Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini Blu-ray Movie Review

More action-adventure in the Lupin anime franchise.

Lupin the Third: The Secret of the Twilight Gemini is the eighth television special in the long-running anime franchise. The made- for-television feature-film made its debut in Japan in the August of 1996. Based on the manga by Monkey Punch, Lupin remains an essential action-adventure anime series that pushes the envelope time and time again. Produced by Toshio Nakatani (Claymore), Yasumichi Ozaki (Cat's Eye), and Kazumitsu Ozawa (The Boy Who Saw the Wind), Lupin the Third: The Secret of the Twilight Gemini is not the best of the film series, but it is another entertaining entry in the franchise that fans won't want to miss.

Lupin's dying mentor, Don Dolune, provides the master sleuth with a parting gift: the rare diamond, Twilight. The gem is only one piece of the puzzle. Lupin must retrieve the second half of the stone in Morocco. Making matters more complicated for Lupin, the Moroccan desert is thrust in to a period of division that makes getting the stone no easy “walk in the park.”

With the help of his long-time adventure-allies Jigen and Fujiko, Lupin will stop at nothing to retrieve the rest of the rare diamond. With Inspector Zenigata chasing after Lupin at light-speed can Lupin get the diamond piece before its too late? Can Lupin thwart the evil whip-wielding Sadachiyo along the way as well? Romance, adventure, and danger looms high in an action-packed extravaganza!

The production was released in North America in two versions: an uncut presentation which is the same as the original Japanese production version and an edited-for-television North America release which is altered for younger audiences. The original, uncut version (which is included on the disc in high-definition) features several sequences of intense violence and graphic sexual content (especially countless scenes of a fully nude Fujiko). The edited version uses CG animation to cover up these moments – leaving fewer scenes with splattered blood and of full frontal nudity and other sexual content.

As the Lupin anime franchise is often family-friendly, Lupin the Third: The Secret of the Twilight Gemini is a bit of a diversion from some of the anime productions for being a bit more graphic and extreme. However, the Monkey Punch manga is rooted in more extreme sex and violence so some viewers might consider this television film to be a more modern adaptation. Regardless, Lupin the Third fans will find this to be an interesting element of the production history and its distribution in North America.

It's a smooth ride.

The action scenes are quite intense. There are a number of engaging sequences that manage to add to the excitement. One of the best sequences involves Lupin and Lara landing in quick-sand. The great scene adds both excitement and humor to the storyline. Some of the later scenes involving the main villain, Sadachiyo, are also quite action-packed.

The animation remains fantastic in Lupin the Third: The Secret of the Twilight Gemini. The art is well detailed. The background visuals are extremely well done and the desert oasis is exceptional looking throughout. Everything is brought to life in a vivid and creative way. The art direction by Takashi Miyano (Lupin the Third: Island of Assassins, Lupin the Third: Missed by a Dollar) finds magic in the smallest details in the animation. The only drawback might be the character designs: while most of the cast of characters appears the same as always, Fujiko looks distinctly different than she does in many incarnations of the character and Zenigata appears younger than usual. These elements are surprising but doesn't take away too much from the experience.

The original music score composed by Yuji Ohno (Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro, Space Adventure Cobra) adds a sense of adventure. The score expertly highlights the action scenes. Ohno remains one of the most vital players in the anime franchise – delivering another top-notch score to give energy to the production. Every character has a theme or moment to shine in the score.

The screenplay by Gisaburô Sugii and co-screenwriters Naoya Azuma, Naoya Higashi, and Hideki Mitsui takes audiences on a fun trip (even if it isn't the best story in the Lupin franchise). The story introduces a romantic love-interest for Lupin in the form of the gorgeous brunette, Lara. Yet Lupin is drawn in to his continual off-on relationship with Fujiko, who bares all for him throughout the story (as the two love-birds find time for some action between the sheets). The three-to-tango sub-plot is a bit risque and more graphic than most Lupin productions (with a lot of full-frontal nudity showing off Fujiko).

Directed by Gisaburô Sugii (Night on the Galactic Railroad, Stormy Night), Lupin the Third: The Secret of the Twilight Gemini is entertaining action-adventure fun even if it does seem a little less polished than some of the other television specials in the franchise. The exaggerated violence and sexual content does seem a bit over-the-top for the anime series when looking at the entire run of productions. The filmmaking also seems to lack some of the magic found in other entries – even if the production still manages to be fun along the way. Lupin the Third: The Secret of the Twilight Gemini is well worth watching but it is not one of the greatest Lupin adventures. Nonetheless, fans of the Lupin the Third anime should check it out as Sugii delivers enough entertainment.

Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Discotek, Lupin the Third: The Secret of the Twilight Gemini is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The video-quality on the release is a bit inconsistent and not as crisp as some fans might be expecting (in comparison to other Lupin releases made available by Discotek). The print has a number of scenes which showcase excessive dirt, debris, and minor print damage. The film looks to have undergone a less detailed restoration process. The presentation is never as pristine as desired. Regardless, the color reproduction looks exceptional and the boost to high-definition is still worthwhile. A decent but imperfect transfer of the film that is likely a near-direct port of the presentation made available for the original Japanese Blu-ray release.

Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of audio options: English 2.0 stereo (Uncut) in uncompressed PCM and English 2.0 stereo (Edited) in lossy Dolby Digital. The highlight of the options is the original Japanese 2.0 stereo track (with English subtitles). The original language presentation features an uncompressed PCM 16 bit track. The quality of the audio is superb with good overall fidelity and clarity. Dialogue is consistently crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The music score similarly sounds robust throughout the feature-film (as do the song selections).

Subtitles are available as follows: English, English Signs & Songs, and English Dub Captions.

Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Edited English Dub (SD, 1:28:06) is an alternate presentation option for the main feature-film with less violence and graphic sexual content. However, the alternate edited cut was created with poorer quality video material and is therefore presented with the best standard- definition materials available for the release.

Vintage English Credits (SD, 6:20)

Original Digi-Paint Scenes (SD, 5:52) is a compilation showcasing scenes which were edited for the re-cut available in standard-definition. The brief compilation presents the moments which had altered CG animation to cover-up violent and sexual images.

Liner Notes presents information about the production and its place in the Lupin anime canon.

Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lupin the Third: The Secret of the Twilight Gemini is worth checking out. The anime film is fun, entertaining, and action-packed. The television-special isn't as well-done as some of the other Lupin features but there is still plenty of entertainment to be had. Fans won't want to miss a second of this franchise. The Blu-ray release from Discotek offers a decent video-audio presentation and is worth a look. Recommended.