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Lupin III: A Woman Named Fujiko Mine Episode 07 Review

 Episode 07, "Music and Revolution"

    Synopsis: Fujiko finds herself in the Central American country of Carib, where she poses as a reporter during a period of upheavel. Goemon is hired by the same people who Fujiko is working for. Philadel is taken hostage aboard his plane by supporters of the old regime, who want the coordinates of a secret oil field. The situation escalates when missiles are fired at the plane, but Goemon appears and slices them. Goemon assists on Fujiko and Philadel’s escape from the plane. Philadel goes onto appear in front of the UN.    Comments:   This episode wasn’t anything amazing, though there were some interesting Fujiko characterization in it, and I liked the history parallel.    Speaking of history, in what decade does this program take place in? The whole situation with "Carib", "Yamurica", and "Runnia-nia" is obviously an expy of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. There’s an expy for JFK and Philadel seems like a mix between Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. There’s a Doomsday Clock ticking throughout the episode to. Lots of times episodes of previous Lupin programs have had historical parallels, but they came off as modern reincarations of previous things (like the Hitler-like dictator in "Hell Toupee"), and not as the events themselves. Here it is so thinly disguised, they might as well just refer to it as what it really is. It’s no wonder that we don’t see too much modern technology in this series.    Fujiko’s interaction with Philadel is interesting. She’s posing as a reporter, so it’s in her interest to be inquisitive, but she seems to come to admire him. After all, they’re similar in philosophies (he says, "I want to dance to my own beat", mirroring Fujiko’s own style). It’s likely that Fujiko decides to save him simply to get the coordinates of the secret oil field, but it’s also just as likely that she spares him because she’s geniunely fond of him. He does have a charismatic aura.    Goemon was in this episode, too, but just barely. I wish they would have given him more to do than just step in and cut some missiles. However, they almost make up for it with the final scene of the episode. Goemon seems not so pleased with Fujiko’s openness with her body. Goemon is pretty reserved, so it’s making him uncomfortable. Then Fujiko reveals that the coordinates she was given were for the beach they’re on, which is interesting because she seems to be just fine with it. Goemon remembers that she had previously told him she was looking for a place for herself. He’s trying to figure out just what sort of woman she really is.    The animation was a little weird in this episode, and sometimes the art seemed awkward, too. It wasn’t the most enthralling episode, either. But it wasn’t bad by any means.      Overall Score:

3.5 out of 5

 
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Lupin III: A Woman Named Fujiko Mine Episode 06 Review

 Episode 06, "Prison of Love"

*****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: Fujiko goes undercover at a private girl’s school to get close enough to a girl to steal her valuable pendant. However, the girl turns out to be Zenigata’s assistant, Oscar, in disguise. He’s gone undercover himself to get both Fujiko and Lupin. When Lupin arrives on campus, he seemingly falls for the trap. However, it turns out that Fujiko and Lupin have outsmarted Oscar after all.    Comments:   Predictability doesn’t always produce disappointment. For example, I wasn’t surprised or disappointed that an episode about Fujiko teaching in an a private girl’s school contained Fujiko kissing a girl, and liking it (the taste of her cherry chapstick). You’ve got a nod to shows like Oniisama E and Maria-sama ga Miteru that also take place in private girl’s schools and contain similar elements. It wasn’t an out-and-out lez fest, but did have some of the markers, and that’s a-okay with this typical heterosexual male.    We can see that Oscar is a pretty twisted guy. He obviously has a great disdain for Fujiko, who he sees as a "spitoon" (read: cumbucket). At the end of the episode he is practically murderous in thought. However, one wonders whether or not he was acting entirely as he played the young girl. That is to say, he may find himself somewhat attracted to Fujiko, based on what he said when she was knocked out, though he loathes what she represents. He’s either superb actor or a very confused young man, or more probably, both. He obviously will do anything for his beloved Zenigata, but all his work goes to pot when he’s outsmarted by Fujiko, enraging him. But why did it bother him so? Just look at his interactions with Fujiko as he poses as the young girl. Nobody can fake blushing. But he obviously has issues with women, as he even violently stripped the girl he was posing as for her uniform.    I was surprised when Lupin came onto the scene. He was obviously the person who released Fujiko from her bonds, but what was he doing there, anyway? Is he just keeping an eye out for Fujiko? He pretends to fall for Oscar’s trap but apparently escapes when Oscar is in histerics over Zenigata. My question is, what does Lupin get out of this? Is it all part of the same plan to get their hands on the papers by that physicist?    Another thing I don’t quite get is, what was the deal with those schoolgirls having guns? Why were they working with Oscar? That part didn’t make a lick of sense.    I did, however, appreciate the nods to Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, a classic bildungsroman novel of an ordinary man who tries to change himself by joining a group of elites. Fujiko quotes it when she says, "Women never show themselves in their natural form" and "They are not so vain as men, who conveive themselves to be always amiable enough, just as nature produced them." Fujiko herself is always wearing many covers, many disguises, so what is her "natural form"? This series is all about the formation of the Lupin crew, people who are also experiencing bildungsroman, a growth, a coming of age, so it’s appropriate.    Overall, some of the weirdness of the episode is a tad off-putting, like Fujiko’s strange flashbacks and the girls with the guns, making it seem a little silly, but not in a good way. It seems like the episode is merely setting up something for later and trying to do little else but that. It was weird that Zenigata barely spoke in this episode, and showed little zeal. This series really isn’t using him much, which is a shame. However, it was a pretty entertaining and stimulating episode, even if it wasn’t as good as the last one.    Fujiko better get Batman to take care of those Court of Owls folks from her past.    Overall Score:

