Lupin the 3rd: The Live-Action Movie Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

Lupin the 3rd: The Live-Action Movie Blu-ray Movie Review

Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie is a must-see action-adventure for fans of the long running anime franchise. Distributed by TOHO (Godzilla, Kimagure Orange Road), Lupin the Third is one of the most popular anime series of all time and it at last receives a live action adaptation. Created by Monkey Punch, Lupin the Third – The Live- Action Movie features animation production by Telecom Animation (Blue Thermal, Lupin III: Part II).

Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie features theme song compositions by Tomoyasu Hotei. Based on the original concept by Maurice Leblanc, Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie comes from a story by Joseph O'Bryan, Mataichiro Yamamoto, and Ryuhei Kitamura. Executive produced by Hiroyuki Ikeda (A Letter to Momo, Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Beginning) and Kazuya Hamana (Fullmetal Alchemist, A Letter to Momo), Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie is distributed by Discotek Media in North America. Produced by Mataichiro Yamamoto (Azumi, Lady Oscar), Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie stars Shun Oguri, Gō Ayano, Meisa Kuroki, Tadanobu Asano, and Tetsuji Tamayama.

Lupin III (Shun Oguri) finds himself on a new and daring mission to retrieve the stolen Crimson Heart of Cleopatra. The valuable necklace was stolen and Lupin aims to steal it back. One of Lupin’s most trusted mentors was killed and the valuables stolen. Lupin now aims to crack open a vault with his merry band of heroes.

An adventure of thieves working together on a new mission – one of the biggest heists to date. Lupin is joined by Goemon Ishikawa (Gō Ayano), Daisuke Jigen (Tetsuji Tamayama), and Fujiko Mine (Meisa Kuroki). Meanwhile, Inspector Zenigata (Tadanobu Asano) remains hot in pursuit of Lupin III.

The characters are at the heart of the production. Lupin the Third has always had a fantastic ensemble cast from the get-go. The expansive cast of characters add so much to the production. The ensemble remains invigorating and just as compelling as always. The transition from anime to live-action was surprisingly seamless. The cast of actors for the live action adaptation did terrific work with their respective roles. The actors portray the characters quite well overall.

The character designs by Hisao Yokobori (Lupin the Third: Part 5, Lupin III: Part IV) are true to the anime series. The designs manage to feel iconic and memorable – providing a valuable sense of authenticity. Yokobori did a great job with the character designs and making them showcase the cast.

Alongside highlighting these impressive character designs, the costuming efforts are top-notch on many levels. There is an energetic and vibrant aesthetic for the costumes and each character from the anime feels as though brought to the forefront in a new style. The designs feel true to the manga and anime versions, too.

The cinematography by Pedro J. Márquez is impressively done throughout and the visual splendor of the film is well worth appreciating. Márquez is a gifted cinematographer and someone with a keen sense of vision for live-action version. The bright and crisp visuals do a fantastic job of staying true to the anime while creating a new vision for the live-action version simultaneously.

Featuring a score composed by Aldo Shllaku and Tomoyasu Hotei (ClassicaLoid, Red Shadow: Akakage), Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie is a solid score. The music plays a nice role in the production. The score might not reach the epic heights of the scores for the anime series and anime theatrical productions (with different composers) but the music still manages to make a decent difference.

Written by Rikiya Mizushima (Crows Explode, Crows Zero II: Suzuran × Housen), Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie is well-penned. The screenplay is entertaining and there is a lot to appreciate in regards to the action-packed storytelling. The writing offers epic character moments for the entire ensemble. A fantastic effort all around. The script provides some sly whimsy and the dialogue feels well done – highlighting the cast of characters.

Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura (Alive, Azumi), Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie is a must-see action epic for fans of the anime series. Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie features epic action direction from Gil Young Yang and Jae Won Shim. Stunts are by Surawan Satchukorn. Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie is well-rounded as an actioner and it exceeds expectations to provide a strong thrill ride audiences will appreciate going on.

Lupin the 3rd: The Live-Action Movie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek Media, Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.40:1 widescreen. The presentation is crisp and colorful on the release. The high-definition robust and well-done.

The great clarity to the presentation adds a lot of wonderment to the release. The action scenes are certainly well highlighted and the ultra-sharp detail makes the transfer all the more engaging. The cinematography is stunning on the release and colors pop with ease.

The physical media format can provide some advantages over streaming services, too. Streaming video quality can sometimes fluctuate more due to a myriad of variables – from internet connection speeds, data plans, plan tiers, weather issues, and data caps – just some of the variables that aren't always on the physical format. The physical format provides something tangible and dependable that can both be held in hand and played back as needed with a consistent playback quality.

Lupin the 3rd: The Live-Action Movie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound. The lossless track for the original Japanese language version sounds remarkably crisp and detailed on the release. The soundtrack is impressively reproduced. The score sounds fantastic during the presentation. The impressive sound effects are well utilized and integrated into the surrounds, too. A fantastic presentation. The release capably preserves the sound mixing by Yoshifumi Kureishi.

One of the coolest things about physical media and the Blu-ray disc format is the lossless audio encoding. For home theater enthusiasts and audiophiles alike, the lossless audio provides an impressively realized soundstage. The audio is crisper and clearer with more immersive audio sound- staging. Streaming video services only provide lossy (non-lossless) audio encoding. For theater quality sound (with bit-perfect audio playback) lossless provides a notable advantage.

Lupin the 3rd: The Live-Action Movie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The first print run of the release includes a nice o-card slipcover. The slipcover artwork is fantastic. The artwork underneath the slipcover remains the same. The high gloss slipcover looks wonderful and is a nice collectable in and of itself. Slipcover fans and collectors will appreciate the nice collectability. The release showcases the nice efforts of distributor Discotek Media in creating a great package for fans.

On disc supplements include:

Theatrical Teaser (HD, 00:33)

Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:33)

TV Commercials (HD, 1:12)

Anti-Piracy Warning (HD, 00:48)

Gallery includes 39 click-through stills.

Liner Notes includes 5 pages of click-through notes.

Lupin the 3rd: The Live-Action Movie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Lupin the Third – The Live-Action Movie is an entertaining and engaging adaptation of the beloved manga, anime, and film franchise. The live-action version is surprisingly impressive and has great fun showcasing the world of the characters. The production canvas is enormous and there is so much to appreciate about the filmmaking. The production has an enormous sense of scope and scale. It makes the live action version all the more invigorating.

Fans of the anime version will be pleased with how well done the live-action version is. The live action version manages to feel distinct while being true to the original. The Blu-ray release provides an excellent high-definition presentation, lossless high-resolution audio, and an assortment of bonus features. The first print run of the release also includes a nice o-card slipcover. The slipcover adds to the value of the release as a nice collectable edition. The release looks incredible in hand and will look outstanding on the shelf, too. Highly recommended.