Welcome to our final episode review of Lupin ZERO, a spin-off series by TMS and Telecom Animation!

Lupin ZERO is an original net animation prequel spanning six episodes, and it stars a young Lupin III along with his buddy, Daisuke Jigen. The pair cross paths with many colourful characters as they go on adventures, come to terms with themselves, and attempt to decide upon their paths in life. The show also features some story elements taken from the original Lupin III manga series by Monkey Punch.

Be aware that there are SPOILERS ahead.

Please only read on if you either have seen the episodes already, or do not mind learning about important character interactions and pivotal plot points in advance.

“Episode 5—The Man Who Operates in Secret”

Look. I’m not going to judge you.

Sure, you like Lupin III. You enjoy the thrilling car chases, the mind-boggling plot twists, the back and forth between lovable thieves and the law. But, what are you really in it, for? What is it that you really enjoy about Lupin III? Do you ship a pair of characters? Maybe more than two? Are you in it for the incredibly attractive dad bods? Do you celebrate Pookie Bear Sunday?!

If you do not have a clue what I’m talking about, then that’s okay. No sweat. You will no doubt love this latest episode of Lupin ZERO, which while spends most of its runtime building up to the big finale, is still filled with action and suspense. However… if you do understand my ramblings, then boy howdy, you are in for a very good time.

The Man Who Operates in Secret is the penultimate episode of Lupin ZERO, and it certainly feels like it. The stakes are high, with the threat of a nuclear missile hitting Tokyo if the Japanese government is not to comply with rebel demands. The rebels’ weapon of choice is the M65 atomic canon, stolen from right under the American armies nose by none other than Lupin II. Taking on a contract from Gaucho, leader of the rebels, and partner of the singer Yoko from earlier in the series, the second-generation thief uses all the tricks in the book to swipe the horrifying weapon of mass destruction. He disguises as a beautiful woman, moves in the shadows, and beats impossible odds to complete his mission. Sounds familiar… somehow. Where have I seen that before?

Meanwhile, as Lupin and Jigen galavant home from a cinema screening of the latest Western film (which is being shown by a guy that looks suspiciously similar to the late, great, Yasuo Ōtsuka, I might add), the pair quickly become at odds after Lupin attempts to deliver a Christmas gift to Yoko. Unaware of her secret agent activities, Lupin attempts to force his way into the beautiful singers’ apartment after learning from one of her colleagues that she has been on the receiving end of domestic abuse. Things don’t quite go as planned, as Yoko isn’t home, but burly brute rebel leader Gaucho is, and our young thief quickly gets his ass handed to him.

There’s a very different tone to the first half of the episode, here. Lupin, who clearly cares about the fate of his new female friend, while acting irrationally, has an air of maturity about him. He is filled with anger after hearing of Yoko’s fate, and takes matters into his own hands. Like buddy Jigen mentioned in episode four—Lupin is hard to read. One day he acts like a big baby, the next, an adult. One thing is for sure here, though. Lupin is out of his depth, and Jigen tells him so. He didn’t even land a punch on Gaucho—he got absolutely railroaded. In an attempt to save his friend from further harm, by dragging him further into a life of crime, our hatted gunman parts ways, and slinks out the Lupin II residence with a classic flick of the hand.

“Catch ya’ later”.

Lupin is not one to sit on his own hands and act a good boy, though, regardless of the warnings. He trips back to the nightclub where he first encountered Yoko, and hears that she left town. He heads back into the lions’ den, her apartment, and finds both her and the formidable Gaucho, gone. Defeated, he heads back home, and contemplates his next move. Things really don’t play out like they do in the movies… or do they? Within moments, a group of nasty Yakuza, hired by the government, turn up to the manor, with Jigen in tow. Tasked by the Japanese government, the crooks-for-hire are here to raid the place, and take Lupin II capture, in an attempt to learn the whereabouts of the atomic canon. Worried about his friends’ life, a concerned Jigen busts in, high-tails it up to the upper floor, and confronts the young master on the rooftop. Meanwhile, Lupin II and Shinobu arrive better late than never, and begin cleaning up shop downstairs.

