LUPIN the Third ～峰不二子という女～
LUPIN the Third – MINE Fujiko to Iu Onna Episode 05
Lupin III: A Woman Called MINE Fujiko – 05

Fujiko is swimming nude with a large jewel in an indoor pool when Lupin drops by, reminding her that he plans to “steal” her. She puts him onto a treasure in Egypt, as a means of winning her over. Meanwhile, Jigen sails to Egypt, where he’s soon relieved of his luggage. He takes a job to find a treasure in one of the pyramids, accessed from a well nearby. Soon, Jigen uncovers traps, including one where a Pharaoh statue tells him to leave. The statue starts shooting bullets from its mouth, and eventually, Lupin is revealed to be inside. Since Lupin is after the same treasure as Jigen, that makes them rivals.  The two get into a fight, but another trap going off forces Jigen away, where he falls to another level of the tomb.

Following it to its end, he finds a room with a sarcophagus, scales, and a place to put a body. It is clearly another trap, but as Jigen attempts to open the sarcophagus, Lupin has the drop on him. They get the coffin opened, but as they attempt to move the body, scorpions emerge from the wrappings and the two are suddenly in a sand, whirlpool trap. Fujiko reveals herself, having used them and information from previous attempts to secure a safe route. Fujiko waits for one to finish off the other, but Jigen and Lupin work together and escape. Fujiko makes it to the end, where she’s surprised that both Jigen and Lupin are alive. she finds treasured peacock, but since taking the treasure means dying in the tomb, she’s forced to give it up so they can escape. She tells Lupin that the bar to get her has gone up, then leaves. Jigen and Lupin decide they’ll settle their score later.

Hmmm…I totally misunderstood the “to be continued” from the last episode to mean that the story there would continue, especially with the way it ended.

Anyway, although this series really should be named, “The Tits of a Woman Named MINE Fujiko,” I wonder if such a series could truly be licensed in the US?  No, I’m not referring to the constant nudity, done solely for cheap purposes, but the fierce cigarette smoking done here. Seriously, haven’t the Japanese heard that smoking is the most EVIL thing in the entire universe?  ^_~

This episode was like some bizarre take on the Indiana Jones franchise, complete with Egypt, hidden treasures, traps, spiders, thieving monkeys, and escapes. All that was missing was a large Nazi soldier to fight.

I do like how Jigen and Lupin aren’t partners yet, but they have established a respect for each other after having worked together. Plus, Jigen knows Fujiko is not to be trusted, whereas Lupin is still keen on stealing her, or rather her heart.

Beyond that, the episode was pretty much by the numbers with the traps, Jigen and Lupin working together to get out of them, and Fujiko waiting for the score when the dust settles. Even the sacrifice of the treasure is expected after a fashion, considering how you can’t let any one of the gang make a major score.

So, I suppose next episode will be a Fujiko-Lupin-Goemon episode, eh?