To call Lupin The 3rd important is a severe understatement, it's influenced many anime. Pretty much any western style anime about a bunch of crazy characters going on adventures and getting into trouble owes something to Lupin The 3rd but that does that mean it's still relevant? It's still popular in Japan sure but with how many stagnant specials and how silly it can be, The franchise was started to get pretty stale, it definitely needed a change of pace to keep things interesting.
The result was to change Lupin from a cartoony comedy to a gritty Film Noir and to have the main character
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not be Lupin but Fujiko Mine and with a great team behind this as well, it had alot going for it but did it pay off or was Lupin just grandpa anime? This answer is most certainly Yes, this thief still get some tricks up his sleeves. They took something goofy and fun and made it something far deeper than that.
Analysis of The Themes and Ideas:
Lupin The 3rd has always been a rebellious anime but it was more literal in the sense that it's about a thief stealing and making fools out of the police but here it's more metaphorical. Everything about this show is contradictory to the norms of what we think anime should be like.
It's was made in 2012 but feels like the 70s, it's a Japanese product that has a very western look and feel to it, most anime fans are use to serial shows while this is mostly episodic, Fujiko Mine herself is a different main character than you would expect to see in an anime, you just don't see many femme fatales as the lead in anime but the show isn't just different for the sake of it, it all fits into the story. You might ask why don't they modernize Lupin the 3rd and make the characters look more modern but that would be missing the point entirely, they're not characters of our time, that's just not who they are.
The whole show is about social outcasts and people's idea of how you should or shouldn't act. It's essentially a "Be yourself" kinda story but done in the least cliche way possible.
Lupin is completely care free, he steals whatever he wants, acts however he wants, whatever Lupin does you can trust him to be him and he's completely at peace with himself in that regard with no regrets. He's the embodiment of what a part of the characters aspire to be: free.
Jigen's the kinda man who probably would've been better off in 1940s New York/Chicago or in the wild west with his gun skills, taking sides of gangs not knowing who or what he should be fighting for if for anything.
Goemon in this anime is not just here because samurai are cool and every action anime set in modern day has to have a samurai like how he use to be, he's a man with a code from a long line of samurai who lives in a time where nobody appreciate his kind anymore
Fujiko herself is someone trying to be free of a past, a past forced upon her by others who want her in their image. She tries to repeal that by showering herself with treasures.
The antagonists represents the societal norms in some way. Either being part of the authority or being controlled by one. Zenigata who was originally the goofy clumsy grump from the other animes has turned into a much more hard-boiled tough guy, he's definitely different from what was done before, he's not always likable but hearing what he says later on in the series, it comes across like maybe he use to be that grump that we all know and love but somewhere along the way, because he wanted to get to the top and be respected so much that he lost his soul and honor to get there. Oscar is completely obedient to Zenigata and is closer to what you would think an anime main character to be like: He's young, androgynous, good looking guy and he's gay which is even better for female anime fans but the only downside really is that he's kinda off his bonkers. The main villains here that are the owl people are all about control, they all dress alike, talk alike and want people to dress, act, and think how they want them to, everything about them is very orderly, they are everything our main characters hate
Story: 9
Much like Cowboy Bebop, this is an episodic series with an overarching story-line and much like Cowboy Bebop, the stand alone episodes play into the themes of the overarching story-line. Almost every episode is about someone trying to control the fate of others or someone trying to break free and stand up for what they want. I also love that there's not a whole lot of action, there's action certainly but there's only action when there needs to be. It's a show that relies on good storytelling and amazing atmosphere to keep you hooked than cheap thrills. Not every episode is a homerun but the overall package is fantastic.
