#top episodes lupin iii

[landofartandcraft]

Today i made a piece for my third favorite episode "the target is 555 meter away"

I just love everything on this episode, i think it's the perfect heist episode (and for once lupin ditch fujiko for his friends, she had it coming!)

[sailormoonsub]

INTRODUCING: SailorMoonSub Sundays

WHAT IS IT: An official scheduled weekly liveblog day!

HOW IT WORKS: Once a week, starting in September, I will blog 1-2 episodes of something from my Big List of Stuff to Catch Up On, as well as write about stuff I've been reading or watching lately.

WHEN IS IT: Sundays. It's in the title!

WHERE IS IT: Right here on Tumblr. Not sure about Twitter. Sorry, I mean X. I kind of hate X.

HOW YOU SHOULD FEEL ABOUT IT: That's up to you, isn't it?

Big List of Stuff to Catch Up On

In the interest of not becoming a Top 10 Tumblr Scam of 2022, here is a list of said commissions:

Code Realize 12✅

Yurikuma 11-12✅

HajiKoi 2-4

Kiratto PriChan 1

Pripara 1

Lupin III Green Jacket 17

Lupin III Red Jacket 4

Magia Record season 2 & 3

The Demon Girl Next Door 1

Interviews with Monster Girls 3-5

M.A.S.H 11x01

Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend

Ultraman Zero: Revenge of Belial

Skip Beat 3-4

Heartcatch Precure 7-14

Sengoku Basara 3-4

FR07 Freddie the Frog

Otherside Picnic (book) 

Futari Wa Precure 1-5

Galavant 2

Infinity Train s2 6-10✅

and of course, Sailor Moon Cosmos. 

Please let me know if I’m missing your thing! If you see something you recommended over a year ago and you’re like, that’s not me anymore, can you switch it to XYZ instead, I certainly can. Or if you’d rather have a refund, that’s fine too! 

[animebw]

So The Woman Called Fujiko Mine feels like an argument against itself.

I don't mean that in broad metaphorical terms. I mean that this show quite literally looks into the camera and tells you that the very concept behind it is bullshit. It's a grim and gritty re-imagining of Lupin III that seems to regard grim and gritty re-imaginings as little more than contrived nonsense, something hastily slapped onto a perfectly fine piece of media with no regard for what makes that media work in the first place. I don't think I've ever seen a more purposefully self-defeating work of fiction in my life.

What do I mean by this? Well, the basis of this show seems to be explaining the backstory of Fujiko Mine, the Lupin franchise's resident femme fatale cat burglar. What kind of experiences, it asks, would lead someone to sleeping and stealing their way through life? And this being a supposed grim and gritty re-imagining with Naked Titties and Fucking, the answer it comes to is, of course, horrific sexual trauma. The final arc descends into this ludicrously overcomplicated conspiracy involving hallucinogenic drugs, human experimentation, possibly actual magic, all to explain how Fujiko was horribly abused as a child and repressed those awful memories through a life of cheap sex and fancy trinkets. Even the OP screams this point at the start of every episode: "The act of stealing lets her forget everything and keep her memories at a safe distance." She covers herself in jewels and men as if they can hide her shameful, scarred body from the horrors it was forced to endure, a lifetime of cheap thrills to escape the pain of her womanhood.

Except just when you think the whole conspiracy justifying this backstory can't get any more complicated, it overcomplicates itself even further to reveal that none of this actually happened. Turns out, Fujiko's repressed trauma memories were false memories implanted in her when she was already an adult as part of some roundabout cry for help from the actual victim. And in fact, Fujiko was already a sex-loving, treasure-grabbing femme fatale by the time those false memories were put in her. Not because of trauma, but because she just likes having sex and stealing things. And I'm not exaggerating when I say she all but looks the audience in the face and outright says, "See? Isn't it stupid and condescending trying to force a contrived rape narrative onto a female character just because she likes sex? Why can't I just be a bombshell who loves what she does without having to feel ashamed of it? Or does it only count as feminism if characters like me have to suffer for our sexiness?"

