Lupin III: The First

If you are familiar with Lupin's history in Anime, you have most probably seen "The Castle of Cagliostro" (1979). If not, I would watch that highly rated older movie first. The classic anime is a good introduction to both the buddy characters and the adversaries (such as the choleric Inspector Zenigata) in the Lupin universe.

This new CGI Lupin movie from 2019 (released in Japan in late 2019, the Covid epidemic, unfortunately, prevented a wide cinematic release in many countries in 2020) almost rates as high as the 1979 classic in my opinion; the 3D animation quality, in particular, is fantastic.

The story/plot is somewhat predictable and (especially) the last third shares some parallels with the third Indiana Jones movie. That's not a major issue in my opinion (the third Indy movie was released all the way back in 1989, most viewers won't remember details).

Summary: This is a fun and fast-paced kids' (especially suited for older kids and teens) movie that adults can enjoy as well.

I would rate it at least 6+/10 and add an extra star for the excellent 3D / CG animation quality, 7+/10 stars in total.

I heard a lot of people comparing this one to THE CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO-- quite a high standard. While I don't think LUPIN THE FIRST quite hits that lofty mark, it is a solid feature-length entry in the series. Like the original Red Jacket series, this movie is marked by slapstick and Indiana Jones style adventure. The more emotional elements of the script (represented by the Lettitia character) are rather conventional, but they work and never bog down the breakneck pacing. The animation looks pretty good on the whole, with the designs of these iconic characters transferring well to CG, though sometimes certain movements seemed to lack weight behind them-- and no, it wasn't during the comedic moments either. But still, this is a fun adventure I would recommend to Lupin fans, though if you've never seen a Lupin movie before, you're probably better off being introduced to this amazing franchise via CAGLIOSTRO or THE MYSTERY OF MAMO.

The animation was amazing! The voices and characters were just like the show! The plot was very tight with very few loopholes. I was expecting something less well done because Lupin isn't an extremely famous anime, but this shattered my expectations. An hour and a half you wont regret spending :)

Very entertaining movie with great 3D animation and a nice story.

I really enjoyed watching this movie. The story is well written and well represented. Also the characters are well characterized. I love this new style of 3D animation and i hope there will be more movies like this. I suggest it to all and not only to the fans of the famous thief. KY