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It’s happened again.Composer of the Lupin IIIRD spin-off films James Shimoji has taken to social media website “X” to la...
02/09/2024

It’s happened again.

Composer of the Lupin IIIRD spin-off films James Shimoji has taken to social media website “X” to lament the lack of information on the long-rumoured Inspector Zenigata themed work from Takeshi Koike. We first heard rumours of future films in the Lupin IIIRD spin-off franchise during a producer interview in 2020 - and it seems not long after that, in 2021, despite no official announcement, James Shimoji returned to score the soundtrack.

Now removed, Shimoji’s tweet above roughly translates as follows:

"And before we even knew it, August is over, and tomorrow is the start of September.

In September three years back, I was composing music for a work starring this person. As you get older, three years flies by, and time seems to go faster.

Three years is a long time when you're a child. It's the entire time you go through middle and high school. You grow at a remarkable rate, but as you get older, time slows down. It's a problem."

It’s clear going by the picture in the tweet - “this person” mentioned - is Inspector Zenigata.

While the character has been a fan favourite for years, his personality in the Lupin IIIRD films is different enough that many fans have clamoured for a film or television series in the Takeshi Koike-verse starring the ICPO inspector. A darker, more hard-boiled show featuring a competent cop Zenigata would be - quite frankly - a dream come true for us. The Blood Spray of Ishikawa Goemon featured a lot more screen-time for the character, and it felt as if he really hit his stride during this film - this was a version of Zenigata we would love to spend more time with.

Unfortunately, the film either appears to be stuck in development - for whatever reason - or has been cancelled. Sharing your frustration is James Shimoji who, at the heart of it all, appears to have composed an entire soundtrack that is yet to see the light of day. As an artist, this must be disappointing - putting your heart and soul into something, only for it to be put on the back burner or binned, will always be disheartening.

Full story: https://www.lupincentral.com/home/james-shimoji-mentions-that-unreleased-koike-zenigata-work-again

Blink and you might have missed it - but it seems that Japanime Games has quietly announced a Lupin III themed board gam...
02/09/2024

Blink and you might have missed it - but it seems that Japanime Games has quietly announced a Lupin III themed board game at the PAX West expo last week!

While there is currently nothing listed on their website, the team took to the show floor to hand out copies of their free catalogue - which showcases a slew of news, along with information on upcoming and recently released games. Thankfully, our special correspondent and friend of the site Jamon has spotted a section for Lupin III: The Italian Adventure, and sent us a snapshot of the catalogue pictured here!

While it’s a tad late to the party (Part 4 is coming up to ten years old by 2025), a new board game featuring the Lupin characters is always nice to see. It should fit alongside the 2011 released Part 2 board game nicely! Unlike the 2011 game, I do feel like this new one is lacking a bit in colour. While the setting makes sense as a location in which the gang are working together to sneak into - it’s a tad brown. Maybe we’ll see more boards in the final release, hopefully adding some additional variation to the playing field.

The elephant in the room, though. As you’ll no doubt have noticed - one look at the text included in the catalogue showcases some incorrections. My personal favourite being the mention of… INSPECTOR ZENIGATO!

As much as we do love his new title, we hope these errors are ironed out by the time the board game is announced online. It is likely just a typo error in the text of the catalogue itself, and we hope the game text fares better.

With that said - the contents do look like fun, and the price tag of $45~ seems reasonable. While the body text mentions five thieves, looking at the image of the game, only Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko appear playable (perhaps a Rebecca card has simply gone un-pictured)? Hopefully the full contents of the set will show up, along with a release date, soon enough.

We’ll keep an eye out for more information on this one - so stay tuned!

Autumn is calling, and with the cooler, crisper air comes another “classic” Lupin III television special on YouTube in t...
02/09/2024

Autumn is calling, and with the cooler, crisper air comes another “classic” Lupin III television special on YouTube in the United States! As usual, it will be for free, for a limited time.

