Without further ado:
Lupin the Third - Castle of Cagliostro
The characters of Arsène Lupin III, Daisuke Jigen, Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Fujiko Mine, and Inspector Koichi Zenigata are absolutely and fundamentally perfect in their conception, they all balance one another out in terms of attitude as well as their skillsets and roles within a heist. I watched Mystery of Mamo afterwards and it was shocking that it was only released a year prior to Cagliostro. Mamo has this vague notion of who these characters are and how they function; as stated earlier this is their biggest draw in both diversity and staying power, but having archetypes is only part of the battle, these are still characters need just that: character!
Lupin retains his traditional role as his usual self, but we see a glimpse into a more Robin Hood side of his thievery with him using his abilities to help others. It's interesting how watching Lupin's plans unfold work a lot like a Sherlock Holmes in that the puzzle is solved from the moment their eyes even meet it, the fun comes from seeing their working as they undo all opposing forces with wit and grace. It is extremely gratifying to watch Lupin work and even more so to see the work be used for the role of a traditional hero rather than selfish gain.
Jigen is very much the Watson if we keep to this analogy of Holmes, for newcomers we immediately know that this behaviour is common for Lupin, but still retains this mystery to it that never fails to captivate the imagination. Jigen and Goemon are extremely endearing in their relationship to Lupin and even make Lupin more endearing also, the fact that they can keep up with his impromptu style without missing hints at this long history that I just want to see (hence why I'm binging the series.)
Fujiko isn't exactly a part of the posse but she most certainly acts as an element to the overall dynamic, she's undercover and we don't even realise it's her, but she gives up the minute Lupin shows up, choosing instead to assist him. Fujiko has so little respect in Mamo that it's disgusting, her role is shrunk down to the sex appeal and the romantic sub-plot, every scene with her showed her breasts on full display without rhyme nor reason, this film on the other; she is a vital wild card almost, Lupin allows himself into dangerous situations because he retains faith that she will be there to save him. (Fujiko is my favourite female character ever, I hope it's not too obvious.)
Then, we have Zenigata, my absolute favourite Lupin the Third character, so much so I want to write an entire piece on how amazing Inspector Zenigata as a character. To condense it for this film though: he is absolutely hilarious, his relationship with Lupin is on par with Tom and Jerry or Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, but it isn't just slapstick, he is an actual character with motivations that shift as the story progresses, going from Lupin being his primary mission to outing the count and overthrowing his superiors.
Anyway,
The story: solid, the plot fulfills its purpose but the character driven nature of it shines through via the strength of their writing and dynamics.
The art/ animation: drop dead gorgeous painterly backgrounds coupled with some of the most expressive and entertaining character art I have seen.
Basically, watch this movie, it is an amazingly fun time and a perfect introduction to some of the best characters in anime as well as manga.