It's a genuinely wild subversion that feels a decade ahead of its time. But therein lies the problem: you still have to sit through a mostly straightforward grim and gritty deconstruction to get to the point where it points out how stupid most grim and gritty deconstructions are. And if the point was to criticize those kinds of stories just by being an example of one, well, all I can say is that it succeeded. It absolutely feels at times like a pointlessly dark and edgy paint job slapped on top of a story for the sake of feeling "mature" when all that really means is lots of rape and uncomfortable sexual hangups. Did I mention there's a Class S episode where Fujiko becomes the teacher at an all-girls school and proceeds to have affairs with multiple of her students? Because that happens, and I could feel my skin trying to crawl off my body the entire time.

Like I said in an earlier post, this isn't fanservice in the traditional sense. In fact, with the ending reveal in mind, the presentation and execution is almost maddeningly confrontational, as if daring you not to see it for the cheap shock value it is. You can almost hear Yamamoto and Okada laughing behind the scenes as you scramble to find an explanation for why all this misery porn needed to exist, only for the show itself to say "Actually, yeah, this was all pretty tasteless and crass, who would actually want Fujiko's story to be like this?" But it's still a frustrating fucking show to watch in the moment because all that possibly intentional metafictional subversion just reads as straight-up boring edgy grimdark before you're shown the man behind the curtain. Or, woman behind the curtain. Whatever.

I dunno, I don't think I can give this one a proper score. 5/10, I guess? Ask me in a few months and see if that's changed at all. For now, I'm more than happy to polish off my Yamamoto back catalogue and move onto something else. Which 2013 show will take its place, I wonder?

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: April 2024

Ooooooooh it's getting warmer and sunnier and the days are getting longer! Yet I still stay inside to read and watch tv and stuff.

……….FILM……….

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985) Loved it. A comedy that is so generous with the types of humour (sight gags, absurdist stuff, one-lines). Watching it I was thinking "oh this reminds me of watching Elvira" and then Cassandra Peterson shows up in the biker gang! Loved the whole thing.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) I've been meaning to watch this ever since Sam Bosma shared the incredible poster he did. If I didn't know Hayao Miyazaki directed this then I would've spent the entire runtime thinking "whoa real Hayao Miyazaki vibes here." Great standalone film if you know nothing about Lupin III.

……….TELEVISION……….

Fallout (Episode 1.01 to 1.08) Having never played the games, I was really interested if this series would work for someone like me. It took a bit to connect and it mostly landed. Not bad at all but it hasn't really left a lasting impression.

Succession (3.05 to 4.02) Can't believe it's almost over. What I appreciate about this series is that it knows the show is at its best when the core trio are together and does everything it can to highlight this. But never forget that they are all awful people. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Delicious in Dungeon (Episode 1.14 to 1.17) This adaptation of the comic continues to be excellent. I hope folks dig the show so much that they decide to read the series as it offers a few more character details that are fun to discover.

X-Men '97 (Episode 1.01 to 1.07) Wasn't a big fan of X-men (comic or the show) as a kid but heard enough good things that I figured I'd check it out. While I'm not immune to the nostalgia of the intro, I really do think the show is fantastic. The story feels dramatic and just mature enough to allow for great character moments and the animation is top-notch. Really glad I gave this a shot.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Why I (Used to) Hate Video Essays by Extranet Shaquille and Yellow Paint by Caleb Gamman Just a coincidence but these two unrelated videos both veer away from their main topics to become a study in...media consumption/attention culture/the struggles of existing in our current times. (Video Essays) VIDEO (Yellow Paint) VIDEO

……….READING……….

Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie (Complete) This feels more like the first Christie book I read (There is a Tide, still my favourite) in that there are twists and turns around engaging characters. Plus the victim was such an engaging villain. Based on the handful I've read so far, I think this would be a good entry point into Christie's works.

A Spectre Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto by China Miéville (Complete) After hearing a number of interviews with Mieville I was really excited for this but found the whole thing...frustrating. Maybe I'm not smart enough or maybe I'm not the target audience, but I don't really know who this book was written for. My gut tells me the writing is practically impenetrable unless you have a masters in English and that doesn't feel like the right fit for the subject matter. If brevity is the soul of wit then I'll leave it there and just say that the last couple pages, written clearly and with conviction, did more for me than the previous 150+ pages.

Delicious in Dungeon Volume 13 (and also Volume 6) by Ryoko Kui (Complete) Rereading and also catching up on the latest volume! It's nearly over! Volume 13 is the penultimate chapter and I'm still impressed by how consistent the characters, humour, and dedication to theme this series remains. Really really incredible.