From September 6th through to October 3rd, 2024, Goodbye Partner will be available to watch for those living within the United States. First released in January 2019, the twenty-sixth television special will replace Tokyo Crisis, which has been streaming on the service since August 2nd, 2024.

Fan opinion of this early 2019 television special is mixed, at best. While it has some fun moments, overall, the storyline is rather skippable; the way it pits our two heroes, Lupin and Jigen, against one another feels like a missed opportunity. Still, if you are yet to see this one and live within the U.S., why not check it out while it’s online for free?

Watch the special once it goes live on September 6th by heading to the URL below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN_LLjGrZBI

Saturday was a big day for our beloved Discotek Media. Not only did the team hold a huge panel over at this year’s Otako...
06/08/2024

Saturday was a big day for our beloved Discotek Media. Not only did the team hold a huge panel over at this year’s Otakon convention in Washington, DC - during which they announced around twenty-five new physical releases - but they also confirmed that one of their final “retro” Lupin releases is coming to the United States during September 2024… the 2016 released television special, Italian Game.

Italian Game features three classic episodes from Lupin III: Part 4, linked together with around 24~ minutes of additional footage. The new footage is excellently animated, and ties together the standalone episodes in an interesting way.

The special also features a stunning opening sequence that pays tribute to the original manga, and is directed by Kōji Morimoto of Studio 4°C fame.

At time of release, the special received some criticism from fans due to the reuse of footage from Part 4. This was a large departure from the usual uniquely animated 90-minute TV special format, and people became concerned regarding the future of the regular Lupin TV specials.

In my opinion, the new content fits the story well and helps brings things together, creating consistency between the regular TV episodes. If you don’t fancy watching the whole of Part 4, and simply want a quick Lupin fix, then this special may be perfect for you!

🔗 https://www.lupincentral.com/home/discotek-media-releasing-the-italian-game-on-blu-ray

Crunchyroll has announced that Lupin III: Part 4 ~ The Italian Adventure will be getting a localised release in Germany ...
06/08/2024

Crunchyroll has announced that Lupin III: Part 4 ~ The Italian Adventure will be getting a localised release in Germany next year.

The twenty-six-episode series will join the Crunchyroll streaming service during 2025, and although currently unconfirmed, there is a chance it will air complete with a German language dub, starring a similar cast to the recently dubbed Part 6.

While it’s a little late, Part 4 will be joining Part 5, Part 6, and The Woman Called Fujiko Mine on digital “shelves” in Germany. For now, the release is for the Crunchyroll streaming platform only - but hopefully it will also end up getting a physical media at some point in the future. We’ll keep our fingers crossed!

🔗 https://www.lupincentral.com/home/part-4-to-get-german-release-in-2025

It’s that time again - the next classic Lupin III television special is coming to YouTube in the United States, for free...
29/07/2024

It’s that time again - the next classic Lupin III television special is coming to YouTube in the United States, for free, for a limited time!

From August 2nd through to September 5th, 2024, Memories of Flame: Tokyo Crisis will be available to watch for those living within the United States. First released in July 1998, the tenth television special will replace The Secret of Twilight Gemini, which has been streaming on the service since July 5th, 2024.

The upload will only be available with English dubbed audio, which stars the mid-2000s Funimation cast (Sonny Strait as Lupin, Christopher Sabat as Jigen, Mike McFarland as Goemon, Meredith McCoy as Fujiko, and Phillip Wilburn as Inspector Zenigata.

🔗 https://www.lupincentral.com/home/tokyo-crisis-to-air-on-youtube-in-the-us-for-a-limited-time

11/07/2024

France is getting a live action "Cat's Eye" television series, starting on TF1 and TF1+ this September!

The show will come in the form of eight episodes, and each will run for around 52 minutes in length. While the set up is similar to the original animated series and manga, this retelling will take place during the modern day, in 2023.

A world-wide release on Amazon Prime Video is planned, however air dates outside of France are currently unconfirmed.

