Rupan sansei: Part II

I love this series. It's a very fun series. Lupin the 3rd is the worlds greatest thief. He and his friends go around the world stealing priceless jewelry, artifacts aand etc.

This series is also a hilarious series, the things the team gets into is great. We also have a cop named Zenigata obsessed with catching Lupin the 3rd.

The chemistry between Lupin and Zenigata is great. The chemistry between all the characters is just amazing.

Over just a fun, hilarious series that is worth a watch. It is such an underrated series that deserves more love.

Second television series of the most famous thief ever, certainly the best known and most representative of all. As well as the longest produced so far, with 155 episodes.

The second series is certainly the one that has been more successful and definitively affirmed the character of Lupin. Our protagonist is presented to us with a new and flamboyant look and his unforgettable red jacket.

From the beginning we notice some substantial differences with the previous series: here we have a globetrotting, adventurer Lupin. Almost every episode is set in a different country and we see Lupin meet all kinds of antagonists, from the simplest to the most imaginative.

It's a very adventure-focused series, unlike the first one, which was almost entirely set in Japan.

Another very important difference compared to the series with the green jacket is Lupin's character: if in the first series we had a noir, ruthless and unscrupulous Lupin; here we have a slightly more light-hearted protagonist. The tones of the series are much more cheerful and Lupin is much more heroic and forgiving. We will hardly see him kill someone... On the other hand, his typical determination will not be missing, which will lead him to never give up in order to reach his goal.

Obviously such a long series cannot be without flaws. In fact, the large number of episodes sometimes has a negative effect, as we will happen to see very beautiful and compelling episodes (for example those directed by Hayao Miyazaki) and decidedly bad, boring or completely meaningless episodes full of errors.

In conclusion: I personally find this series excellent and enjoyable. Rich in facets and capable of enthralling all types of spectators. Thanks also to his styles, different in each episode.

On the other hand, for lovers of Lupin in a green jacket this series could be more childish and sweetened.

That said, I highly recommend you to see it and enjoy it.

It will certainly take some time, but it will be worth it.

Good vision.

The first episode of the series re-unites Japan's favorite comic felon with his gang: crack shot Jigen, steely samurai Goemon and devious ex- girlfriend Fujiko on a cruise that turns out to have a surprise party scheduled just for them! The action moves on through a dizzying blur of international hot spots as the gang attempt one wildly improbable heist after another, usually with unexpected results. Past enemies from the earlier TV show make return appearances, and the Loch Ness Monster has a guest spot. The series creators stick closely to manga artist Monkey Punch's distinctive Sergio Aragones-influenced cartoon style, which is both a plus and a minus; everything has a uniform kookiness that can sometimes be distracting, especially when the setting requires a posh look.

In addition to the elaborate heists which characterize the series, occasional episodes go seriously weird and mystical, with lots of mind- bendingly surreal elements: telepaths, beams that induce suicide, a nun who deals in mass hypnosis (!) to name a few. Series villains often sport the towering arrogance and ambitions of James Bond supervillains.

This series really hit its stride in the second season with a run of truly fine episodes. Great heist action, elaborate chases, exotic locations and outrageousness are all featured here as Lupin's gang tries to recover Peking Man's Bones, steal a golden lion from the Australian government, rob a casino and finally steal the crown jewels of England. This final episode is the best of the disc as Lupin disrupts a royal wedding to get a crack at her majesty's crown!

Fast moving, with good looking action animation and well written (if often wildly implausible) heist schemes, untimely double-crosses and good background art depicting the globe scattered locations, there is lot here to enjoy.

Most people in the US get acquainted with the Lupin III series via Hayao Miyazaki's debut film, The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) or this 1977 TV series which briefly aired on Adult Swim a few years ago. While it never made a hit on Adult Swim, this series was a smash in the late 1970s, the result of the franchise's renewed popularity which came from reruns of the 1971 Lupin anime.

Personally, I prefer the 1971 Lupin anime to this later incarnation. Despite the super limited animation and uneven tone over the 23 episodes, it broke more ground, feels more adult, and is less repetitive. However, that does not mean the second Lupin TV series is not worth your time. It's a fun, goofy romp of a show, one that can prove addictive if you're craving insane humor and quasi-surreal action. Yuji Ohno's soundtrack is superb, the essence of 1970s cool.

Also, the Geneon English dub isn't half bad. All the voice actors do their characters justice and seem to be having fun. This is a good series, one that deserves more than the lukewarm reception it received in the States.

The first 'Lupin' series from 1971 is an anime, and animation, landmark and is still a great show in its own right and a good demonstration of what is so appealing about the Lupin franchise in the first place.

It was inevitable that there would be another show, and a series of films, that would follow, and the second 'Lupin' series is a very worthy one. It is not as big a landmark as the 1971 incarnation, which was always superbly written, entertaining and even suspenseful, actually really admired the darker and grittier tone of the earlier episodes, which more than made up for the ill-fitting and out-of-date music. With that being said, 'Lupin the III: Part II' does have more polished animation quality and much better music scoring that fits much better and sounds more appealing, plus its tone for anybody more familiar with the films is likely to be more accessible.

'Lupin the III: Part II' is not perfect. Do have to agree that a lot of the modern day jokes in the American/English dub are really jarring and anachronistic, and whether they're successful in being funny wildly varies (some are entertaining, others pretty cringe-worthy and distract badly). Things can be wildly implausible in the earlier episodes, with action that is admittedly well-animated and exciting but throws logic out the window.

However, as said, the animation is more polished this time round. There is more refinement in the drawings, more vibrant colouring, bolder and more meticulous background details and it looks more imaginative in general. The music score, again as aforementioned, is a much better fit and is more dynamically scored with a real liveliness, cool vibe and lushness.

Writing is incredibly funny, very smart and also very intelligent, while the action even with the implausibility is really exciting and often beautifully and imaginatively animated. The stories entertain and intrigue, with a real sense of adventure, fun, charm and suspense. Nothing's too simplistic and nothing's convoluted.

Great characters too, with a likable and interesting titular character who has both a fun and gritty side that stops him from being a one-dimensional stereotype. Of the supporting characters, Zenigata is my favourite, the conflict engrosses between the two and the character is just very well-written in his own right. The voice acting is good.

In conclusion, very good series. 8/10 Bethany Cox