……….GAMING……….

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) Tuesday crew is picking off the invading Elves fairly effectively but at what cost? And what are the repercussions of an act like this? Only time will tell. Also you can read all about their adventures here!

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Mof1 crew continues to dig into the mysteries of the mud banks but might get sidetracked by the fame and fortune of wrestling.

And that's it. See you in May!

[sideburns-and-cigarettes]

NEW EPISODE: Part 1, Ep. 16 - "Operation: Jewelry Snatch"

In this episode Drew, Emma, Chris, and Natalie discuss The Great Hoover Heist of 1972 in Part 1, Episode 16, "Operation Jewelry Snatch."

Poor Lupin can't catch a break. Gaslit by Fujiko to perform a brazen heist at an upscale jewelry store only for her to double-cross him. Beaver, the store's less-than-upstanding owner, intends get even with both of them. To make matters even worse, Zenigata is out to nab every party involved. Is there any way for Lupin to come out on top?

Hope you enjoy it!

[peaterookie]

i was sad i couldnt find something like this anywhere so i made one!!!

This is gonna be fun to see people's response :) Here's the plaintext version:

Where did you first learn about Lupin III?

What is your favorite character?

Following up on that question, what’s the best thing about them?

What's a Lupin character you relate to the most?

What’s your favorite Lupin Anime series?

What's your top 3 favorite episodes from it?

What's your favorite Lupin manga series?

What's your top 3 favorite chapters from it?

What's your favorite movie? And why?

What was the first movie you watched?

What's your favorite Lupin design?

What's your favorite Jigen design?

What's your favorite Goemon design?

What's your favorite Fujiko design?

What's your favorite Zenigata design?

What's your favorite thing about the franchise?

What's your least favorite thing about the franchise?

What's your least favorite character? And why?

What's your favorite Lupin III music track?

Do you have any Lupin III merch? If so, what's your favorite out of the collection?

If you could contribute/change the franchise in any way, what would you do?

What’s something about Lupin III that you wished people knew more about?

A moment in the Lupin franchise you'll always remember?

What’s your favorite Lupin III quote?

Give one Lupin headcanon that you have!

What's the most random fact about Lupin III that you know?

Any hot takes?

Do you create things in the fandom? What’s by far the thing you made that you’re most proud of?

If you could be in the Lupin III universe for one day, what would you do?

What’s something you hope TMS would do in the future for the Lupin III franchise?

[goemon-fan]

same anon here. I feel like a lot of people don't talk about the problems with the show/you don't see people talking about it being racist because

a. a lot of the fandom is young and not really. media literate.

b. a lot of the fandom is white and is either racist, or just doesn't care because it doesn't bother them (obviously people who can't stand seeing racist shit over and over and over again are not going to like or watch lupin III ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯)

c. when people do talk about it they get ignored. I've seen people discuss this at length on other platforms and get dismissed repeatedly. idk about Tumblr but I've seen it elsewhere

idk. this isn't a you problem or anything, I just kind of wanted to explain my last ask a little bit more in detail. in my experience I've been alienated from the fandom repeatedly for talking about racism both in the show and in the fandom itself.

I understand, it's a bit weird to see people say "avoid the manga entirely because of the sexual assault elements" (even though it stops a bit later in the manga excluding maybe one chapter) yet enthusiastically recommend Part 2 despite the incredibly racist "jokes" throughout. It was honestly disgusting to watch the episode centered in Saudi Arabia as well as the other episode in an Arabic country which was centered around bombs and terrorism, and I can see why the racism throughout the series would drive someone away. Maybe our current fandom consists of a survivor bias where many POC who watched the show ultimately got driven away because of the racism, so the people who don't see too much of a problem with it or even agree with it fill fandom spaces (not saying that this has happened, but I've definitely dropped pieces of media for overt racism and the like).

I also see a similar fandom bias with the misogyny throughout and how it would mean that their favorite characters aren't always exactly well-written (the transphobia sometimes gets called out within fandom spaces, though not all the time). I get that Jigen is everyone's favorite and that Lupin's just a silly womanizer to the fandom but the misogyny, sexual assault, and just general "the villain of the week is a manipulative woman yet again" is in no way okay despite how much we all want to love the series. It's not funny to see Lupin flirt with underaged girls or unconsentually rip girls' tops off or Jigen hate all women as a collective whole or to see Fujiko demonized for actually being a cool character, and while the fandom has addressed some of these issues, I see a lot of "isn't it so funny that Jigen's a misogynist!" and "Part 2 is perfect!" despite the writers' treatment of female characters.