4 out of 5
 

   
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Lupin III: A Woman Named Fujiko Mine Episode 05 Review

Episode 05, "Blood-Soaked Triangle"

  *****SPOILERS*****

Synopsis: Fujiko tells Lupin how he could obtain her: by stealing a treasure from an a new pyramid in Egypt. Also in Egypt is Jigen, who is all out of money, so he too is looking for the treasure. The two cross paths, and as they struggle as rivals against each other, they fall into traps, but end up cooperating with each other. Because of another trap, the two fall into a giant whirlpool of sand and find that Fujiko is there to reap the benefit of their work. However, they manage to escape the trap and join Fujiko, who finds the treasure. Suddenly the crypts start falling apart and the treasure needs to be sacrificed to open the way out.
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Lupin III: A Woman Named Fujiko Mine Episode 04 Review

Episode 04, "Living in Song, Living in Love"

*****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis:  Fujiko teams up with Inspector Zenigata to stop Lupin III from stealing a priceless mask worn by a famous opera singer. There are rumors at opera house from which he plans to steal it about a phantom. Said phantom interrupts a performance, but it continues, with Fujiko standing in. Lupin tries stealing the mask and Zenigata steps in to apprehend him. In the catacombs of the opera house, Zenigata goes after Lupin, while Fujiko is caught by the opera ghost, who turns out to be the the secret lover of the singer. Lupin escapes Zenigata and joins Fujiko and the lovers.  Comments:   Lupin is back! And yet, there’s so little of him. He remains sort of a background presence for most of the episode. He only appears a few times, and barely even tries to steal the treasure, despite having declared that he would beforehand. His methods for obtaining it are even pedestrian compared to the last time we saw him, having rockets attached to a giant statue. Kurita does an excellent job voicing him, at least. You really get the sense of his playfulness. I especially liked it when he was disguised as the horse.    Where there’s Lupin, there’s bound to be Inspector Zenigata. He’s as determined as ever to capture our favorite lecherous thief. But something is a little off about him in this episode. I mean, he actually has his way with Fujiko, first of all, which is a bit weird for him. I know that his sort of cockier, more competent demeanor comes from the manga incarnation of him, but his attitude is a bit extreme in this episode, especially when he’s shooting at Lupin. It looks like he’s aiming to kill. I love the bit where he gets sprayed with Lupin’s fake blood and then accidently smashed in the face by Oscar. Now there’s a classical Zenigata injury.    If I have an issue with the episode, it’s how Fujiko is portrayed. Now, don’t get me wrong, I realize that so far, Fujiko’s contribution has been largely as an observer, just having happened to be there in most episodes thus far. But we’re always given a little insight into her as a character. Here is no different in that regard, we get a short flashback to her childhood, or some representation of her childhood. But, with that said, she really feels like window dressing in this episode. She doesn’t impart any of her philosophy of life or even really play much of a role in the action of the show. She feels like a prop.    The story is nothing special, either. I like the idea of Fujiko being a trap for Lupin, even Zenigata setting it up as such. But the thing with the phantom, the love affair, the stand-in prop designer, and such, I couldn’t really care less about. It’s not as gritty as Jigen’s affair with the mob boss wife, nor is it as interesting as Goemon trying to make friends with the children. It’s just kind of a distraction from more Lupin we could be getting. Frankly, I was expecting a little more from this episode.    The episode seemed a little disjointed and random at times. The stand-in for Aiyan (not Fujiko, the other woman) just came out of nowhere. There lacked any good focus in the narrative. And the ending is a little too up in the air. Do Lupin and/or Fujiko fish the mask out of the fire? Does Aiya spend the rest of her life in the hidden chamber with that guy? Do they all have dinner in peace? This is probably my least favorite episode thus far, but it was still pretty good. Loved the opera singing.    Next time, Lupin and Jigen meet!     Overall Score:

