Lupin III: Part 5 (2018) User Reviews

Lupin the Third: Part Five

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 26 September 2018]

On the off chance that you haven't seen any previous Lupin III films/series... this series is centred on 'The World's Greatest Thief', the gentleman thief Arsene Lupin III. Lupin works with colleagues Daisuke Jigen, a master swordsman and crack shot Goemon Ishikawa XIII. He also occasionally works with the beautiful Fujiko Mine, his former lover who is now a rival. Always after them is Inspector Kouichi Zenigata of the ICPO. Over the course of the series Lupin and his associates get caught up in a number of escapades; some lasting several episodes others that last just one.

Before watching this my experience with Lupin III was restricted to 'The Castle of Cagliostro' and one other film. That didn't matter though. The various stories were a lot of fun to watch; providing both excitement and laughs. The animation was of a high quality; thankfully the character designs remain faithful to the classic look without 'modernising' them to make them look more like characters in new series. This doesn't make the series seem dated; in fact two of the main stories revolve around the difficulties of staying anonymous in a social media age if everybody is looking for you. Overall I'd definitely recommend this series whether you've seen Lupin III before or not.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

A fun commemoration of Lupin's legend.

[q_leo_rahman · 7/10 · 25 November 2019]

Anime's most popular robber, Arsene Lupin III, continues his escapades with this new show. And while he reaches fifty years, changing times have not changed his enthusiasm for impossible thefts. With that said, the world has evolved and become tougher for him.

This adaptation puts Lupin against the current world, specifically the aspect of information technology that has become so much of current culture: cellphones, social services, digital money, hacking and surveillance. It's a long way from Lupin's origins in the late 1960s, when all he seriously needed was his wit. The challenge is whether he can still hold up, after all these years. To his credit, Lupin realizes he needs a tech-savvy ally and brings in Ami Enan, a hacker who wants to experience the world.

The story isn't a simple tale of the old guard dealing with tech, as Lupin has dealt with computers before. It goes beyond that: the series' main villain: Enzo, is a perfectionist IT surveillance officer who seeks to prove his system is perfect by targeting and bringing down the world's best thief. It's a battle to preserve Lupin's reputation and legend (marked by the show having one-episode adventures of Lupin from different eras). There's no fear, though: at fifty years, Lupin proves himself as still unstoppable and entertaining an outlaw, and so do his close friends. They do need a bit of time to reflect on their long history (a few episodes touch on this), but on the whole they're still ready for thrills and excitement.

It's worth noting that the show has a few boring moments, and perhaps more seriously there are some colorful characters who debut on this show who deserve more time than what they got. Particular attention is for Albert D'Andresy, Lupin's rival who's set his eyes on stealing nations through political strategies. Albert, who debuts in this show, is a fascinating character who deserved more time to explore his history with Lupin and his grand schemes. But what little we saw of Albert was good enough to guarantee him a possible appearance in the future.

This show stands out as a commemoration of Lupin's legend, a bit faulty in some places but otherwise a fun ride for both fans and non-fans.

Go watch it - Available on Amazon Prime (Free)

[rameshankar · 8/10 · 10 April 2020]

There are a number of Lupin titles available on Amazon Prime - including this one.

It's not well known, so I thought I would put it out there (the others are older titles where the animation is not HD). The animation is top notch on this one.

In this series, Lupin meets and teams up with Ami - a girl who is a tech wiz, though she is pretty young. She is much more conversant with the internet, hacking, searching for information, tapping into cameras etc. whereas Lupin is an old school cat burlgar.

Episodes can be watched independently, but it does help if you follow them in order. The animation is well done and the stories are fresh.

There is no common theme other than the fact that Goemon, Jigen, Fujiko and Ami help Lupin at various times.

I binged though the series and re-watched a few episodes in a leisurely manner - it gave me a buzz and stayed with me long after the series was over.

Not suitable for young kids because the title sequence shows Fujiko scantily clad. The episodes themselves do not show much nudity/sex. Moderate violence but not excessive.

He is Always on Your Mind!

[BoringBoi0385 · 10/10 · 18 August 2018]

Lupin III: Part V is a prime example of an anime "masterpiece". Words cannot even begin to describe how well-crafted this iteration of Lupin III is. Now in France, Lupin III looks to the internet to perform his next heist. After releasing Ami, a girl who is adept at hacking, he steals bit-currency from other hackers. Now targeted by them, Lupin III must evade them, police, politicians, terrorists, and social media itself. Whereas Lupin III: Part IV dabbled in the idea of having an overarching plot, Part V looks to embrace this. The series has four core stories with only a few self-contained episodes, usually referencing previous seasons or providing a backstory for our characters. Even more so, the characters see significant development throughout the series, notably Lupin III, Fujiko Mine, and newcomer Ami. It creates a refreshing take on these beloved characters that we have yet to see. As for animation, every scene is intricately crafted. Action scenes flow flawlessly while slower scenes look like a moving portrait. The soundtrack is fantastic, as expected of the Lupin III series. This time around, the series takes on a France flair to it's established jazz soundtrack. It is absolutely a delight to listen to. All in all, Lupin III: Part V is the culmination that is 50 years of gentlemen thief adventures. Even if you haven't seen any previous season, Part V is great regardless.

The perfect Lupin III.

[pfsombrero · 9/10 · 16 September 2023]

Fifth television series starring our Lupin III.

This series was created to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the character. It takes place shortly after the events of the fourth series and is set mainly in France.

The series follows the drawing style of the previous one, Lupin shows off his blue jacket again and initially everything may seem very similar to the fourth series, but a few episodes are enough to understand that we are faced with something different.

The series follows a main plot divided into three parts, consisting of various episodes. All completed by filler episodes that reference the old Lupin series, his jackets and enemies from the past.

The series is extremely compelling, the characters are presented at their best. Lupin is definitely more similar to the original, a gentleman when needed and ruthless with his enemies. There is no shortage of violence and that's okay. The series is adult, sincere and direct. The characters act as expected and the comedy side is put aside. A total evolution from the previous series.

The episodes are intriguing and full of action and emotion, they keep you glued to the television and you could finish the series in just one day.

Being a series that celebrates fifty years of Lupin, there is no shortage of references to previous series and films, which make the most die-hard fans jump for joy and cry for happiness.

In fact, in addition to the three parts into which the main plot is divided, there are several self-contained episodes that pay homage to the previous series, showing Lupin with the green, red and pink jacket. The antagonists of the past and the style of the previous series.

To conclude, I personally rate this series as the best Lupin series made so far.

Beautiful, powerful, compelling, complete... capable of exciting, making people laugh and cry.

Lupin returns to being the character he should be and the adventures he faces are worthy of him.

If you are a big fan, then you will find it even more spectacular.

If I have to find a flaw in it, I'd say it's the filler episodes. They are appreciated by long-time fans and taken individually they are enjoyable, but I would have preferred to see these quotes inserted appropriately into the main plot. The idea is nice, but the episodes seem to be put there without a purpose, other than to lengthen the series.

But despite this it is absolutely valid and well made.

Worthy of Lupin III's fiftieth anniversary.

Good vision.