Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Lupin the 3rd Part 6: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Lupin the Third: Part 6 is an exciting action-adventure saga for fans of the worldwide hit anime series. The sixth part of the fan- favorite Lupin franchise is produced by Kōji Nozaki (Lupin III: Goodbye Partner, Lupin III: Prison of the Past) and Masaki Shiode (Run with the Wind, Wonder Egg Priority). Based on the original manga series created by Monkey Punch, Lupin the Third: Part 6 finds new ways to explore the beloved character. Produced by TMS Entertainment (Yowamushi Pedal, Detective Conan), Lupin the Third: Part 6 was broadcast in Japan on the Nippon Television Network. Another exciting anime for aficionados of Lupin the Third.

What is a master thief to do? Lupin the Third (Kanichi Kurita) is once again joined by his collaborators: the super-sultry and sexy Fujiko Mine ((Miyuki Sawashiro), gun-master Jigen (Akio Ohtsuka), and master sword master Goemon (Daisuke Namikawa). The band of merry misfits always face off against the bumbling Inspector Zenigata (Kōichi Yamadera) – who can never quite seem to catch Lupin and stop him from his master thieving! Yet this time around, Lupin faces an even bigger challenge – he is now up against the incredible detective extraordinaire of Sherlock Holmes (Masato Obara)!

As the stakes are even bigger, Lupin faces off against the world’s greatest detective in a new cat and mouse game he never expected to go on. Meanwhile, accusations fly and some believe Lupin to be responsible for the death of Sherlock Holmes famed collaborator, Watson! Can Lupin clear his name and remain the super-fun thief the world knows and loves? Lupin goes up against the dream detective – and the British government!

The Lupin franchise continues to be so special, in part, because of the essential cast of characters at the foundation of the franchise. The Lupin series is something that is far more special and meaningful as a result of the fantastic ensemble characters carrying the series sense of adventure and charm forward. Everything starts with the beloved protagonist, Lupin. Lupin is a suave and cool character with a lot of love for his craft and he is always energetic about each mission he goes on. The character is so fun and easy to enjoy that the series is all the more entertaining as a result.

While Lupin is an incredible character all on his own, the supporting cast of characters certainly rounds things out. Fujiko is an essential component of the production and her sexy and sultry ways keep things interesting – she certainly is a match for the wits of Lupin the Third and she is always keeping an eye on her own interests. Lupin is a much more interesting and engaging franchise with Fujiko.

Jigen remains tough-as-nails in the sixth installment in the epic anime and there is an undeniable charisma to his character that sets him apart from the other characters in a uniquely compelling way. Likewise, Goemon is a fun character who is passionate about his swordplay – even if Goemon remains one of the most elusive characters as he is soft-spoken and lives a life more on the fringe in some respects than any of his collaborators. The balance of personalities works well for the anime.

The production benefits from superb character designs by Hirotaka Marufuji (Aquarion Evol, Nobunaga The Fool). The design elements are one of the most fantastic elements of the production. Even though the designs have modest updates in some respects, the designs are true to the original works and the characters stay true to themselves. The essential design work is something that keeps the production energetic and thrilling. There is a lot to appreciate about the top-notch design elements as at play with these characters. Lupin is always so distinct in his appearance – with the sleek jacket making a signature impression on the series. Though Lupin has inspired a lot of imitators, the master thief is at the top of his game and remains of vital importance – and the design reflects how essential Lupin is to the entire success of the anime.

With impressive animation direction and a distinctive art style, Lupin the Third: Part 6 is brilliant showcase for the talents of the animators. The team of animators involved in the production do deliver a wonderful sense of creativity and energy to the series. The animation showcases the dynamic energy of Lupin and his collaborators – with a detailed art style that makes the production look all the more polished.

The cinematography by Akemi Sasaki (Kamisama Kiss, Ninja Girl & Samurai Master) is another successful component. The sleek and vibrant animation is well lit by the cinematographer. The visuals play a huge role in the production. Without the expert cinematography of Sasaki, the production might have been sub-par. Instead, the results are impressive and the series looks right at home alongside other Lupin installments. The results are certainly effective and play a nice role in the outing.