Now, we get to that scene. If you have seen the episode, you will know exactly what I’m going to talk about.

When confronted by Jigen, Lupin, constantly bossed around in life by his family and friends, discovers himself. He is no longer going to be his father’s straight and narrow kid, his Grandfathers pet project, or leave his best friend behind. Instead, Lupin vows to become Lupin III, and he is about to pull off his first heist. Held at gunpoint by Jigen, who is still working alongside the Yakuza crooks, Lupin steps closer. Face deadly serious, he reaches his hand out in front of him—and holds Jigen’s chest. His heart is racing. “Was I able to steal it?”, Lupin asks. “I’d say so”, Jigen replies, with a smile.

… HE STOLE JIGEN’S HEART. HIS FIRST HEIST IS TO STEAL HIS HEART. THEY DID IT, THOSE MAD LADS AND LASSES. THEY WENT ALL THE WAY. OH MY GOOOOO-

ahem

What I mean to say, is, that this is an incredibly sweet and amazing moment for the series, and it is one that no doubt many fans will be celebrating for a long time to come. Lupin and Jigen are best pals, brothers in arms, thick as thieves, from this moment on, and they will always be together. It’s beautifully done, so much so, I personally feel that it is scenes like this that escalate ZERO above so many other works in the franchise. It is cheesy and cute, but an absolute masterclass in understanding its audience, and what much of its audience wishes to see.

Of course, it can also be seen as romantic. While not explicit, there is an angle here that helps prove fan theories regarding Jigen and Lupin's sexualities. The way Jigen's heartbeat begins to race as Lupin steps in real close. Lupin's innocent smile as he slyly looks away to the side when holding his hand on Jigen's chest. Even if you choose not to believe there's a romance forming here, the scene is still undeniably gay. I personally think that it is fantastic to finally see this represented in the show, and feel that the writers are incredibly brave for taking this step with two already well established and beloved characters.

Moving on—the episode ends with Lupin sending a notice to the rebel alliance. While Gaucho admitted he was beating Yoko earlier in the episode, it turns out the abuse was instead coming from the corrupt U.S. army general, that both she and Gaucho stole the plans for the weapon from. The pair is all-set with their ransom and rebel group, and plan to follow things through, no matter the cost. However, Lupin and Jigen have both infiltrated the ship, much to the pair's surprise, and announce that they are to steal Yoko back from the rebels clutches. The notice, which becomes a staple tool for our thief later in life, is signed Lupin III.

What an episode. While it does feel a tad slow at times, mostly due to its focus on building up the stakes ready for next week, there is so much to love here. We are treated to plenty of action, with both Lupin II and Shinobu kicking ass. We get the best of both worlds between Lupin and Jigen - with the pair bickering while at odds, and making up in perhaps the best way possible. And then we have Lupin II. Every time he opened his mouth, and Toshio Furukawa’s incredible, distinct voice talent came out, I had a huge grin on my face.

Plot of the Fuma Clan (also known as The Fuma Conspiracy), is my favourite Lupin work. Despite its flaws, I just love everything about this film. This is the main thing that got me into the series, way back in 2009. The car chase, the animation, the characterization of the main cast—it is my ideal when it comes to Lupin III. Hearing Furukawa return here to play Lupin’s father is an absolute treat. He still sounds great, and so many of the same mannerisms of Fuma Lupin are back. I cannot wait to hear more of him in episode six, as regardless of his appearance, he still took a bit of a backseat here. I am sure there is more to come.

Furthermore, I have to give a shout-out to Tasuku Hatanaka and Shunsuke Takeuchi, too. Hatanaka in particular has embraced the role as Lupin far beyond what I had initially expected, making so many of the same little noises and ticks that Yasuo Yamada added to the character back in the day. Takeuchi has taken the late Kiyoshi Kobayashi’s performance as Jigen seriously, and fits right in. The pair really shine, and I hope they get to continue working on the franchise beyond the final episode of ZERO.