I second your point of "a lot of the fandom is young and not media literate," and I do wonder about this fandom's demographics from time to time. I think this does tie in with the blatant ignorance or sometimes even support towards Lupin III's problems, and it is upsetting to browse this fandom's spaces on the internet sometimes. I totally get why the racism would turn you away and I don't see a problem with not liking the show because of it, and I do think people need to be more respectful towards your views and towards other, similar criticisms of the show.

[sweetchcolate]

Hi~ if you're interested, here's a scenario for you:

While talking with an acquaintance, the conversation drifts into the topic of anime since they learn you've watched quite a few shows already. They ask you for recommendations and, when pressed for specifics, they say something along the lines of "I don't really have a specific preference." (This is, of course, untrue—everyone has their yays and nays, and maybe this person just doesn't know theirs. Since they're just an acquaintance, you probably wouldn't know either.)

So as you look into their gleaming curious eyes:

What will you consider before giving a recommendation(s)?

What show(s) would you recommend?

(Note: this is entirely for funsies so please feel free to opt out or to take your time! ☺)

Damn this is like my worst nightmare come true 😂 It's so hard to give recommandation because it depends on one's personal taste, but also a person's state of mind (if you don't want to watch a drama because you're not in the mood for it, you won't want to watch a show even if it's the greatest drama ever produced), openess to new experiences, and tolerance to bullshit such as 2nd hand embarrassment/fanservice/anime grunts/etc.

I'm basing this a lot on the weeb/ass/shit scale, which grades anime by the amount of anime/japanese culture knowledge needed to enjoy it, the amount of fanservice, and its overall quality. But within each tier, you could probably create subtiers (genre subtier, trope subtier, music subtier, etc,).

To note: a lot of the recs are series I watched recently or remember at the top of my mind, so there's this bias to consider.

Depending on how well I know my acquaintance and their tastes, I would go like this:

entry level. something which is easily accessed and understood by most people with minimal (to none) anime/Japan culture knowledge: most if not all Studio Ghibli movies, Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist, maybe Inuyasha (because of like cultural osmosis and its impact on the early 2000s anime scene), Raven of the Inner Palace, Akagami no Shirayukihime, slice of life or introspective shows (such as Sousou no Frieren's first cour, Spy x Family)

slightly above entry level. something which needs a bit of trope/cultural knowledge (like the importance of high school student councils or usual HS/romance/love triangle tropes), but could be appreciated even without because of solid writing/animation and minimal (to none) fanservice/2nd hand embarrassment: Mob Psycho 100, Akatsuki no Yona, Noragami, Skip to Loafer, Kimi ni Todoke, Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion to an extent (with warning about the way the plot goes wild and the fanservice and innuendo between teens and adults), Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, Detective Conan

something which requires a good grasp/recognition of tropes as well as willing to engage and think because of the way the anime is tackling and deconstructing tropes: Princess Tutu, RGU (with a lot of content warnings)

classic shonen vibes (aka fanservice galore, tournament arc/powering up tropes, etc): Kimetsu no Yaiba, early Naruto or Bleach

mindfuck but good: Mononoke, NGE (to an extent)

good/entertaining but the fanservice is going to be a MAJOR turn off: Soul Eater, Ranma 1/2, Lupin III movies/OVAs

You might have noticed but most of the series I've listed are relatively short, about 12-24 episodes (except for Inuyasha, SM, FMA, DetCo, and Ranma which are >100 episodes), since I think recommending a long-running series might scare some people away. That (and/or the pretty important amount of fanservice), is also why I didn't include big 'staples' like Naruto, Bleach, YYH, HXH, etc. regardless of my personal enjoyment or taste.

Most of what I like are fantasy/romances (like SAFT, My Happy Marriage, KamiHaji) or niche shows like Cybersix. I wouldn't recommend these to an acquaintance because of how close these series can be to me and how I don't want to put them up for judgement. I can be a bit defensive of my taste ^^

Thank you for the ask! It wasn't an easy exercise, but one I've been unconsciously doing on my own for a while, so it's nice to finally have it in writing if the need ever occurs!