4 out of 5

 
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Lupin III: A Woman Named Fujiko Mine Episode 03 Review

Episode 03, "The Lady and the Samurai"

    *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis:  Fujiko poses as the tudor for the king of Astria’s three grandchildren as valuable artworks are within reach on a train. A mysterious samurai, Goemon Ishikawa, appears on the train, claiming to be an entertainer. His mission is to assassinate the king. The train becomes out of control after sabatoge and Goemon is determined to stop it. Goemon cuts the rear cars away from the main body and saves everyone. At the castle, Fujiko encounters Goemon again, her only captured treasure the king’s belt. She kisses him and retreats. He runs off as well.    Comments:   This episode introduces the anachronistic samurai, Goemon Ishikawa XIII, who uses his sword, the Zantetsuken ("Iron-cutting blade"). He’s a man who believes in honor and has a great pride. In this, they have him as an assassin, but he ends up saving the day. He’s the kind of guy who is a little awkward, because his ideals are so out of place with modern society. Despite his hard looks and stern nature, he’s some times got a naivete when it comes to women, as it shows in this episode. He tries to be a gentleman, and even averts his gaze from Fujiko’s nakedness (well, he averts it after a while). You can say that he is entranced much in the way Lupin is, but Lupin is a bit more savvy and understands that women can be fickle.    By the way, I have to applaud Daisuke Namikawa’s performance as our SAMURAI FRIENDO. He makes Goemon sound very sharp and serious. I was a little skeptical when they brought him on in Blood Seal~Eternal Mermaid to replace the aging Makio Inoue. Inoue, who had played Goemon for decades (also Captain Harlock a few times), was so great in that role, and Namikawa was known for boys and young men, and I wasn’t sure he could pull it off. However, he does an excellent job in sounding battle-hardened, if a bit misplaced.    We get a bit more look into Fujiko’s psyche in this episode. Just as she told Jigen in the last episode that she’s constantly outrunning her past, she tells Goemon here that just like with him, "There’s no place for me anywhere, either." She’s constantly moving around, as a thief, never settling anywhere. And there’s a bit of sadness to her regarding that. Whereas Lupin is happy just having a challenge, Fujiko seems to be trying to fill a hole in her life (no, not that hole, pervs). I wonder if we’re going to get any further insights into her past. It’s also worth noting that Fujiko sacrifices her chance to get a lot of those treasures for the sake of helping to save the king’s grandchildren. We get some softness from her, a kindness she was lacking before. We see that Fujiko is indeed capable of caring for others.    The only flaw of the episode was that, well, I’m no train expert, but won’t that type of train stop on its own without coal being fed to it?    Favorite scene of this episode was, of course, Goemon cutting all those bullets in half. Priceless.  