The story synopsis is as follows:

"The series traces the story of “Cat's Eyes” back to its roots, and follows the adventures of the three Chamade sisters as they improvise a series of daring heists around the French capital's most iconic (and security-conscious) monuments.

It's 2023, and Alexia, Tam and Sylia are reunited in the City of Light after many years apart. At the same time, a work of art that belonged to their father – who had died ten years earlier in a mysterious fire at his art gallery – reappears in a prestigious exhibition at the Eiffel Tower. The sisters decide to risk everything to steal the painting, in the hope that they will finally solve the mystery of what happened to their father. The trio soon find themselves in the crosshairs of Quentin Chapuis, commissioner of the French police's Organised Crime Unit (BRB), who is tasked with arresting these new, elusive art thieves. But what he doesn't know is that one of them is none other than Tam, the great love of his life…

From their chaotic emotional reunion, to combining their apparently normal existence with a dangerous, clandestine double life, the three sisters face challenge after challenge. Firmly of our time but with frequent nods to the 80s, the series will be an explosive mix of action, romance and comedy. This adaptation of the cult manga series “Cat's Eyes” reaffirms our ambitious programming strategy, built around event broadcasting franchises."

Friend of the site Robbie Sherman has launched a new episode of his long-running audio podcast, Conversations with Robbi...
08/07/2024

Friend of the site Robbie Sherman has launched a new episode of his long-running audio podcast, Conversations with Robbie Sherman - and this time, the focus is 1979s The Castle of Cagliostro!

Robbie, the show’s host (if you couldn’t guess…), is joined by Shawn and Clayton of the Men Who Like Men Who Like Movies podcast to discuss the Hayao Miyazaki classic. Coming in at just under two hours, there's plenty to get your ears (?!) stuck into here - well worth a listen if you're a Lupin fan!

Anchor FM 🔗 https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/convos-w-r-sherman
Spotify 🔗 https://open.spotify.com/show/2Yu0P73Pydfi9VMdl2k8cZ

The eighth Lupin III television special, Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini will be streamed on YouTube for FREE i...
01/07/2024

The eighth Lupin III television special, Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini will be streamed on YouTube for FREE in the United States, starting from July 5th through to August 1st, 2024.

The 1996 television special replaces Lupin III: Alcatraz Connection, which has been available on the platform throughout June. Twilight Gemini will feature the English language audio only, which includes the old FUNimation dubbing crew as the main cast members (Sonny Strait as Lupin).

Our two cents is that while it is not the best, Twilight Gemini is a fun special that, if you haven’t seen it before, is worth a watch. The animation is very mid-90s, and it still holds up. If you’re a fan of the Lupin and Fujiko pairing, it’s also one of the only times in the franchise the two, y’know, actually get it on. So, it has that going for it, too!

🔗 https://www.lupincentral.com/home/secret-of-twilight-gemini-streams-for-free-in-the-us-this-july

New illustrations for 2024's Hamanaka Town Lupin III festival have been unveiled!Embracing the culture of Hamanaka, each...
07/06/2024

New illustrations for 2024's Hamanaka Town Lupin III festival have been unveiled!

Embracing the culture of Hamanaka, each one features a member of the main Lupin cast taking on a popular activity available for those visiting Monkey Punch's hometown. The artwork will feature on pamphlets and posters at the event, which is due to be held later this year.

As is tradition, the annual festival gathers Lupin fans across the globe as they visit the beautiful landscapes of Hamanaka, explore the Monkey Punch Museum, and listen to guest speakers from individuals working on the franchise (previously including Kanichi Kurita himself)!

More information can be found on the official website below.

https://www.hamanaka-lupin.com/

03/06/2024

The late Eiko Masuyama performing "Love Squall", by Yuji Ohno. Masuyama's Fujiko is so iconic, and it always sounded as if she was having a lot of fun performing as her. She will be greatly missed! ❤

Thanks again to the Lupin III Archive for this video!

