April 12th, 2012 
AstroNerdBoy LUPIN the Third ～峰不二子という女～
LUPIN the Third – MINE Fujiko to Iu Onna
Lupin III: A Woman Named MINE Fujiko Episode 01
Fujiko has infiltrated the Fraulein Hoyle Cult to become the bride of the cult’s leader and steal a drug he uses to intoxicate his followers, not realizing that the infamous thief Lupin III is also casing the cult. She attempts to poison the cult leader by transferring a pill to him in a deep kiss, but this fails. Lupin barges in, and ends up a prisoner with Fujiko. The two reveal they are well aware of each other, and Lupin wonders if Fujiko can be a thief on his level by seducing folks. She starts attempting to seduce him, then gets the guards to believe Lupin tried to rape her. They drag him off, and she seduces the remaining guard. The next morning, she witnesses “her” and Lupin’s beheading, only to discover that Lupin had also escaped. He learns that she’s willing to kill, which makes her more interesting.
The cult leader is furious and back in his harem, Fujiko is disguised as a dancing girl to get what she wants. Putting his harem to sleep, she gets him to open up a large backroom where the drug is made, but she’s caught. Lupin rescues her and reveals a statue made of the Fraulein Hoyle drug. Fujiko is determined to remove him as a rival, but fails. She’s horrified that Lupin sent a calling card to Zenigata, all because he was bored. He escapes with the statue, but she thwarts him several times, only to destroy the drug statue, meaning neither get the prize. She leaves on her motorcycle and discovers Lupin has left a message on her arm, marking her as a target for theft. He watches her leave, and has found a cure for his boredom.
As I thought, this series was Fujiko gets naked, and when she’s not naked, she’s usually mostly naked. *_*
Still, while there was an annoying amount of Fujiko attempting to get everything she wants via seduction, the production team had sense enough to have her use non-seduction tactics, such as the lipstick bullet.
What made the episode work wasn’t Fujiko’s breasts or attempts to start a hentai scene, but rather the chemistry between her and Lupin. He’s bored and looking for a challenge, and considering her seduction skills, willingness to kill, and other factors, Lupin’s found someone worthy of his interest as a fellow thief. I liked that aspect a great deal.
For Fujiko, Lupin isn’t someone who’s going to just fall for her charms. He’s more prepared than she is for various eventualities. Furthermore, he’s not in it for the money like she is, but just for the challenge of taking something. Thus when the drugs are gone, he’s fine with it while she’s unhappy. It makes for an interesting combination that fits with how we’ve seen the two act in the past, only here it is at an initial stage.
There was no Jigen or Goemon, so I’m going to assume they’ll be introduced down the line. Zenigata’s arrival was little more than a cameo, but it does establish his presence.
I can’t say I’m a fan of the character designs here. I know some are going to love them, but I would not be one of them. Nor am I a fan of this psychedelic art and animation style. Fortunately, this first episode’s story was strong enough to overcome these dislikes of mine.
So, while there are things I don’t like, I did like the story of this first episode, and that’s a good place to start.
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I imagine you’re going to be yet another one of the folks who’ll keep talking about how “wrong” the nudity in this show is, because apparently it doesn’t befit the “intellectuals” of the anime blogoshpere to admit that they get hard-ons just like everyone else. For people who always like to emphasize that anime isn’t just for kids, anime bloggers are surprisingly immature when it comes to real adult themes in anime. In this case, the nudity happens to be a plot point, because of course a professional female thief is going to use all her charms to achieve her objectives.
Makes me wonder if things would be different if Fujiko were a flat-chested loli. I don’t really mean that seriously, but it’d help explain why so many bloggers have such a huge problem with Fujiko’s assets being displayed.
I find nudity to be a cheap ploy to try to attract more male viewers.
Fujiko in “Castle of Cagliostro” didn’t need to get naked to get the job done. She infiltrated the count’s staff by being demure and chaste in appearance. Once Lupin showed up, she was smart enough to know to let him do his thing, even helping him out as needed, and in the end, she ended up with the printing plates. She did ALL that, and never once showed her breasts.
Besides, if it were a quite day at work, I couldn’t watch this episode there because it would be assumed that I was watching PORN. *_*
Screen shots dont do this series justice. The animation is like a breath of fresh air. Ive just seen episode 2 which was just as good.
One thing i would like to know is just how canon this is to the series. Its an origin series, but does it fit with the original episodes way back when?
It reminded me somewhat of “Afro Samurai” for some reason.