Overall Score:

4.5 out of 5

 
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Lupin III: A Woman Named Fujiko Mine Episode 02 Review

Episode 02, "Magnum .357"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis:  After losing a bet to Cicciolina, the owner of a casino and a mob boss, Fujiko is tasked with stealing the gun of a mob bodyguard, Daisuke Jigen. Fujiko infiltrates the rival faction as the girlfriend of Jigen’s boss, to get closer to Jigen. However, she has difficulty due to Jigen’s distrust of women. Fujiko drugs him and is able to takes his weapon. In the past, Jigen had an affair with Cicciolina and her husband found out. When he threatens to kill Jigen, the two struggle and her husband’s gun goes off, killing him. Jigen takes the blame for what happened. In the present, Jigen meets Cicciolina in a church where he’s ambushed, but takes down every gunman. She points his magnum at him and he shoots her, but it turns out the magnum was empty. It was all a set up so he could kill her. Jigen decides to give up being a killer.    Comments:   An episode of Lupin III without Lupin III! I guess Fujiko really is the main character. Although, that, too, comes into question, because she barely plays a role in this episode herself, and is more of a plot device than anything else. We do get some insight on her in the last scene though. She talks about outrunning her past. Are their some secrets about Fujiko’s past that are yet to be revealed? Interesting.    The main focus of this episode is the bearded shootist, Jigen. And more specifically, his relationship with the woman, Cicciolina. Anyone familiar with the franchise knows that Jigen has trust problems when it comes to women, especially Fujiko. But it looks like he may just be trying to distance himself as to not get too attached to anyone. With Fujiko, though, he can sense she’s trouble and takes an immediate dislike to her.    I really enjoy the short shoot-out at the church. It reminds me of hardboiled noir fiction or maybe a little bit of "heroic bloodshed" movies. I love the movement, and Jigen hiding in the dust. It lends a sharp contrast to the earlier flashback where he has sex with Cicciolina in the coffin at the same church. I think the haunting organ music used in the scene fits perfectly with both the setting and mood.    There was no doubt that from the beginning, Cicciolina was seeking death, the way she lived her life. Maybe she always expected to be killed. What she didn’t expect was falling for Jigen. She reminds me of the character Tracy from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, but with a twist.    What’s with Fujiko’s constant hair color change in this episode? She’s a brunette, she’s blond, she’s black-haired. Is she wearing wigs or did she really color her hair between scenes? One thought is that the scenes don’t happen right after each other. From the scene where Jigen finds Fujiko’s knife to the one where she’s pouring tea, perhaps a few days passed. It’s not clear.    I’m loving the use of those sketchy lines as shadows. It especially works in the scene where Cicciolina was struggling for the gun her husband was holding.  Another scene where it works well is the conversation between Fujiko and Jigen at the end. There’s just a very mangaish aesthetic to the whole thing that I enjoy.    Just like in the previous episode, we get the firing of a gun at the end. Only this time it’s a real one.    Another good episode. It had a dark, gloomy, tragic feel to it, but didn’t feel maudlin. It felt very real, very palpable. According to my research, Fujiko will be meeting Goemon in the next episode. I can’t wait to see his swordplay.      Overall Score:   4.5 out of 5    
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Lupin III: A Woman Named Fujiko Mine Episode 01 Review

