Lupin the 3rd: Part III 39
Lupin III Part 3 39
ルパン三世 – Part III Ep. 39

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis

Gold is loaded into an APC under Zenigata’s protection. However, a military attack helicopter arrives, firing knockout gas. As the cops fall unconscious, Zenigata realizes this isn’t the work of Lupin’s gang. The next day, the press are all over Zenigata over Lupin’s supposed theft of the gold. Elsewhere, Lupin is unhappy to get blamed for something he didn’t do. As such, he decided to steal this gold from whomever stole it to begin with.

Zenigata shows a scientist the knife he recovered at the scene. The scientist, Lupin in disguise, points Zenigata to a military special forces unit. Zenigata pays the unit a visit, but comes up empty. As a result, the local ICPO director orders Zenigata to return to his hotel. That evening, Colonel Geese orders the special forces unit make an attempt on Zeingata’s life, which they believe succeeded.

Sergeant Dandy returns with the news. However, Lupin and Jigen’s presence gets discovered. Jigen falls into a trap and ends up in front of Colonel Geese, whom he served with in the Foreign Legion. Geese gives Jigen a chance to join him, as the Colonel plans to turn Africa into a single country, ruled by him. Jigen declines. However, before Geese can execute Jigen, Lupin saves him.

Back at their hideout, Goemon brings news of the failed assassination attempt on Zenigata. A disguised Lupin pays Zenigata a visit in the hospital and promises to give him a gift. The Colonel’s troops attack Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon. They eventually elude them to return to the base to cause chaos. Geese has melted the gold into a tank and escapes. However, Lupin pursues and delivers the tank, with Geese and Dandy, to Zenigata.

Thoughts/Review

It pleased me that Lupin the 3rd: Part III 39 was about Lupin delivering criminals to Zenigata. While I didn’t dislike the rest of the episode, there were a number of things I had issues with. “Lupin physics” aside, both Zenigata and Jigen should be dead. These special forces nutters took out a church bell tower, just to crash it on Zenigata. However, since plot requires Zenigata to be alive, he is.

As for Jigen, his fall down the trapdoor was quite a long way. In my mind, he should have lots of broken bones at a minimum, or be dead. That aside, why have a trap door that deposits you into your command center? Yeah, there was the plot convenient bullet proof glass dividing the room. However, none of these contraptions make any sense, nor did Lupin’s riding an armed missile down the shaft and out the building to escape.

Finally, just who were these military bozos? The way the ICPO guy acted about them, this special forces unit must have been legitimate. And yet they have an arms factory below their base. Not only that, but they have an attack helicopter causing massive damage all over. Further, Colonel Geese’s plan to unite Africa made me “laugh” at its absurdity.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

In the end, Lupin the 3rd: Part III 39 has a good premise where Lupin helps Zenigata. And no Fujiko means no boring betrayals. But there’s a lot that just makes no sense.