Like I've said the show is done in a much more Film Noir way than in as other Lupin animes (that were more like Oceans 11 meets Spy vs Spy) with lots of deep blacks, people falling in and out of love, death, corruption, and of course the classic Femme Fatale, it's all great stuff. Frank Miller wishes he could do a Film Noir about sexuality and visuals as good as this
Some have complained about alot of the nudity in this show and that is something to keep in mind when you watch this, I don't mind because that's just part of Fujiko's character. She uses sex as a weapon and really she seems to feel more alive and like her true self when she's nude than when she's in clothes which again that would play a big part of the idea of not being what other people think you should be. You might think that I'm looking for excuses to defend fanservice but consider that the writer and director of this anime are both women, I think it's safe to say that there's more to it than that especially since the director Sayo Yamamoto is the same woman who gave us Michiko To Hatchin, it's clear from that alone that she knows how to do female characters (she is a woman after all).
If there was one complaint I would have with the story (and it's a minor one) is that it does become a little hard to fellow towards the ending, there's alot of explaining going on and it can be hard to keep track of especially if you're watching it with subtitles but aside from that I have no real problems with the story and I do love the atmosphere and feel of the last 3 or so episodes, it has a very Pierrot Le Fou from Cowboy Bebop vibe to the whole thing.
Visuals and Animation: 10
The animation I will admit isn't always the best. Sometimes it looks great but there are moments where it can be pretty stiff but to me, you can forgive alot in the animation department (which isn't even that bad anyway) if you have the art to back it up and man that's where the visuals truly stand out. One thing I think makes Sayo Yamamoto stand out is that unlike other anime directors that have made western style animes, she doesn't seem to take her inspirations from much American source material where as alot of western style anime have a very American feel to them. She doesn't do that, Michiko To Hatchin had a very City of God brazialian feel to it and A Woman Called Fujiko Mine has much more European feel than American.
That's the best way I can describe to you the imagery of this show without just plain showing you because my god this is seriously one of the most beautiful looking animes I've ever seen. I've said Film Noir alot but even that doesn't quite sum up up how this show looks, you can take a snap shot of almost any scene in this anime display it in an art museum, it's just that great to look it, it's very abstract. If the music in Cowboy Bebop is considered a character in that show than that same would have to go with the art of this show. Much like the show itself, the art style feels very familiar but is very fresh at the same time.
Characters: 10
I've dived into what these characters are about but how are their personalities themselves? It's Lupin The 3rd, in other words I love these characters just like I've always have.
Lupin is as funny, clever, and is as much of a jack ass as he always is and I love him for it.
Jigen is just as bad ass as ever if not more so here and continues to be my favorite character of the entire franchise.
Goemon is done best here than I've ever seen him done before, like I said before there wasn't much to him in other entries of the franchise outside of just being a bad ass samurai, here there's alot more to him than that.
Fujiko makes a good anti hero, she's certainly not boring and thankfully she never does that "woe is me, feel sorry for me" crap. She never becomes a flat out good person but there's a tiny part of her that thinks maybe she could but it just never works out that way, I like characters like that.
This Zenigata like I said certainly an interesting take on the character, I do miss the old one because he was funny and I felt sorry for him but that Zenigata wouldn't have worked here in this gritty stylized crime anime and Oscar... Oscar's just a creep, sure there's an episode where they get into his back story but the conclusion to all that makes me pity him more than feel sorry for him.
Other than Oscar, they're classic Lupin characters with a twist. There's a reason why these characters have been around for so long and why people continue to cosplay as them to this day cause they're just so damn likeable and cool
Sound: 10
It seems to me that any anime with an western flare to it is gonna sound better in English (Anything Shinchiro Watanabe, Trigun, Baccano!, Black Lagoon, Panty and Stocking, Hellsing Ultimate) and here is no exception because while the Japanese version is good. The funimation dub is fantastic and everyone is cast perfected (Also watching it dubbed makes the ending easier to fellow). Ever since the Pioneer dub of Lupin iii Part 2 Michelle Ruff has proven to me that she is Fujiko and while I miss Tony Oliver especially when Fujiko and Lupin were talking, Sonny Strait plays a great Lupin in his own right. Christopher Sabat when he did Jigen in the past I felt sounded too forced with his tough guy voice but he had finally perfected the character, he gives a smoothness to the role while still sounding like a bad ass and Mike McFarland does a good job as Goemon, keeping his voice stoic without being a bore. Richard Epcar does a great job with giving just the right tone with making Zenigata sound tough, he really does sound like he could stand up to guys like Humphrey Bogart or Robert Mitchum (although I found it so weird that Richard has played Jigen, Goemon, and now Zenigata. How odd is that to have played have of the Lupin The Third cast now?)
