Lupin the 3rd Part III: The Pink Jacket Adventures Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Lupin the 3rd Part III: The Pink Jacket Adventures Blu-ray Movie Review

Lupin the Third: Part 3 is the action-packed third installment in the anime franchise. The fan favorite series continues to explore the high-octane adventures of the master thief. Produced by Tadahito Matsumoto (Glass Mask, Hamtaro), Lupin the Third: Part 3 was broadcast in Japan on the Bandai Channel and on Nippon Television Network.

Executive produced by Yutaka Fujioka (Lupin III: Part II, Sherlock Hound), Lupin the Third: Part 3 features production by Tokyo Movie Shinsha and YTV. The theme song was arranged and composed by Yuji Ohno. The theme music is performed by Yūsuke Nakamura (opening) and Sonia Rosa (ending) – and featuring theme lyrics by Mebae Miyahara. Based on the original work created by Monkey Punch, Lupin the Third: Part 3 is another exciting saga for the Lupin anime franchise and fans won’t want to miss out on even more exciting adventures.

Arsene Lupin III (Yasuo Yamada) sets forth on new and exciting adventures in the third part of the Lupin the Third franchise. Sometimes even the most respected thieves requite a fashion change and this is certainly the case for Lupin III during the third installment in the saga. The famed thief is now in an interesting new shade: the color pink. Lupin now dons the pink jacket and as such this batch of installments can be known as the pink adventures of Lupin.

Lupin continues to set forth on big adventures involving deadly opponents, globe-trotting fun, and mysterious encounters. Joined by allies Daisuke Jigen (Kiyoshi Kobayashi), Goemon Ishikawa (Makio Inoue), and the beautiful Fujiko Mine (Eiko Masuyama), the stage is set for bold new thrills. Will Fujiko remain on the side of Lupin or can he expect a double cross? Meanwhile, Inspector Zenigata (Gorō Naya) remains hot on his tail – trying to stop the master thief. Adventure awaits as Lupin encounters assassins, cultists, and so much more. The game becomes about much more than just diamonds.

Lupin is one of the most essential characters in anime history. The central character of the series is a compelling hero: even despite his thieving antics, Lupin has a good heart at the end of the day and manages to do more good than harm. The cast of characters are outstanding and the entire supporting cast makes the series that much more compelling to experience. Jigen and Goemon make compelling supporting characters and aids to Lupin. The series just wouldn’t be the same without the alliances between them.

Fujiko remains a bit of a wild card – sometimes helping Lupin and sometimes just looking out for her own needs. The continuous quest by Inspector Zenigata to capture Lupin is also essential to the series – even if one wonders if Zenigata truly wishes to capture Lupin (given the story and the antics that ensue). The dynamics between these characters and Lupin in extraordinary.

The character designs by Yuzo Aoki (Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo, Lupin III: The Legend of the Gold of Babylon) are compelling. Aoki creates compelling designs for the production and the results certainly enhance the series production. The characters all have distinctive appearances and style manages to radiate from the production. Perhaps the biggest design change for this season is the stylistic choice to change the jacket color for Lupin to the color pink. The results work well for the production of Part 3.

The animation is essential to the series. Under the art direction of Tsutomu Ishigaki (Cat's Eye, God Mars), Lupin the Third: Part 3 features compelling animation. The art style is perfectly in synch with previous installments of Lupin the Third while also managing to add something new to the table as well. The results are excellent. Ishigaki understands how to bring forth quality art for the production. The team of animators deliver their best.

The cinematography by Hajime Hasegawa (Lupin III: Part II, Lupin III: Crisis in Tokyo) is an impressive element of the series and its visual wonderment. Hasegawa understands the cinematic language expressed with the series. The cinematography highlights the vibrant colors and the aesthetic is a tremendous success overall – bringing a lot of style to the entire production. A bold creative vision.

The score composed by Yuji Ohno (Lupin III: Part II, Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro) is one of the most essential elements of the series. Ohno is a fantastic composer and is someone who has an enormous amount of understanding of the franchise, its roots, and genre needs. The composer has such a long history with the franchise and arguably understands what it needs more than most – a quality score composer and someone who provides the essential ingredients for the compositions.

The chief scripting is by Junichi Iioka. Lupin the Third: Part 3 involves a number of talented screenwriters and the production manages to continue the thrilling adventures of the title character. The third season provides many new obstacles along the way. Iioka has fun exploring the world of the character during part 3.

Directed by Yuzo Aoki (God Mars, Shin Tetsujin 28), Lupin the Third: Part 3 is a must-see continuation of the beloved anime series. Fans of the original will not want to miss out on more adventures with Lupin and the other characters. The journey is one of fun and excitement. Director Aoki provides plenty of exciting action for established fans.

Lupin the 3rd Part III: The Pink Jacket Adventures Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Discotek Media, Lupin the Third: Part 3 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio. The series looks stunning. Presented with a lush and native high-definition presentation, the animation is remarkable here. Encoding is exceptional and Discotek handles the action scenes well. The color reproduction is astonishing, too. A top-notch effort from Discotek.

Lupin the 3rd Part III: The Pink Jacket Adventures Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 (with English subtitles). The English subtitles provided on the release are new and improved. The subtitles are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors. The lossless audio quality is pleasing overall and capably handles the soundstage. The lossless audio is 16 bit and may have fared slightly better with 24 bit depth encoding but the audio is nonetheless impressive and enjoyable sounding. Dialogue sounds clear on the release. The score is well reproduced.

Lupin the 3rd Part III: The Pink Jacket Adventures Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release includes a nice o-card slipcover. The inner art sleeve contains reversible artwork so one can get additional art (in addition to the slipcover artwork). A nice design element by Discotek Media.

On disc extras include:

Creditless Opening and Ending (HD, 2:53)

Television Promos (HD, 2:31)

Lupin's Lost Jacket: The Story Behind Lupin the Third: Part III includes 14 click-through slides.

Art Galleries:

Key Art and Color Works includes 35 click-through slides.

Model Sheets – Characters includes 116 click-through slides.

Model Sheets – Weapons, Items, and Clothing includes 38 click-through slides.

Model Sheets – Vehicles and Locations includes 72 click-through slides.

Lupin the 3rd Part III: The Pink Jacket Adventures Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lupin the Third: Part 3 is an exciting installment in the popular anime franchise. Fans of Lupin and the supporting cast of characters will want to go on another fun journey. The Blu-ray release includes an impressive video and audio presentation alongside a nice supplemental package. The release comes highly recommended for series fans.