[awholelotofladybug]

Stammering Adrien AU: To Marinette, Adrien, Luka and Kagami: Would you watch Columbo and Detective Conan or Leverage and Lupin III?

"I don't think I've heard of those shows."

"Me neither."

"I've seen a few episodes of each. They're pretty good, but nothing I'd p-p-p-put in my top 10 list, personally."

"I enjoy them. Detective Stories are always fun."

[tsukumo-nya]

Goemon Sketches ✏️

I decided to do some Goemon sketches in a few of the different designs he has. His look literally changes each season in the anime and every few chapters in the original manga! 😂

The first one is inspired by kid Goemon from the Mamo Kyousuke chapter in the manga.

The second one on the top is his Shin Lupin III and Lupin III part 3 design.

And the 3rd one in the catsuit is from the fangirl episode from Lupin III part 6. I literally did not expect Goemon to have such a snatched waist like he did in that episode, but I'm all for it!

And the chibi Jigen is there just because I got distracted! 😂😅

--------------------------

Do NOT use, edit or repost this, without my permission!!!

If you want to do either of those things, just ask me for permission to do so beforehand, and I’ll get back to you

[lemmmmmmmmmmonade]

here's a question for that ask game: favorite anime and/or manga? (or a top 5 if it's hard to decide a favorite)

oughhhh that's tough. i have a few series i really like but for majorly different reasons sooooo

top 5 in no particular order

Zombieland Saga: Season 1 Episode 8 is guaranteed to make me cry every single time. I love the comedy of it, but this is my favorite emotional anime (loves the sorrow that comes from life after death)

Lupin III Mystery of Mamo: this is an anime movie, but i love how out of pocket it is. the first 5 minutes contains the death of the clone of the main character and him finding the mandrake root in dracula's castle. the rest of the movie is about something else entirely. peak.

Yu Yu Hakusho: this is one of my comfort shows. shout out to delinquents with hearts of gold. love the action of it.

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: my favorite part is diamond is unbreakable. you can see a few running themes in these lmao. but i just love how unique some of these takes on powers are

Uzumaki: peak horror manga to me. i have this whole thing essentially memorized because i brought it with me to summer camp one year and read it at least once a day for the whole 2 weeks. amazing. 10/10

[landofartandcraft]

Still on my "i'm gonna make art for each of my favorite episode" challenge because i'm insane (and i have free Time)

I adored lupin zero because it was a banger in every way (also because i'm a part 1 fan) and my fave episode is the silly whiskey pipe one because it really is a perfect silly lupin episode while developping the relationship between lupin and Jigen in the most endearing way...

Well i'm not sure it's the best i could do but it's my fave scene of the episode so enjoy

[basedkikuenjoyer]

Need a late-night gap filler, forgot the ol queue ran out. So how about another currently watching? Finally got around to finishing something on my watch list for ages. Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. I loved the old Lupin episodes they’d play on Adult Swim. It was one of my first forays into vintage anime and some top episodes like Shot Through the Heart stick with me to this day. So if Nami is my favorite Straw Hat pirate...how do you think I’d feel about the bold choice to shift part 4 of this iconic series to it’s equally iconic lady thief?

I’m so sad this wasn’t like, my sixth rewatch. Why did I take so long? 2012 was not a time I was super into anime I guess but still...this was awesome. Going all artsy and for more of a Film Noir vibe, making it a prequel showing how the gang got together. I about woke the neighbors when I saw Goemon cut the plane like in the old opening! It’s also batshit insane and hornier than Lupin III typically is. Which is neato mosquito. I also love these takes on Lupin, Jigen, & Goemon but damn did Zenigata get so much mileage out of a little twink lieutenant. 

This was a cool outing, and I know I’ll end up rewatching this one time and again.

[animenostalgia]

The Anime Nostalgia Podcast - ep 114: 2022 Year in Review with Zee & MDi

2022 is just about over! So you know what that means–that’s right, it’s the Year in Review! And much like Krampus, Zee is back for the first part of the episode to discuss the results of my annual year-end survey as filled out by you, the listeners! And for the last stretch of the episode, the Artist Formally Known As Nitro, aka MDi, is passed the baton to help finish the discussion. What older anime titles were you excited to buy (sometimes again) this year, and what titles are you looking forward to coming out in 2023? We also talk about all the memorable news stories from throughout this long, seemingly never-ending year. Hear all the silliness, strangeness, sadness, and stress of this year; PLUS the winners of the survey giveaway in this extra long, nearly 4-hour long episode. Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!!

