Lupin the 3rd: Part III 45
Lupin III Part 3 45
ルパン三世 – Part III Ep. 45

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis

In France, Lupin rents a large sound stage with a studio prison set. He practices trying to break into a cell, but fails due to the electrified bar door. Lupin believes that the late, former inmate Pinkerton hid a key to his impenetrable safe in his cell. Fujiko shows up with her boyfriend, Duran. He reveals he can easily get through the bars despite the electricity. As such, Lupin accepts his offer of help.

Lupin and Duran easily break into the prison. They find Pinkerton’s old cell and put the current inmate back to sleep. Lupin finds the key behind a brick in the wall. They manage to escape, but not without tripping an alarm. Zenigata and the police pursue. Lupin eludes them, however Pinkerton’s younger brother Carlos and his mob henchmen intercept Lupin. They shoot up the place as Zenigata arrives.

The cops engage the mob while Lupin and company escape. Zenigata notices and follows. Lupin eludes them and returns to the studio. An injured Duran shows up, claiming Carlos has Fujiko. He produces a note, demanding the safe key. When Lupin arrives at the designated location in the city ruins, Carlos denies sending the note. Lupin and Jigen send Carlos and his boys running.

However, electrified bars rise from the ground, trapping Lupin and Jigen. Fujiko and the well Duran show up to take the key. They get the safe on a boat, but Fujiko turns on Duran. However, Duran was ready for this and turns the tables on Fujiko. Meanwhile, Goemon frees Lupin and Jigen. Duran makes a clean getaway. However, Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko dress up as staff to take the safe’s treasures from Carlos.

Thoughts/Review

The moment the “wounded” Duran showed up, I knew everything that would happen in Lupin the 3rd: Part III 45. Okay, not the fine details, but I knew this was a setup by Fujiko. That’s the problem with trash writing. When you constantly write Fujiko as a double crossing bint, a moronic moron can figure out what’s going on. Heck, I’m writing this, and the episode only just no has the “Oh! Fujiko betrayed us!” Boring!

And yeah, I knew she’d betray Duran too. Seriously, I’ve long hated how the many writers of the Lupin III franchise handle Fujiko. At least in Castle of Cagliostro, Fujiko was clever and resourceful. Here, she’s just a walking cliche. That said, I didn’t expect Duran to turn tables on her, but the moment he did, and he eluded Lupin and Jigen, I thought, “They’re going to show up when he least expects it.” And I was right.

While I’m ranting, I’m tired of these elaborate traps that get set ’cause “plot”. Those electrified bars that come out of the ground in a rubble site just made me roll my eyes.

Finally, Zenigata was mostly a waste in this episode. Things got a bit interesting the the mob folks showed up. But then the “can’t hit the side of a barn” shootout between the mob and the cops (with Zenigata) happened. Ugh. What a joke.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

In the end, Lupin the 3rd: Part III 45 was very predictable and thus boring.