Lupin the 3rd: Part III 44
Lupin III Part 3 44
ルパン三世 – Part III Ep. 44

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis

Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon tunnel to get under the building in New York City where the annual jewelry trade show is held. At the venue, Fujiko and her beau Mackey examine the jewels he has on display. Meanwhile, a young child named Mark intercepts, claiming Lupin is his father. He even has a letter. Jigen finds this funny. Soon after, a black girl shows up, also claiming Lupin as a father. At their hotel room, an infant has been left with a similar note.

Zenigata shows up at the venue. He spots Fujiko and feels vindicated about his hunch that Lupin will attempt a heist. Eventually, Jigen and Goemon also get saddled with kids. Despite becoming a father, the guys continue their work to tunnel up to the venue. Meanwhile, Fujiko attempts her own theft after rejecting Lupin’s partnership plan. Things go south and Fujiko gets arrested. Lupin and crew find Zenigata waiting for them at the hotel.

At his luxury hotel, Mackey makes an insurance claim against his stolen jewels. At the police station, Fujiko learns that the jewels she stole were fakes. She escapes in a police cruiser. Elsewhere, Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon give Zenigata the slip. However, the kids have all disappeared. Fujiko joins them, forcing them all to flee. Lupin learns Fujiko met Mackey at an actor’s studio.

After paying a visit there, Lupin finds the school for the kids is shutting down. Lupin’s gang get a helicopter to chase Mackey, who’s leaving the city. Zenigata and the NYPD chase Lupin. Goemon sends Mackey into the water, allowing Lupin to take his case of jewels and gems. Zenigata grabs Lupin for shirking his duty as a father.

Thoughts/Review

Well, Lupin the 3rd: Part III 44 is another of the DUMB ones. Seriously, everyone has to be dumb ’cause “plot”. To get things started, how would a kid know which manhole Lupin would emerge from, in order to state Lupin was his papa? No one questions this. Okay, Jigen finds it funny, and Goemon finds it repulsive due to Lupin’s lack of morals. So maybe we could let the first kid pass.

But then the second kid shows up and she’s black, and not half-black. Me, I’m pressing “X” to doubt. Unfortunately, the plot demands Lupin accept this, so his IQ gets flushed and he assumes this black kid is his. So do Goemon and Jigen. But then they too get saddled with kids of different races, and no one questions anything. Sorry, but that just took me right out of the episode. Also, how do parents allow their kids to be in the hands of strangers for days? 😑

The only thing of interest was Zenigata taking stock of the fact that he never found time to get a wife and kids. And I loved that Zenigata recognized Fujiko, and that Fujiko got arrested. But those were the only high points from the episode.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

In the end, Lupin the 3rd: Part III 44 is another extremely dumb episode, where characters get stupid ’cause the writers are terrible at their job.