us discuss the man of the hour and his gang of misfit professionals. With his announcements to rub it in the authorities via calling card to the owners of said gorgeous treasures Lupin knows when to ask for the aid of his trusted accomplices. His closest partner and fellow schemer, Daisuke Jigen, an marksman of unparalleled standing, normally these two pull a fair amount of jobs as a two-man crew but every so often then find need for a few more boots on the ground. Enter Goemon Ishikawa the 13^th, a swords-master whose blade can literally cut through anything and his precision is second to none and last but certainly not least, the full-figured femme fatale Fujiko Mine, whose eagerness to help, coupled by her stunning looks tends to blind Lupin as she may scoop up the score for herself.

Femme Fatale?  Moi?

With his patented red jacket, white slacks, black shirt and yellow tie, Lupin strikes a pose of a carefree fellow looking to make his next pinch through his own unique planning and execution. Imagine crossing the Saint with James Bond and adding a level of Peter Cooke for humor and you get the general idea. Guess that would make Fujiko the Bond Girl. Hmm.

Aside from their fun and games of plundering, destruction of private property and mass insanity, one man is assigned to bring our curious quartet in, Inspector Zenigata of INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) who time and time again has been bluffed, thwarted, bamboozled and more or less baffled at the crime in progress let alone how Lupin plans to escape his capture. Seriously though, Zenigata must have a huge ulcer or acid reflux from all the paperwork and stress Lupin creates. He eats food on the go, constantly screaming at fellow authority figures and overall has a bit of an attitude problem towards his superiors.

And now a few facts of the existence of this series. Back in 1967, the Lupin III manga was created in Weekly Manga Action creating a franchise that scored four different anime TV series, at least two live-action movies, CD soundtracks, multiple video games and even a musical. Suck it, Spiderman!

That being said, our franchise bounced from over 10 different companies arguing over the rights to both the original Japanese release and the English dubbed series. Tokyopop acquired the rights to the original Manga and later a second series as well. Funimation Entertainment bought up the rights for several of the TV specials and the films while yet another company Geneon got their mitts on the dubbed 79 episodes and worked a broadcast contract with Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. And last of all, Discotek Media fully licensed the entire first TV series and the first live-action movie giving them access to several of the other Lupin titles including some previously released for VHS, DVD and now Blu-Ray. Bet Kazuhiko Kato never saw this playing out the way it did.

Still more popular than Pokemon! BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!