The music was produced by Shinichiro Watanabe and composed by Naruyoshi Kikuchi and while not quite as memorable as Yuji Ohno's music. It certainly does sound cool and it gets the job done, makes you feel like you're watching a slick but gritty crime movie. One of my favorite pieces isn't really music, it plays during a flashback of Fujiko's child hood and it's these weird electronic sounds, it's very unsettling
Enjoyment: 10
It's been a while since I've seen not only an anime with hard boiled film noir elements but it's been a while since I've seen anything Lupin this good since Episode 0: First Contact and the 2nd Tv series of Lupin The 3rd. This was exactly what the series needed. It's quite ironic that a reboot (for lack of a better word) of such an old franchise is one of the freshest animes I've seen in a long time. Sure, I've mentioned some problems here and there but they're so minor that who cares anyway and yeah this certainly isn't going to appeal to everyone (Hell, it even took me a little while for this anime to grown on me) but that just makes it more special to me. I don't want something to appeal to everyone, you try doing that and you appeal to nobody. You gotta have you mind set and tell the story you wanna tell and that's exactly what they did here. I can't give this more than the overall rating I'm about to give it
Overall: 10
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, Lupin III, Lupin III~Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna~
Japanese: LUPIN the Third ~峰不二子という女~
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
13
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Apr 5, 2012 to Jun 28, 2012
Premiered:
Spring 2012
Broadcast:
Thursdays at 01:29 (JST)
Studios:
TMS Entertainment
Source:
Manga
Demographic:
Seinen
Duration:
22 min. per ep.
Rating:
R+ - Mild Nudity
Statistics
Ranked:
#10372
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#2712
Members:
63,525
Favorites:
497
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 27 / 27
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Your Feelings Categories Jan 30, 2015
To call Lupin The 3rd important is a severe understatement, it's influenced many anime. Pretty much any western style anime about a bunch of crazy characters going on adventures and getting into trouble owes something to Lupin The 3rd but that does that mean it's still relevant? It's still popular in Japan sure but with how many stagnant specials and how silly it can be, The franchise was started to get pretty stale, it definitely needed a change of pace to keep things interesting.
The result was to change Lupin from a cartoony comedy to a gritty Film Noir and to have the main character ... Jun 28, 2012
The Woman Called Fujiko Mine is certainly not standard Lupin III fare. Rather than the comical and over the top antics you would expect of Lupin and his group as they steal and outwit Zenigata, the humor here is more subdued and the series has a darker, more serious and mature feel to it. Fujiko finds herself the main attraction of this series as the first half to this series is prominently focused on her tackling different thefts while encountering Lupin, Goemon and Jigen individually and the second half features the four being caught up in the activity of a mysterious organization that Fujiko appears
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Nov 18, 2014
I'm going to say this from the start: Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine is, to me, an absolutely outstanding piece of art. I'll also say this: this review is gonna be unbelievably pretentious. Sorry :p.
It's probably not unfair to say that a lot of people, if not most people, watch anime primarily for straight-up, unadulterated enjoyment - fun, in other words - and this style of anime utterly floods the market. However, every so often there comes an anime or two that break the mold, and these more daring shows are absolutely crucial to reviving such a stagnant medium. I'd like to ... Jun 15, 2012
I'm conflicted over this anime. For starters, it's an excellent take on Lupin III with beautiful art and a darker storyline, and had an interesting crew consisting of a SHAFT/Gainax freelancer, a KyoAni art director, Dai Sato and Shinichi Watanabe.
