Lupin III the Movie - The Immortal Bloodline

Lupin III is one of those evergreen properties that just seems to transcend time, though honestly that's little surprise - a gang of international thieves pulling capers is a pretty timeless concept that can be reworked and modernised whenever the story demands it. This film is a little different, taking a more reflective look at Lupin's life and tying together a number of villains to a mysterious island where Lupin must ultimately fight his own fate.

The feature opens with a stylish guitar riff, alongside a handy voiceover from Lupin himself introducing all the characters. We start of course with the central gang of misfits surrounding Lupin (gunman Jigen, samurai Goemon and sensual femme fatal Fujiko Mine) before moving on to their many foes over the years. Suspecting that these incidents were all connected by a central puppet-master, Lupin gets the gang together to visit a mysterious island where answers may be found.

The gang visit the island together but are soon separated

The film explains how Lupin came to know of this location via flashback, where we see his abode and many stolen treasures blown to pieces, the only clue as to the perpetrator could be is a map that's been fixed to the wall with a dagger. 

So Fujiko, Jigen, Goemon and Fujiko set off for an island not found on any world map in a small plane, joined shortly by Inspector Zenigata who has made his own travel arrangements. 

Without going into too many spoilers, the island is populated by assassins who have failed their missions, including some of those who have been sent after Lupin. With a gas that kills outsiders after 24 hours of exposure and the team divided by the island's inhabitants, each member of the group has to try and escape, while a mysterious figure named Muom pulls the strings from the shadows. 

A face from Lupin's past - the mysterious Salifa

The island adventure put me very much in mind of Hell's Paradise thanks to the supernatural elements at play and the fantastical things found there. However, it's entirely in line with the characters legacy and in fact acts as a prequel to the very first Lupin III movie, The Mystery of Mamo. That said, it works perfectly fine as a standalone movie thanks to the thoughtful intro that provides an introduction to all those involved. 

The animation is slick and dynamic, lots of quick camerawork and sharp movement gives life to the characters as they dart around and face perilous odds. The score provides a suitable air of menace or playfulness when required, the former dominating on the island once they arrive. It's a strange place too, full of really weird characters and weapons of war. It certainly provides an atmosphere of foreboding but thankfully Lupin retains his devil-may-care attitude that allows the film to more of an adventure than a serious drama.

At a brisk 90 minutes, the film doesn't outstay its welcome either. Director Takeshi Koike (Redline and 3 other Lupin movies) clearly understands the tone and wit required for the characters and delivers in spades here. Closing the circle so that events lead back to the first film is a nice touch too, giving the saga a feeling of finality, though I'd never write off the possibility of more Lupin down the pipeline.

The film is showing in cinemas from February 21st.