The original score composed by Yuji Ohno (Lupin III: Part II, Lupin the Third: Part 5) is thrilling and a total blast of jazz-infused energy. The Lupin franchise is one that is hard to separate from the music – as it is essential to the tone and success of the production. Ohno has been at the heart of the series music for quite some time and the composer continues to deliver a fantastic sense of jazzy themes with suave elements to keep the production entertaining. It is hard to even imagine the Lupin franchise without Ohno. Ohno is one of the most essential members of the production team and the series just wouldn’t be the same without him.

Written by Takahiro Ōkura (Case Closed, Detective Conan: The Crimson Love Letter) and Shigeru Murakoshi (I'm Quitting Heroing, Zombie Land Saga), Lupin the Third: Part 6 might not be on par when compared to some of the other Lupin installments but it still remains an entertaining and exciting mix of action-packed adventure and comedic mayhem. Though Lupin the Third: Part 6 was met with mixed reactions from serious die-hards, the production still has plenty of the iconic and classic Lupin style. There are still plenty of essential elements to the story – and the characters are cool, as always, so certainly the production succeeds in those regards. While it might not match the original series outing, the new outing has plenty of fun for audiences as well.

Directed by Eiji Suganuma (Sasameki Koto, Ninja Cadets), Lupin the Third: Part 6 finds a nice balance of action-adventure and comedy. The production stays in line with the essential merits of the Lupin anime franchise and delivers what fans want most of all – a fun time with the cast of characters who have been essential to the success of the franchise for decades. Suganuma does a solid job in the directors’ chair and the series has a nice sense of energy that keeps things creative. Lupin the Third: Part 6 certainly offers audiences more fun with the sleuth and fans will want to check out these installments for the exciting trademark style of the franchise.

Lupin the 3rd Part 6: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, Lupin the Third: Part 6 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The presentation certainly is impressive and there are a lot of wonderful things to appreciate about the top-notch encoding. The encode is superior, of course, to sub-par and inferior streaming options on Crunchyroll and other services. By comparison, those streams use significantly lower bit-rates and the quality of the presentation suffers significantly.

The Blu-ray presentation is a much better offering with great clarity and detail. The high definition encoding looks a lot more invigorating and complex with quality encode merits. The series action scenes are impressive and look a lot better than any of the macroblocking messes you see on inferior streaming services. The Blu-ray release offers a big improvement and fans will be pleased with the presentation.

Lupin the 3rd Part 6: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The lossless audio sound options are impressive. Dialogue sounds remarkably clear and crisp during the presentation. The score is also reproduced beautifully and is well integrated in to the sound mix. The sound stage sounds open and inviting with nice clarity.

The lossless audio encoding on the release is a wonderful component of the release and offers a much improved presentation over inferior streaming versions, which are often capped out at sub-par audio bit-rates hovering around 320kbps. The result? A presentation that is impressive for audiophiles who care more about the presentation quality than what you can get with the junk food garbage of streaming services.

Lupin the 3rd Part 6: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

If there is one area in which the release is disappointing, it is the selection of bonus features. The release only has a small selection of extras and it could have certainly benefited from a more extensive extras package. The release doesn't include any audio commentaries, behind the scenes documentaries, or additional featurettes exploring the series development. Perhaps a series outline featurette comparing the sixth installment to previous installments would have been nice to refresh some viewers or to help newcomers feel more at-home with the installment. Unfortunately, the release is nothing more than slim-offerings as listed below:

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:22)

Clean Closing Animation (HD, 1:27)

Japanese Promos (HD, 3:15)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Sentai Filmworks: No Game, No Life (HD, 1:32), Carole & Tuesday (HD, 1:34), Teasing Master Takagi-san (HD, 1:32), and Waiting in the Summer (HD, 1:33).

Lupin the 3rd Part 6: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lupin the Third: Part 6 is an exciting and entertaining action-adventure spectacle with plenty of fun components to keep fans of the beloved franchise happy. The series has a great cast of characters, bringing together the whole gang for another adventure is a wonderful thing: Lupin the Third, Fujiko Mine, Jigen, and Goemon are back in action. The new saga introduces Sherlock Holmes to the mix and this is something that adds a new element of intrigue to the installment. The production continues to feature exceptional animation and production merits.

The Blu-ray release from Sentai Filmworks offers a wonderful video and audio presentation. The release includes a small selection of bonus features. If there is one area in which the release could have been improved, it would have been the supplemental package, which leaves one wanting more. Even so, franchise devotees will be pleased with the presentation quality. Recommended.