On the other hand, it has a messy and pretentious story that kinda killed the "mystique appeal" of Fujiko Mine, added some unnecessary characters and is cluttered with bad writing by one of the biggest hacks in anime (And yes, i'm talking about Mari Okada). The story of this Lupin III series is all about Fujiko Mine, and how she became to be that one hot ... May 14, 2014
I've rewatched this several times to get a better perspective and open my opinion. Woow! As any Lupin franchise fan knows, the history of the characters is volatile and trying to make any one back story canon will make your head explode. That said, I think this series has possibly the best back story for the characters.
CHARACTERS: Fujiko has never been one of my favorite characters. I think Jigen and I share the same opinion of her. But her meeting with the main characters (in this series at least) is great. First there was the Lupin episode (what happens at the end of that ... Jun 30, 2012
Lupin the Third: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna, in my opinion is one of the best remake ever. The style, the characters are very well done in this versio. I haven'tseen the 70s version but I think this version is more near to the manga than the original.
The plot was really interesting, everything in this anime was perfect in my opinion. There should be more anime with this style, because they are very enjoyable. Apr 5, 2012
This is my first review so I'll try my best for you guys. This is me editing my incomplete review after I have finished this AMAZING series. So like I said before Lupin the Third was a childhood favorite and something I have always loved. The high expectations I had for this anime were completely met 10 fold. I expected nothing less from a Lupin anime series. This series is way more serious than anything I've ever seen from any Lupin series or movie. It has funny moments but it doesn't focus on comedy as much as the original series did. I enjoyed that about
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Sep 6, 2018
Let my preface this review by saying that there are facts that make me biased in the case of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. I have watched many Lupin releases including the original Miyazaki TV series, also know as "green jacket" Lupin, as well as the 155 episode Part II, variably known as "red jacket" Lupin, as well as many of the movies and specials.
I have not finished Part III, a.k.a. "pink jacket" Lupin, because the ugly art has given me trouble in caring about it, and I have completed Part IV, a.k.a. Lupin (2015) or "blue jacket" Lupin, so I am a pretty ... Sep 10, 2013
"She'll take it all and leave you wanting more," that is a quote I found on the retail box set of the this anime, and that latter half of this quote couldn't be more true.
STORY: This is the latest addition to one of Japan's longest running anime franchises, Lupin the Third. This anime attempts to show the series in a new light as something more of a dark and gritty prequel story to the franchise that apparently reveals Fujiko Mine's past. With the spotlight aimed centered on Fujiko Mine, thievery's leading lady in anime. The sexy seductress that steals everything she can finally has her ... Aug 11, 2013
Never in my life did I think they could make a serious story out of Lupin the III, and then this came along.
If you are expecting the classic Lupin the III series with the same formulaic plot, then to quote Fujiko herself, Cease what you are doing and gaze at me, save for the throwing of your heart. Right away the opening should give you the first clue you are about to enter a very adult story, one charged with sexual energy. It's very interesting to see the changes that have been made to some of the characters, so I'll get into it: The biggest change I ... Oct 2, 2014
Lupin III is a genuine classic in the world of anime and manga. Originally written and illustrated by Monkey Punch in 1967-1969, it was later adapted into an anime in 1971. It would be the first of several anime and movies that follow the adventures of Lupin III, and would lead to the franchise being one of the most recognizable titles in anime. So what's the series about? It follows the antics of master thief, Arsene Lupin III, as he travels around the world stealing the most valuable and challenging treasures the world has to offer. He's assisted by his allies, Jigen and Goemon, hunted
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Apr 26, 2020
A woman called Fujiko is probably my favourite series within the Lupin the third sides. This story is really well articulated and definitely gives us some insight to the characters in the past. Before the Lupin gang was formed completely.
I have heard about people complaining about how Fujiko is a character that is despised as she always betrays Lupin and is known for having sex with a lot of people. Honestly, she didn’t really grow on me at first either. But this series definitely changed my view on Fujiko and it might have just been me. I think Fujiko is purposely made to fool ... Mar 1, 2018
One of the most mature and violent additions to the Lupin series, taking cues from the early anime and, from what I can tell, the source manga in general. Its style is impeccable, its music fantastic, and its writing as compelling and passionate as the woman thief herself.