 Episode 01, "Great Thief vs Lady Phantom Thief"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis:  Master thief Lupin III crashes a marriage ceremony between a cult leader and his mistress. However, he soon finds out that the bride, a woman named Fujiko Mine, is after the same treasure that he is: the secret to a powerful drug the cult uses. The cult leader imprisons them both, intending to execute them. However they both manage a way out of their situation. Lupin suggests they compete for the prize. The two of them both find their way to where a giant statue made of the drug is. The police, led by Inspector Zenigata arrive thanks to a note Lupin sent. The island begins to fall apart, but Lupin has a plan, rocketing out on the statue, with Fujiko close behind. Ultimately, the statue falls into the ocean and dissolves, leaving traces of the drug on the surface of the water.      Comments:   I love me some Lupin III!   I have to applaud this episode for doing what any other Lupin III TV series has done before: that is, do an episode that establishes Lupin. The first series’ first episode was about some criminal organization that had something vague against Lupin and he seemed more like a secret agent in that episode. The second series did a first episode that was a callback to the first series first episode, no heists there. The third series did a pretty mediocre "here we go again" kind of first episode. But this, this has a first encounter, that is the one between Lupin and Fujiko, establishes Lupin and Fujiko as thieves, establishes Lupin’s reputation, have an actual incident of stealing, and gives a pretty good view of what the franchise is as a whole. They even throw in the classic Lupin "I’m going to steal X" note.    You’ve just got to love both Lupin and Fujiko in this episode. Fujiko is not ashamed to use her feminine charm (TITS) and cleverness to get what she wants, but Lupin is also very crafty and gets the better of her on occasion. They’re a great match for each other. But the way this episode plays out, Lupin seems very much the main character of this show that supposedly revolves around Fujiko. He’s got all the answers, all the moves, and he’s the one who comes the closest to claiming the treasure.    There’s full-frontal nudity up the wazzoo in this. Even the opening credits depict nipple pinching. It tries to come off as classy and artsy, but it doesn’t quite make it. On the other hand, it doesn’t seem cheap and tawdry, either. It’s not exaggerated much and it seems more seductive, a means to an end.    And just look at the art and animation of Takeshi Koike, the driving (lol) force behind Redline. The character art is very unique, but brings to mind the classic Lupin III manga by Monkey Punch. Lupin has a wealth of expressions, both subtle and wacky, and is rendered in a way that reveals his supreme confidence. They don’t shy away from Fujiko’s dangrous sexuality, either. Inspector Zenigata, who doesn’t do a lot in this episode, looks somewhat intimidating and hardboiled. I love the flare of the animation’s movements and how the art changes to reflect the action in it.    The voice acting is rather excellent. I think this is some of Kanichi Kurita’s best work as Lupin. He can sound very cool and smooth, but also very silly, and expresses all of that very well. I didn’t think he could do this type of Lupin as well as Yasuo Yamada did in the first TV series, but he pulls it off rather well. And Miyuki Sawashiro, still fairly new to the part of Fujiko, came off youthful, vibrant, and sexy. I’m still waiting to hear more of Koichi Yamadera’s Inspector Zenigata.    The music is, well, jazzy, but understated. It does help illuminate the mood of the actions, and gives it a classy atmosphere, but it’s not really remarkable in any way. I know it’s too early to say this, but I kind of miss Yuji Ono. Still, it’s not bad music in the slightest. Though it might disappoint those waiting to hear the second TV series theme music.    The whole thing definitely feels a bit like the original manga, or the first TV series. It’s got a bit of a sternness to it, a feel of danger. I like it.      Overall Score:   4.5 out of 5    
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Lupin III: A Woman Named Fujiko Mine PV

Woah, the style is overwhelming! Though I can see why some people referred to this trailer as being "just thrown together", because they’re using the character design sheets and little if any footage from the actual show. Still, I’m looking forward to seeing this show.

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Lupin III: Blood Seal ~ Eternal Mermaid Review

 "Blood Seal ~ Eternal Mermaid"

Synopsis:  When Lupin steals a jewel called the "Mermaid’s Scale", he discovers it’s a fake. The real jewel, another one, and a person with an immortal body turn out to be keys to the treasure of the Yaobikuni. Wanting to prevent a dangerous arms dealer from taking the prize, Lupin and the gang decide to get to it first. However, they’ll have to deal with a dangerous assassin, the police force, and a fickle Fujiko. In the end, who’ll obtain the ancient treasure? A thief or a merchant of death?    Comments:

With Discotek releasing the original Lupin III TV series later this year (expect reviews), I was chomping at the bit to do something Lupin-related for Otaku Revolution. Luckily, there was a recently aired television special to watch and review! Even more fortunate, it was a pretty damn good one!

This was the first really fun ride for Lupin in a long while. The past few specials have been pretty terrible, especially the last one, The Last Job, wherein the running joke was Lupin being bitten on the ass by a ninja dog. This time around there were all the classic trademarks of Lupin: A heist, some chases, a secret treasure, a henchmen for Goemon to battle. Only the execution was really quite good. There were elements of past Lupin features like Plot of the Fuma Clan and Stolen Lupin, but with its own unique twists and turns. read more

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New Lupin III anime CM

I like the classic look they’re going for. New VAs for Zenigata, Fujiko, and Goemon. The voice of Jigen is the only one left of the original cast. I hope this special doesn’t suck as much as the past few have.

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