03/06/2024

Yasuo Yamada and Eiko Masuyama, joined by other beloved voice acting talent, starring as part of a voice actor TV special.

A huge thanks to the Lupin III Archive for this clip. ❤

The original voice actress for Fujiko Mine, Eiko Masuyama, has passed away at the age of 89 due to pneumonia. Since pass...
03/06/2024

The original voice actress for Fujiko Mine, Eiko Masuyama, has passed away at the age of 89 due to pneumonia. Since passing, her close relatives have held a private service to honour her life.

Eiko Masuyama began her work on the Lupin III series at its animated beginnings, starring as Fujiko Mine in the 1969 pilot film. From here, she remained with the franchise for over forty years, with her final appearance as the character being for 2012’s Lupin Family Line-up OVA. In 2011, she was succeeded by current voice talent for the character, Miyuki Sawashiro.

While Eiko Masuyama has been in retirement for a small while, her passing remains a huge blow to fans of the franchise and anime as a whole. Aside from Lupin, Masuyama also starred in many other shows, including Astro Boy, Cutie Honey, and Case Closed. She even took the role of Winifred Banks in the original Japanese television dub of classic Disney film, Mary Poppins.

Now, the final surviving member of the original Lupin III cast has gone. This is no doubt going to be a difficult thing to process for those of you who have been following the show for some time - as it is for me. For myself, I hope to take a moment to think about the countless hours I have spent enjoying Eiko Masuyama’s work over the years - from that time in Part 2 where she ran from Inspector Zenigata chasing her with a frog, to her double-crossing goodness in Operation Return the Treasure.

Eiko Masuyama is legendary, and her work will continue to be enjoyed by so many for years to come. May she rest in peace, and our thoughts go out to her family and friends.

https://www.lupincentral.com/home/eiko-masuyama-passes-away-at-the-age-of-89

The original Arsene Lupin is getting a new game, titled "Once A Thief", by Blazing Griffin and Microids!"Dive into a cap...
27/05/2024

The original Arsene Lupin is getting a new game, titled "Once A Thief", by Blazing Griffin and Microids!

"Dive into a captivating journey through this adventure-puzzle game that explores the early life, loves, and crimes of the iconic gentleman thief. Immerse yourself in Maurice Leblanc’s famous tales, playing as both Lupin and his tireless antagonist Detective Ganimard and gaining unique perspectives on legendary stories like “The Arrest of Arsene Lupin” and “Herlock Sholmes Arrives Too Late.”"

https://www.gematsu.com/2024/05/microids-announces-adventure-game-arsene-lupin-once-a-thief-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc

What makes a good Lupin origin story? For a franchise as old and highly regarded as Lupin, with as extensive a global fa...
17/05/2024

What makes a good Lupin origin story? For a franchise as old and highly regarded as Lupin, with as extensive a global fanbase it has, the task certainly couldn't have been an easy one!

Join Guillaume Babey as he deep-dives into the classic 2002 television special, Episode 0 ~ First Contact, in this new feature article - The Virtues of the Soft Reboot.

Coming next Monday the 20th of May, over on lupincentral.com!

The 2023 Japanese Kabuki stage play based on the works of Lupin III is coming to home video in Japan!Due to release on A...
17/05/2024

The 2023 Japanese Kabuki stage play based on the works of Lupin III is coming to home video in Japan!

Due to release on August 7th 2024, the show will be coming to both DVD and Blu-ray format disc complete with full English subtitles! Also included on the disc are bonus videos, including an interview with both the shows script writer (Kataoka Ainosuke VI) and director (Kazuhisa Tobe). Those pre-ordering the set can also receive five exclusive post cards, art cards, and a sleeve case.

The Blu-ray will retail at around 13,200 ($80) Japanese yen, while the DVD will go on sale for around 10,560 ($67) yen. If you live abroad and are looking at ordering yourself a copy, you may want to check local import websites, such as CD Japan, for easier ordering - just beware customs charges and additional import costs.