This Lupin story functions as a alternate universe prequel, taking many mature and “adult” concepts and vignettes to explore the different headspaces of the Lupin cast. While it does clearly have a focus on Fujiko, it also delves into all of the other character’s motivations and backstories, twisting how they met and why. Considering that every character has ... Jun 16, 2016
I was having very interest of Lupin 3rd franchise and the first series that i see are this and then i don't have more interest Lupin 3rd franchise.
starting overview : ART&SOUND: IS AMAZING STYLE you don't need me to see AMAZING ART the music is classic music that is really cool for the series STORY : The narrative is a mystery of the woman called Fujiko Mine .......also the Lupin and there other characters....... THE MYSTERY IS NON SENSE IF FIRST PART I can divide the series in two parts Part 1 ( first 5 episodes) : On this first part of the ... Nov 15, 2012
Anime: Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine
Title: It's Lupin, what can I say? About the Anime: Fujiko Mine: a woman so beguiling that the greatest thief on earth, Lupin III, has vowed to claim her as his most prized quarry. And while men lust after her, she only has eyes for one thing – all the beautiful treasures in the world that she can possibly steal. From the haunted opera houses of Japan to the boobie-trapped pyramids of Egypt, Fujiko uses both violence and sex to manipulate those who stand in her way. But with the tireless Lupin intervening in every situation to 'take' her, ... Jan 15, 2020
The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, while it did go out of it's way to make Fujiko so much more than a femme fatale or eye candy, also loses what makes Lupin III such a great series.
Now first of all, I want to say that the art direction for this series is amazing. While other darker Lupin fare like Goemon's Blood Spray had artwork that looked downright uncanny at times, A Woman Called Fujiko Mine is consistent in looking amazing. The animation is fluid and the stylization and shading is really cool. It looks close to the original manga in some ways. Ditto with the soundtrack. ... Apr 25, 2018
Lupin III : Woman Named Fujiko Mine Mini Review/Thoughts Now that I finished it
It's freaking fun guys.This installment is my gateway to the franchise, and it's a pretty good gateway if you don't want to check out the older ones. It had Fujiko meeting the other characters from scratch for the first five episodes and it was a proper reboot. This installment had a unique art style too. The series is kind of similar to Masaaki's. Each of the episodes are really fun, adventurous and sexy. Fujiko is one of the hottest anime characters I've seen and the music is dope too. Going to start ... Oct 4, 2017
Story: 2/10
Honestly some of the worst writing I've seen for any Lupin series. The characters were good before this series so I don't understand where all these unnecessary changes came from. These changes to characters ultimately affected what little story the series had and made it unenjoyable for me. Specifically I'm referring to every single episode (every single one) hinging on the idea that everybody and their cousin want to fuck Fujiko and all it does is make her character seem stupid and all the other once lovable characters extremely sleazy Art: 2/10 The character design was honestly gross to look at. Fujiko's body (which we see QUITE ... Mar 3, 2017
This is one of the worst animes I've ever sat through in my life.
Starting off with the good: The art, animation, and sound are all top quality. It's made of stuff that can hold, so I see it aging well in those areas. The action scenes are very in one's face, and for it to be so dark themed it's vibrant and colorful! The characters are serious, but very energetic and goal oriented. No one is really depressed for this theme, but it handles serious issue. The story, plot, and characters are the terrible part. They do a retelling of how the crew met and ... May 17, 2014
First of all, it really will help if you got previous Lupin experience before watching the show, as it is more fun for the long-time series fans with passion and desire for more of the Lupin franchise.
The story is set prior to the gang getting to know each other, but you will get your usual share of thrilling robbery adventures starting the great Lupin the 3rd. Jigen and Goemon arrive to the picture as they complement each other to get the job done as always. surprisingly, Fujiko, the only female in the gang, takes center stage in this series, which is not a bad thing ... |