As to the canon, well, I’m not sure if the meetings of Lupin and company were done in the original manga, or in the anime, other than the one special “Episode 0.” I do have the first series and should watch the whole thing. I’ve only done a few episodes.
I guess it’s hard to get a true classic look with modern animation tools.
Yeah, I guess.
Wait a minute, you get to watch anime at work? Hnnng! Is your company hiring? I’d be extatic if I could get a job like that.
Is an army of girls falling all over some bloke less of a cheap ploy than nudity? Like in Negima for instance. Where there’s plenty of nudity too, I might add. Is selling sex to teens less cheap? At least Fujiko is an adult and the show is clearly aimed at adults.
As a Lupin fan you must know that this is hardly the first time for Fujiko to get naked onscreen. Her whole existence is “a cheap ploy to try to attract more male viewers”. It’s only toned down in the theatrical movies to make them more “family entertainment” like. It’s funny how you can’t create a family without getting naked, but showing nudity is somehow “not family friendly”.
By bringing up your “PORN” example, you’re simply confirming what I already said. The problem is not that nudity is shown, it’s that for stupid societal reasons people need to pretend to others that it’s wrong. Sometimes even to themselves.
I think everyting I just said might sound like I’m attacking you personally. I’m really not. I just don’t like the infantile attitude a number of bloggers have taken towards this show.
>Wait a minute, you get to watch anime at work?
On VERY rare occasions such as Indian holidays, or in the period just prior and just after a major application release.
As to your Negima! reference, the one thing I didn’t care for was the constant, Barbie Doll nudity and such. I could do without it, and good stories don’t need it.
Anyway, my position on nudity has always been the same, no matter what the series. My dislike of it can be overcome WITH a good story. ^_^
I find it funny the things that you’re not a fan of are the things I find engaging about the new Lupin series. I do agree with you about the story and character dynamics. Being a long time Lupin III fan I was always more into the trippier parts of the series (san the Miyazaki episodes, and CoC) like the original manga, the Mamo movie, and Gold Babylon. They carried a flair of 70’s iconography and sensibility that has returned in this new series. As shocking as the constant nudity is I still feel it puts things more in line with Monkey Punch’s manga which was quite explicit as well.
Having just seen the 2nd episode the series does seem more character focused and being a shorter run I would say this is a good jumping on point for new fans as it does seem a reboot of the cast’s origins. Also, being a shorter series there’s a better chance of a more focused narrative. I remember watching series 2 on Adult Swim and renting the DVDs and being bored out of my mind. While I’m a big fan of the movies and specials the TV series was always hit or miss with me so it’s nice to see a series that is very engaging from the get go.
>I find it funny the things that you’re not a fan of are the things I find engaging about the new Lupin series.
*lol* Well, different strokes for different folks, eh? ^_~
>…it’s nice to see a series that is very engaging from the get go.
I agree.
I’m in a very different place than you on the subject of nudity (heck, I love a good ecchi comedy if it’s done well, like I feel Girls Bravo was), but even I’m kind of iffy on how it seems to be being used in this show – mind you, I’m only going off what I’ve heard, I haven’t seen it yet.
I don’t mind a little Fujiko nudity, it fits her character type to me – but the way all the hubbub around this show was made it sound like ‘And guess what, there’s NUDITY!’, like it was there for nudity’s sake rather than…well, being just how the show itself worked. If that makes any sense? I feel like I’m not getting across what I’m trying to say here lol.
Anyway, as for the art itself, I’m with you ANB. It looks a lot more like the manga, but for once, that’s not necessarily a good thing. Sure, the old Lupin stuff wasn’t as much like the manga, but when it’s been going that way for so long, why mess with what’s succeeded before.
Oh, and on the different positions on nudity thing, I’m not at all suggesting that I disagree with your position on it, we just come from too different places on it. Different strokes for different folks, as you say. 😛
>I don’t mind a little Fujiko nudity, it fits her character type to me – but the way all the hubbub around this show was made it sound like ‘And guess what, there’s NUDITY!’, like it was there for nudity’s sake rather than…well, being just how the show itself worked.
To me, that’s exactly what’s going on. The production team finds any excuse to get Fujiko naked, then push the line on how much they can get away with.
I like this series because it combines the weird shock value of the manga with some of the more whimsical and character driven aspects of the anime. I think this is closer to Monkeypunches original vision.
That’s where my not being familiar with the original manga hurts me.
[…] the aftermath of the Fräulein Eule (aka: Hoyle) cult case, both Lupin and Zenigata, with Oscar in tow, head up separately to the now German ghost town of […]