The Lupin the Third train just doesn’t slow down, does it? I haven’t even had a chance to check out the new TV special Goodbye Partner yet, and yet this weekend already saw another very exciting announcement. The third chapter in Koike Takeshi’s ‘hard and dangerous’ film trilogy was announced for a May release, and this time Fujiko will be the star. Check out the PV below:
Titled Lupin the IIIrd: Fujiko Mine’s Lie, the film will see Fujiko ‘chased into a corner’ – presumably by a lie. The small bits of dialogue we get in the trailer don’t offer much more in the way of story, which is understandable if the film wants to hold it’s card close to it’s chest.
Even so, arguably more important than the story is the staff. Koike’s films thus far, Daisuke Jigen’s Gravestone and The Blood Spray of Ishikawa Goemon, have all been nothing short of stylistic masterpieces as Koike applies his trademark Redline artstyle to the beloved cast of characters. Joining Koike in this third endeavor will be the majority of his team from Blood Spray – writer Takahashi Yuuya and composer Shimoji James. As usual, Koike will be taking on the role of character designer and animation director himself.
A new theatrical project was already teased at the end of Goodbye Partner, but I didn’t expect something to be announced with such short notice. The new film is set to release in just over two months on May 31, 2019. I can only assume that Koike has been working on this project ever since Blood Spray released back in February 2017. Otherwise, I fear that this third entry may suffer from a rushed production schedule.
Furthermore, the fact that Koike has covered all three of the main supporting characters of the Lupin series calls into question his future involvement with the series. I’d personally love to see a Zenigata film, especially since 2012’s The Woman Called Fujiko Mine focused a little bit more on him before Lupin became his obsession. It’d certainly be a shame if Koike’s immense talent was lost to the series as well – you could argue that Koike’s art direction, along with Sayo Yamamoto’s excellent directorial work was instrumental in evolving the series for the modern day.
In the meantime, keep an eye on the film’s official website and Twitter account for more information.