Stream the episode above or [Direct Download] Subscribe on apple podcasts | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Spotify

Relevant links: ☆ Buy the top 3 (as voted by my listeners) older anime releases from 2022!☆ 1. Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water 2. Sailor Moon: The Complete First Season 3. Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo

Listen to the full episode for the complete list!

Follow MDi on Twitter, Youtube, and learn more about the Community Game Along here!

Donate to The Dystonia Research Fund here!

Big thanks to Viz Media, Gkids, and Sentai Filmworks for donating amazing prizes for the Holiday Giveaway this year! And congrats to all the winners! Also big thanks to the Shoujo Sundae Podcast for sponsoring this episode!

Support the work I do on this podcast by leaving me a tip on Ko-fi! Want to have your name read in the special thanks segment on the next episode? All you need to do is buy me 2 or more “coffees” on Ko-fi!

My opening theme music is done by Kerobit! Find more of his music at Kerobit.net! As always, feel free to leave me your thoughts on this episode or ideas for future episodes here—or email me directly at AnimeNostalgiaPodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening and have a Happy New Year!

[fizzingwizard]

Well, that's it for Lupin Zero. It certainly was a ride... (spoilers)

What I liked best was easily Lupin's skirmish with his dad. That was excellent, top notch. And I think I was pretty right about Lupin II being complex but not "bad" (in a sense that works for Lupin stories I mean, lol). Obviously he considers his son something he lost by choosing the life of a thief and feels some regret over it. The Walther being a memento of daddy dearest is something I really like as well.

I'm kicking myself because last week I totally thought Shinobu on the roof was Lupin II in disguise, because 1) he was supposed to be on the ground floor, and 2) "Shinobu" was wearing pink socks. I'll have to go back and check, but this week I didn't see the pink socks... but turns out I was somehow still kind of right bc Lupin sees through the disguise because of panty type :P of course. (Yeeeeeah I could do without the nonconsensual peeping tom bits but.) Point is I thought it had to be Dad Lupin bc why should Shinobu get to overhear that rooftop convo anyway haha.

After that the rest of the finale is predictable. Predictable is ok in this sort of story, but it still needs to also be fun. It's not. It has a couple good moments but mostly suffers from underdevelopment. Lupin does have a couple good "becoming Lupin" moments which I appreciate.

But there are also a bunch of stupid things I can't get past, like how pointless Jigen was. Yes, it was fun to see him shoot the cannon. Yes, someone had to fight the mob while Lupin went after Gaucho. Still. Pretty forgettable - although I figured that would be the case for Jigen since he and Lupin had their "moment" already in ep 5. The finale is pretty much a solo thing for Lupin to officially become Lupin III.

Also can't get past how silly it is that two thirteen year olds took out all these revolutionaries who have literally defeated entire armies. If it had been done Part 2-style, I don't think I'd complain, because there'd be enough humor and excitement to make it ridiculous in a fun way, rather than in a head-scratching way. But Lupin Zero took a much more serious tone from the start, and while it has lots of comedic moments, the finale is undeniably a somber affair. I mean, Lupin kills someone for the first time, and then the girl he likes commits suicide... so no, I don't think it's reasonable to expect me to be like "but it's Lupin! Of course he beat Gaucho at 13! :D"

An speaking of Gaucho and Youko. Fine, Gaucho was gonna do something awful. Does that justify Lupin killing him at a time when it didn't appear he had any card left to play? Even if it does, there should have been some actual reaction from Lupin. He killed someone for the first time in his life. I don't expect him to lose his shit over it, but I honestly think that even in Part 2, had they done something like that in a flashback, we'd have seen Lupin distraught a little.