For now, as ZERO reaches its conclusion, it does not feel as if it is running out of steam. Character arcs are looping back around to earlier episodes in surprising and adorable ways, and the stage is now set for the big finale. I’m hesitant to think it can reach the heights of Lupin understanding who he is, who he will become, and who he wishes to spend the rest of his life with, but I have full confidence it will still impress.

… HE STOLE HIS HEART. IT’S LIKE CAGLIOSTRO BUT EVEN BETTER. I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY DID IT. AHHHH-

9/10

Episode five of Lupin ZERO proves that the writers and staff behind it are prepared to go the whole way, and not pull back on anything. Despite its slightly slower pacing and focus on a build-up to the finale, it is filled with amazing performances, action moments, and scenes that fans will be speaking of for years to come.

“Episode 6—Young Lupin claims the Title of the Third”

I love every single character in Lupin ZERO.

The deranged Lupin family, the kick-ass maid Shinobu, the gorgeous singer Yoko, the loyal, weirdo, kid Albert with his puffy hear. Across all six episodes, I don’t think there has been a single one that I have disliked. It has been a hoot getting to know them—and this final episode not only wraps up the story both efficiently and satisfyingly, it also acts as a superb send-off for each of them.

The episode kicks-off six hours earlier to the final scene in episode five, with Lupin, Jigen, and Shinobu, all discussing the reasoning behind the Yakuza attack on the manor. The conversation leads to Lupin attempting to work out the whereabouts of Gaucho and Yoko, and quickly sussing out that Shinobu is no-where to be found, and instead, the lady in the room with them is in-fact his father. His wacky pops was in disguise the whole time, in an attempt to trick his son into heading in the opposite direction of the revolutionaries, by feeding him false information. Lupin III, however, is not easy to deceive. In a move that absolutely no parent should ever do, he pulls a gun on his son. Thankfully, Jigen has our heroes back, and the stand-off leaves Lupin II with no choice. “Daddio” decides to set his son a challenge—if he can steal his weapon from his possession, then he will reveal the whereabouts of the atomic canon, thus allowing his son to enter the fray. This leads to—what I can only describe as—big Lupin porn.

Well, no. Maybe it’s not quite what you’re thinking. Why would you even think that?! Ew.

Instead, our young thief chases his father around the manor, with the pair leaping through tricks and traps, attempting to one-up each other at every turn. This sequence is a crazy amount of fun, and I cannot imagine any fan of the show not getting a huge kick out of seeing the young thief (ultimately) out-smart his own pops. Toshio Furukawa, once again, knocks it out of the park, and hearing him jump around as Lupin II, saying things like “alley oop” and “whoa nelly”, gave me big Fuma Conspiracy flashbacks.

The competition is fierce, but once Lupin III does snag the weapon, it’s revealed to be the trusty Walther-P38 we know he learns to love, and always keep by his side. Gun in hand, and with his father’s blessing, Lupin and Jigen head to the harbour, to infiltrate the boat and confront the leader of the revolution, Gaucho the Wolf Hunter.

Six hours later, on the boat, Gaucho and his men are preparing to launch the atomic canon directly at Tokyo. With minutes to spare, Yoko, donning her Christmas gift from a young thief, a gorgeous silver necklace, takes by Gaucho’s side. As the clock hits the hour, darkness consumes the boat, and like clockwork, Lupin appears.

It’s a classic Lupin III move—he waits until the last moment, the lights go out, and he pops up seemingly out of no-where. Clothed in his classic green jacket and Part 1 attire, he snags Yoko and flies into the air on a wire, taking her off to safety. Meanwhile, at the other end of the ship, Jigen flips the atomic canon around 180 degrees, and fires it directly towards the deck. It turns out no nuclear warhead was loaded in the weapon, but what was, however, still sets off a huge blast, and the ship cracks in two.

