Episode 19, "A 7.62 mm Mirage"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis:  A wealthy man named Zylberstein challenges Lupin to a chess match by having people around him shot by a sniper. Lupin reluctantly accepts the bet of a million euros for the winner of the game, but is meanwhile targeted by the old man's sniper, Mirage. Jigen, an old acquaintance of Mirage acts as a counter-sniper, and the ordeal becomes two simultaneous battles of skill. Can Jigen bring himself to kill this former comrade? It's checkmate in this intense double attack!

Time to exorcise another evil spirit from my anime fandom and shove Gundam 0083 in the wood chipper where it belongs. Sure, it's pretty, but it's also as dumb as a sack of knobs. It's quite possibly the worst entry into the Universal Century timeline in terms of characters and plot. The characters? Most of them are insufferable. The plot? Goes further than it needs to. Maybe it's best to watch this by fast forwarding through most of the dialogue to the action bits. Or, you know, watch War in the Pocket or 08th MS Team instead.

Kou and Nina are just... I have a real life, palpable hatred for these fictional characters.

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Episode 18, "Fujiko's Souvenir"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis:  When Lupin's toilet breaks, the gang are forced to quarrel over who uses Jigen's, all the while trying to figure out why Fujiko is around, and warding off a clueless Inspector Zenigata. Will our favorite cast of thieves be able to keep hideout secret from the law? Will the men figure out what Fujiko's hiding? It's a domestic Lupin episode!

Comments:

I gotta end this watchthrough with a rotten pun. Sorry.

So after skipping a week so I could watch some OG Dragonball (a decision I do NOT regret), it's time to cover these final few episodes. Long story short, they're good but so good it really hurts when one realizes that after the final scene, it is all we've got. Short story long? Well... let's see what interested me about this.

Episode 17, "Introducing Detective Jim Barnett III"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis:  Lupin is summoned to the home of Count Phillipe de Maunbassant's widow, Isabelle, to solve the mystery of his murder. His reward for playing detective will be the jewel he'd previously attempted to steal from the couple. The suspects include a famous sommelier, the count's nephew, and a business rival. However, Lupin must contend with a second murder, and the house is sealed until morning. Can famous detective "Jim Barnett" root out the killer and retrieve his prize? It's a whodunit where the criminal ISN'T Lupin!

Hm, maybe I should have timed this better so it could be the 120th episode. 20th anniversary of the show, 120th episode, get it? Well, whatever, 119 will have to do.

Cowboy Bebop is an unvarnished work of genius, an exquisite blending of genres set to a multitude of rhythms. It's not defined by its genres, though, but by ingenuity in execution and emotional gravity. There's plenty of other reasons why it remains my favorite anime after so long.  So for my 35th birthday (what the fuck am I doing with my life?), I've decided to review this eternal classic of Japanese animation.

3, 2, 1... let's jam!  

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Episode 16, "Let's Talk About First Loves"

*****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis:  Martial law descends on Padar, where the High Priest plans to marry Princess Dolma to become the legitimate ruler, but is fought by the king's loyalists. While the king, with the help of Shake Hands, rallies support, a disguised Lupin and Ami catch up to the underhanded usurper. Will they be able to stop the wedding? And what last move does the CIA have in this? It's more palace politics in Padar in this story's conclusion!

With Lion-O once again righting his course, it would appear this series is prepping for its finale with this small set of episodes. At my initial viewing, I thought it would be a 'one-and-done' at their latest locale: a desert dog town. Instead, it unfurls into a semi-lengthy mini-arc of lore and loss. The latter part is not just any loss, but multiple losses of life, plot devices, and even personal effects. Who knew?

Ah, the middle of the year (was over a month ago!). A great time to go over the English dubs of anime I've covered thus far in 2018, so I don't have to cover a year's worth at the end of the year. This is also an opportunity to talk about the myriad of different ADR studios, specific dubs, and voice actors encountered in these videos.

And hey, only a pre-title bit, no after-credits bit! I'm actually going to retire those things until late October. It's been taking me two or three weeks to do videos that should only take a single week, maybe a week and half, to finish, these days. I do love my leftover detritus from my old sprite comic, but I need to concentrate on the actual REVIEW part of each review video.

Episode 15, "Her Relationship With Lupin"

*****SPOILERS*****