And Youko. Someone who was a lot of fun in her debut episode! And then continued to exist mainly to be a sexual violence victim and just a really sad, depressing character. I don't understand her. I thought she was gonna be the woman who gave Lupin his type, but Fujiko is nothing like Youko. And why do I have to watch a show about a woman who is kicked around by men and then dies because one of them dies. She threw her lot in with Gaucho? He didn't abuse her himself, but sent her into abusive situations "for the revolution"? I don't give a shit. He wasn't worth dying for. Even if Youko was that helpless without him, I don't understand what the point of her dying is story-wise. What does it do for Lupin? As his father put it, a thief loses as much as he acquires. So obviously we're meant to view Youko as Lupin's first loss. I appreciate that Lupin was faced with that, but I don't like how it was done - with Youko being such a passive, helpless character. I don't know if it's meant to justify Lupin being so easily amenable to whatever women want in the future, but if so, I think that's silly - it's not chivalry now and it wasn't chivalry back in retro Lupin either. Chivalry would have been the writers making Youko a better character, haha.

Seriously, when you've written a character, esp a female one, who spends most of her scenes getting kicked around by men, turns out to be totally dependent on one, and saved by another - and then KILLS HERSELF - you really need to stop and ask yourself if you even like women at all. And then get therapy. Please.

So yeah very not cool about Youko's story. Buuuut the moment where Lupin sees her wearing his necklace was adorable af.

The final bit on the school roof took me completely by surprise. My guess for the ending was that Lupin and Jigen would ditch school forever to start their career as partners in crime. Instead they apparently just... went home again? They are gonna start doing crime lol, somehow, but i guess they still want a degree x'D School is mandatory through jr high in Japan after all. (Which is one reason I was surprised Zero didn't take place in their high school years instead. And I still don't get why this show had to be in their middle school years at all.)

It was a nice little scene, just not what I expected, and hard to appreciate fully coming right after Youko's freaking suicide.

I really needed a lot more from this episode than I got. Including Lupin I and Albert was like, good to see you, but I know you won't have enough screen time to do anything. Shinobu turned out to be hella boring (but not sleeping with Daddy Lupin, lol, the one new detail about her we learned!). I needed Jigen to run out and grab Lupin's arm while he reached for Youko. I needed Youko to not die, or to die in a less pathetic way. Yes, pathetic - not tragic, which I know is what they're going for. Sorry, Shakespeare did it better. I needed less tragedy in general, and a lot more Lupin becoming Lupin and making trouble. Just throwing an atomic missile into the equation does not an interesting adventure make.

So while there were parts of this episode I did enjoy, overall it was a bust for me. Which means the short series itself is a bust. I'm gonna watch it again start to finish and maybe write some final thoughts, but yeah. I'm not mad about it - Zero did give us some cool scenes and the whole "how Lupin III became Lupin III" concept was great. It just couldn't stick the landing. There are basic storytelling mishaps that scream it was rushed and probably underfunded and not fully realized... but I'll harp on that later.

Despite that, Zero is 'still a nice sort of "What if?" to have.

[phoenixkaptain]

Thanks for answering my ask....If you don't mind me asking (again), what are your top 10 (or top 5) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Feel free to answer whenever you want to (or not). Thank you so much....

(You asked this a little bit ago and I put it in my drafts as a “I’ll finish this later” sort of thing then forgot until this morning, sorry)

1. Hyouka. It’s a mystery anime. There’s a manga as well, but I never got very far into it. The animation is really pretty, but the main draw for me was the mc Houtarou Oreki. The way he just doesn’t want to be there and also would like nobody to talk to him. Despite this, he’s friends with the exact opposite? And good friends. What a guy. Also, the mysteries are very fun to piece together.

2. Natsume Yuujinchou. I’ve always really liked this anime, and the manga. I like Natsume Takashi, the main character, and I also really like his grandmother, Natsume Reiko, who kind of acts as a secondary main character? She caused the whole plot to happen. I like how many people and yokai mistake Natsume for his grandmother, and the running theme of Natsume finally finding friends. It was also the first manga that ever made me cry, so it holds a special place in my heart.

3. MXTX’s novels. All three of them. I love the characters and I love the romances and I love the plots. I love the side characters! I can’t think of an author who has ever made me so invested in side characters before! I read them all for different reasons, so I don’t really have a favourite among them, but if I was held at gunpoint, I’d say Scum Villain is my favourite. Because I associate it with the colour green, and I like the colour green.

