Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

One of the best anime films of all time receives a beautiful 4K restoration.

Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro is one of the most beloved classics in anime history. A legendary gem from the great Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke), the classic Lupin adventure was the directorial debut for the auteur filmmaker. Based on the graphic novels by Monkey Punch, The Castle of Cagliostro is one of the most essential Lupin outings (and the journey taken has plenty of action-packed fun).

Lupin and his skilled comrades Jigen (Kiyoshi Kobayashi) and Goemon (Makio Inoue) go on a stirring adventure to save a princess: Lady Clarisse (Sumi Shimamoto). The princess is being held hostage by the evil Count of Caglistro (Taro Ishida). As the heroes band together to help save Lady Clarisse, the journey also takes the heroes on a quest for long lost treasures – with the super-slick heroine Fujiko (Eiko Masuyama) pursing these riches along the way. Inspector Zenigata (Goro Naya) is also on the trail of Lupin (as always). Can Lupin rescue the princess, discover the key to treasure, and save the day?

The art direction by Shichiro Kobayashi (Revolutionary Girl Utena, Venus Wars) is one of the most beautiful elements of the production. The animation featured throughout The Castle of Cagliostro is exceptional. A top-notch achievement from all of the animators involved in the production, Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro is a masterpiece of the anime medium with outstanding art on display. Everything from the character designs to gorgeous background art work makes a rousing impression. The cinematography by Hirokata Takahashi (Castle in the Sky, Space Adventure Cobra) showcases beautiful lighting that highlights the animated landscapes perfectly.

The origin of Hayao Miyazaki.

The music by Yuji Ohno (Lupin the Third: The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure, Lupin the Third: The Legend of Twilight Gemini) is every bit as iconic as the Lupin character. The score adds a sense of charm, wonder, and fun to the action- packed adventure. Ohno energizes the action scenes with a jazz-infused score. A wonderful effort by Ohno that blends traditional film scoring with surrealist jazz that soars.

The screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki and Haruya Yamazaki (Space Adventure Cobra, Space Pirate Captain Harlock) has plenty of classic one-liners. The characters are given plenty of opportunities to shine brightly. The storytelling soars with a solid foundation at every turn. The fundamentals of the plot-line are well told and the pacing is perfection.

Hayao Miyazaki remains the most beloved anime filmmaker in history. Miyazaki is a gifted genius capable of imbuing every production he is involved in with a sense of wonderment. Even as a much younger filmmaker (working in an established anime franchise), Miyazaki proved his creative genius with Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro. The artistry on display is exceptional.

The action scenes have plenty of energy while the dramatic moments show a beautiful sense of heart. Newcomers to Lupin (as well as established fans of the anime franchise) will adore every second of Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro: the best of all the Lupin theatrical films and the must-see debut of one of cinema's greatest auteur filmmakers. A masterpiece.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on 4K UHD Blu-ray from Discotek Media, Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro is presented in 2160p (in native 4K resolution). The scan comes from the same master which was used in the previously re-mastered edition available from Discotek and available in Japan. The 4K UHD presentation adds high dynamic range (HDR).

The presentation showcases beautiful colors and next-to-no print damage. The restoration effort is truly astonishing. The colors are superb and have never looked as impressive as they do on this high quality release. However, the release does have some drawbacks – most notably the fact that DNR is applied to the image. The digital noise reduction gives the film a more modern aesthetic but it takes away the beautiful film grain inherent in the original prints. The HDR grading even makes the DNR seem a bit more obvious at times. Nonetheless, a solid (if small) upgrade over previous editions featuring the 4K restoration.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a plethora of lossless audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio (Mono), Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 24 bit (Stereo), Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio (1992, Mono), English uncompressed PCM 2.0 24 bit (2000, Stereo), and English Family-Friendly in uncompressed PCM 2.0 24 bit (2000, Stereo).

Discotek have outdone themselves with such a plethora of options provided on the release. The 2000 English dub remains a favorite of mine (having grown up on the 2000 dub). The clarity is exceptional and dialogue is crisp and clear. Sound effects have ample resonance and the music score by Yuji Ohno sounds great in 24 bit high resolution.

The release includes a variety of subtitle options: traditional English subtitles, 1980 Theatrical subtitles, Subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired, and Signs/Songs.

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes with an attractive slipcover. The inner art sleeve also features reversible cover art showcasing a key animation as taken from the production of the film. The release also includes a chapter insert for feature-film.

Audio Commentary

Isolated Score in uncompressed PCM 2.0 24 bit (Stereo)

Introduction by David Hayter (HD, 00:50)

Full Film Original Storyboards (HD, 1:39:40)

Unused Original Storyboards (HD, 2:30)

Creditless Opening (HD, 1:57)

International Opening (HD, 1:56)

US Openings & Endings (HD, 14:05)

Trailers:

Japanese Trailer 1 (HD, 2:18)

Japanese Trailer 2 (HD, 2:12)

Japanese Trailer 1 (1980's Subs) (HD, 2:18)

Japanese Trailer 2 (1980's Subs) (HD, 2:12)

English Trailer (HD, 2:00)

Interviews:

Interview with David Hayter (HD, 33:18), voice of Lupin the Third in the English dub produced in 2000.

Interview with Bob Bergen (HD, 16:22), voice of Lupin the Third in the English dub produced in 1992.

Interview with Yasuo Ohtsuka (HD, 8:45), animation director for Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro.

Interview with Kazuhide Tomonaga (HD, 8:46), key animator on Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro.

Interview with Monkey Punch (HD, 5:21), original creator of Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro.

Art & Information:

Promotional Art (HD, 13:46)

Model Sheets (HD, 11:27)

Imageboards (HD, 12:38)

A Brief History of the Film (HD, 9:26)

Cagliostro's American Adventure (HD, 35:18)

Translation Notes (HD, 5:56)

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro is one of the greatest anime films of all time. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro), the action-adventure epic has plenty of fun within the Lupin universe. The storytelling is creative and the filmmaking soars. A must-see classic.

The 4K UHD 2160p presentation is the best option available on home media to date. Though the HDR does highlight some drawbacks as well (with the DNR being even more noticeable), the colors look better than ever before. A small but worthwhile upgrade over previous Blu-ray releases with the 4K restoration.

The Discotek release of Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro includes a plethora of audio options and a large assortment of supplemental features. Fans will be pleased with the quality of the release. Highly recommended.