If the physical set is a little too out of your price range, the play is getting an additional live-streaming event on the 11th of August 2024, which kicks off at 9pm JST. Just like the physical release, the streamed version will include English subtitles. Tickets are on sale for the price of 4,000 yen ($25~) with an additional 200 yen on top for those overseas (around a dollar extra).

Once finished, an archive of the stream will be available to watch for seven days, finishing on the 18th of August, 2024.

For more details, read our full news article:
https://www.lupincentral.com/home/lupin-kabuki-play-coming-to-dvd-and-blu-ray-in-japan-with-english-subtitles

After several years on break due to health issues, Yuji Ohno is back in action... sort of.This month, to celebrate his 8...
15/05/2024

After several years on break due to health issues, Yuji Ohno is back in action... sort of.

This month, to celebrate his 83rd birthday on the 30th of May, the music of our beloved Lupin maestro will returning to the stage for a special live performance at "Billboard Live" in Tokyo. The performance will be split into two halves, and promises to contain plenty of "Lupin grooves" for fans to enjoy - alongside food and a drink or two from the venue bar.

The (rather large) catch is... Yuji Ohno will not be taking part in the performance itself. Instead, his band, the Lupintic Six, and his vocalists, the Fujikochans, will be taking centre stage in a performance produced by Ohno. The team are planning to dazzle crowds with an experience to remember, and to honour Ohno on his birthday.

While it is uncertain if Ohno will be present at the event at all (the official website only mentions that he won't be appearing on-stage), the night should still be a fun one for those going. Still - this is rather bittersweet. It's fantastic to see the team back in action, and posing with Ohno for the event photo - but knowing how much he loves to get on stage, and to jam away on the piano, this must be a frustrating turn of events for our talented friend.

Tickets have quickly sold out, however, the page for the event can still be viewed at the URL below:

https://www.vap.co.jp/ohno/info/index.html

It's here! 🙌
29/04/2024

It's here! 🙌

Looks like my PART 6 Blu-ray has arrived today, from All The Anime! Looking forward to getting home and checking it out....
29/04/2024

Looks like my PART 6 Blu-ray has arrived today, from All The Anime! Looking forward to getting home and checking it out.

Has anyone else received their copy yet? 😎

Two upcoming Blu-ray releases from Discotek Media are now up for pre-order for those living within the United States!Bot...
29/04/2024

Two upcoming Blu-ray releases from Discotek Media are now up for pre-order for those living within the United States!

Both 2012’s The Secret Page of Marco Polo and 2013’s Princess of the Breeze, two of the more “recent” Lupin television specials, are receiving their very first physical releases in English speaking territories this July. Both can currently be pre-ordered over at the Crunchyroll online store (rest in peace, RightStuf)!

Both include cleaned up visuals, Japanese audio, and English language subtitles. Special features, such as commercials, trailers, and liner notes will be included alongside each. Both currently retail at around $19 each, and if pre-ordered, will likely ship slightly ahead of the current scheduled release date, of July 30th 2024.

https://store.crunchyroll.com/products/lupin-the-3rd-the-secret-page-of-marco-polo-blu-ray-875707040792.html

https://store.crunchyroll.com/products/lupin-the-3rd-princess-of-the-breeze-blu-ray-875707040624.html

Wow - can you believe it’s nearly May already? 2024 is certainly flying along so far! And hey - guess what? That means w...
29/04/2024

Wow - can you believe it’s nearly May already? 2024 is certainly flying along so far! And hey - guess what? That means we have another classic Lupin III TV special on the way to YouTube for fans in the United States!

Missed by a Dollar (also known as 1$ Money Wars), first released in Japan during the July of 2000. The special, as implied by the title, involves Lupin bidding on a treasure - only to be outbid at the last second by a single dollar. Not one to lose, Lupin takes it personally, and goes after the treasure by his more usual means - through tricky and thievery. Turns out the gang were outbid by none other than the head of the “Bank of the World” - one of the planets biggest, wealthiest super companies - and the heist at hand might not be as simple as first thought…

If you are living within the U.S., you can catch it from May 3rd through to June 6th, 2024. Until then, last months special, Bye Bye, Lady Liberty will still be available, and can be watched until May 2nd.