4. Moomins. I just… everything is so soft. And warm. And kind. Even when the characters are beinng objectively terrible, I just want to pat their heads and sigh wistfully. It’s definitely my comfort show. I occasionally watch clips from the nineties show just to cheer myself up again. I love Snufkin because his lines are amazing and I, too, would like to wander the world as a lone vagabond. (The whole conversation of “I made those footprints.” “What? How?” “With these big ol boots I found.” “Why are you wearing them?” “To see what life is like in someone else’s shoes.” “What’s it like?” “Uncomfortable.” I love every moment, I quote “uncomfortable” all the time)

5. Detective Conan (and Magic Kaitou) I love this series. I love the comedy of the most intelligent teenager alive being shrunk into a miniature. I love the drama. I love the characters, all twelve billion of them. I love that the twists are always so weird. I absolutey, positively adore the Kaitou Kid episodes! Something about little itty bitty Conan facing an international jewel thief… I also love the movies! I haven’t seen all of them (my attention span…) but my favourites are the Lupin III crossovers! And, of course, the best movie is the Lost Ship in the Sky, because it has the funniest scenes of anything ever. When Kaitou Kid (disguised as Shinichi) and Conan just leap out of a helicopter? I love them so much…

6. Encanto. I’ve watched this movie about 3-5 times (an impressive feat for me I promise) and every time the Abuela says “the miracle is not some magic that you’ve got, the miracle is you, not some gift just you” I cry actual tears. And I get major siblings feelings from all of it. It’s so good

7. Star Wars, specifically prequel-era and Original Trilogy-era. I love Anakin Skywalker. The most dramatic man to ever. And I love Luke Skywalker. And I love Leia. And Han, and Chewie, and Lando, and Obi-Wan (Obi-Waaaaannn 🫠) and just the majority of characters. I really enjoyed reading the Thrawn Trilogy because I found Mara Jade to be the funniest comedic foil to Luke. Luke is just vibing. Mara is like “You were stabbed fifteen seconds ago, what-“ Love the chaos duo Luke and Leia, who can’t go anywhere together because they attract misfortune but also can’t go anywhere apart because they attract misfortune. I love longsuffering Han who didn’t really realize that marrying Leia meant marrying Luke too. I have never watched the sequels, and I don’t really want to. I just wanna live in my lil bubble 👍

8. Resident Evil series. I’m counting the games here because I own exavctly zero consoles that run Resident Evil games and so I mostly just watch longplays, but I love the series. (One day I’ll be the Master of Unlocking… one day… when I have… more money…) I really like Ethan Winters because he reminds me of a kicked dog. I like Jill Valentine the mostest because I really like that her responses to all the weird comments Barry makes are just her laughing and agreeing. I like Chris Redfield because Wesker reveals his huge evil plan and Chris immediately starts laughing and Wesker gets actually upset that he isn’t taking him seriously. I like Ada Wong. She rocked in to Raccoon City to “find her boyfriend” (code for: do spy shit) in a dress and, like, tights? They could be leather pants, the graphics aren’t that clear, but I’m not sure? Her whole outfit in RE2 is amazing. Oh, and I like the horror elements too, the monster designs are so gross! 10/10!

9. Various DC comics. Namely, Batman, Robin, Young Justice, Swamp Thing, etc. I talk about Batman and Robin and all them a lot, but I really enjoy Swamp Thing! I never knew that it was a horror comic until I read it (I suppose it would have been logical to assume it was, but still) and I like him! He’s very cute. Squishy. I want to lay on him and tell him he’s doing a great job. I like the little mini Swamp Thing that grew after he was “killed” it’s so little!!!

10. Fire Emblem. I’m including another game series because I love Fire Emblem a lot. I have played so many hours of so many games (Tokyo Mirage Sessions crossover is underrated and everyone should play it and gush about it with me because Mamori runs a cooking show when she has no idea ow to cook!!! I love her!!!) I have wasted so much money on the mobile game (stop looking at me) I absolutely love this series! My favourites are Marth and Henry (FE:A) I love Marth, he is so… himself :) and I love Henry! He was raised by wolves! He converses with crows! He proposes with a cursed ring! He carries around monster parts just for funsies! He is the cutest little murder bean in the world! Fire Emblem Awakening got me into the series as a whole, and I have never been the same (side note: I also love Corrin, because they are a himbo whether male or female. I also love Robin, because they appear very reasonable and are tacticians and are very intelligent and they are also completely feral in weird ways and I like it a lot. I love Byleth, the best teacher who does not have a heartbeat and didn’t cry when they were born and doesn’t know how to emote)

This turned out longer than I expected, but I hope it’s what you were looking for.