When it does go live, Missed by a Dollar will feature the 2006 released English dub by Funimation, which features Sonny Strait as Lupin III, and Christopher Sabat as Jigen. The special is a decent one, and well worth a watch in English if you are yet to experience the dub!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwXCL-wQduc

Pop on your PART 6 shoes!DCM have partnered with TMS to release five new pairs of sandals in Japan! Each one is coloured...
22/04/2024

Pop on your PART 6 shoes!

DCM have partnered with TMS to release five new pairs of sandals in Japan! Each one is coloured and themed around a different member of the main cast member, and costs around 1,600 yen for the pair.

🔗 https://www.dcm-ekurashi.com/goodslist/901001503127

A Lupin ZERO vinyl soundtrack release is coming to the United States this year! 🎶Releasing on the 30th of April 2024, th...
13/04/2024

A Lupin ZERO vinyl soundtrack release is coming to the United States this year! 🎶

Releasing on the 30th of April 2024, the gorgeous OST will feature sixteen tracks for the (rather modest) asking price of $43.99.

https://store.crunchyroll.com/products/lupin-zero-original-soundtrack-vinyl-3701627800802.html

SIDE A:

1. AFRO“LUPIN'68”Opening Ver.
2. DANGEROUS HIGHWAY
3. ACTION ZERO
4. “MOODY AFTERNOON & HARD AFTERNOON”
5. DARK EYES & Dark. Night
6. “THEME OF LUPIN, II - Blues Harp Ver.”
7. HAPPENING 1
8. THEME OF LUPIN, II - Ending Ver.

SIDE B:

1. AFRO“LUPIN'68” Inst Ver.
2. LIGHTNING TIME & Lighting Time After
3. GUITAR SUSPENSE
4. YEAH! LUPIN & ACTION LUPIN
5. LYRICAL DISTURBANCE
6. Lupin Walkin' T.V. Original
7. HAPPENING 2
8. Lupin Sansei Shudaika II Ending Inst Ver.

While not on AllTheAnime.com just yet, it appears a standard edition version of the upcoming "PART 6" boxed set will be ...
12/04/2024

While not on AllTheAnime.com just yet, it appears a standard edition version of the upcoming "PART 6" boxed set will be releasing in the United Kingdom and Europe later this year.

The standard set is currently up for pre-order on Zavvi, and is due to release on April 22nd (slightly earlier than the collectors set, which due to production delays, is due April 29th 2024).

https://www.zavvi.com/blu-ray/lupin-iii-part-vi-standard-edition-blu-ray/15319025.html

The upcoming home video release of Lupin III: PART 6 has been delayed by two weeks in the United Kingdom due to producti...
04/04/2024

The upcoming home video release of Lupin III: PART 6 has been delayed by two weeks in the United Kingdom due to production issues.

The news was confirmed in an e-mail (as seen below) sent to those who have pre-ordered the set earlier today, and the date on the official website has been updated to reflect this. The set was previously due to ship on April the 15th 2024, and it is now due to release on April 29th 2024.

🔗 https://www.lupincentral.com/home/uk-blu-ray-release-of-part-6-delayed-by-two-weeks

"Hello,

We hope this message finds you well.

We are writing to you today to provide an update regarding your Lupin the 3rd Part 6 Collector's Edition pre-order.

Due to a delay in printing and manufacture of some of the more complex physical print elements of this title, we are moving the release date of this product to Monday April 29th. As soon as the stock is ready and has been received by our fulfilment team, we will have your order shipped out as quickly as possible.

If you would like to make any amendments to your order based on this update, such as updating your shipping details, please let us know so we may get this sorted for you.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused by this, but thank you for your patience and custom.

Kind regards,
The Anime Limited Team"

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