While all of this is going down, a gloating Arsène Lupin I and wincing young Albert can be seen with the nation’s leaders, watching from afar. In his eyes, Grandpa Lupin has achieved his goal—Lupin III has begun treading the path of proving worth as a thief capable enough to succeed him. With Albert by his side, the old coot’s job is done—but one thing’s for certain, he’s unlikely to live out the rest of his days quietly!

The final third of the episode involves plenty of action, with Lupin riding around on a motorcycle, going head-to-head with Gaucho, and attempting to save his friends. Even at such a young age, Lupin is able to flip between goof-ball and “that guy who takes the shot”, as Gaucho falls to his death, after admitting defeat. Yoko, torn between her new friends and the man she loves, walks towards the edge of the boat for a climatic scene, in which she falls to her death, to be by her father’s side until the end. Looking down in despair, our hero shouts out for his newfound crush, as she plummets towards the concrete below. Both Jigen and Shinobu watch in horror as it all unfolds.

It’s devastating. The scene itself, which borrows some shots and ideas from The Castle of Cagliostro (well, it had to show up somewhere, didn’t it), is beautifully done. When watching the episode, I thought for a moment—is this what changes Lupin? Does the death of his friend cause him to take a step backwards, and help create the slightly more sinister character we know from the manga, and the first episodes of Part 1?

This does not seem to be the case, as the scene quickly moves on. At least even at a formative age, young Lupin has learnt that even great thieves lose their “treasure” from time to time. Those wise words from Lupin II certainly ring true here.

The final scene focuses on our heroes, both back at school, skiving, and sharing a smoke together on the rooftop. As if fascinated by his new self-appointed title as the third generation thief, Lupin immediately has his eyes set on his next target—a secret casino hidden underneath the National Diet buildings. With a smile, his buddy Jigen is with him, and the pair plan their next big adventure.

The finale of Lupin ZERO has all the ingredients needed for a great send-off. It’s paced to perfection, as the staff behind it make the most of its short runtime, wrapping things up nicely.

One thing that stood out in my mind with this episode, and also in episode five, is the audio design. There are a couple of shots here—both Lupin and Jigen smoking on the roof at the end, and Yoko’s death in particular, with a distinct lack of sound and dialogue. The show, instead, opts to convey feeling, and tell the story through the visuals. I felt this added a lot to the scenes, and it came across as a classy way to handle the bigger, more emotional moment of the episode.

It’s incredible that this show, and these characters, can go from leaping around a mansion with goofy sound effects, to emotional moments of peril that make use of cutting the audio all-together. It shouldn’t work, but it does. Lupin makes it work. It is part of why these characters, and this show, is so timeless.

I could not help but feel that the final scene leaves things open for a second season, or perhaps a follow-up film or special. At the same time, though, it can also be interpreted as a nice nod towards Lupin and Jigen’s future adventures. The duo go on to live out their lives as renowned thieves—always sleeping with one eye open, and one finger on the trigger.

We already know how they become, but now, thanks to this prequel, we have now seen how they get there, and it has been glorious.

10/10

Episode six of Lupin ZERO successfully sticks the landing, providing a perfect amount of thrills, emotional moments, and fan-service. This show has been a blast from start to finish, and I could not be happier to see it go out on such a high note.

Final thoughts

As much as I adore Lupin III, it’s rare I can say to people, “every episode of this show is a banger”. In fact, except for perhaps The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, this might be the only one.

It could just be thanks to the short six-episode run, or the fact it has released to streaming services, without the need for tight TV deadlines. I like to think, however, that it’s the staff behind it. Director Daisuke Sakou and head of composition Ichirō Ōkouchi, along with the rest of their team, have done a wonderful job with ZERO. Their track record was good to begin with, but now, we know they can do a solid Lupin series.

I only hope we see more from them and Telecom Animation, who have also consistently provided some of the most fun, fluid, visuals the show has had in a long time. From the intense action sequences to the chilled moments of serenity, the animation team have not once dropped the ball. I only hope we get a physical media release at some point in the future, so we can continue watching it for years to come.

Whether they continue this spin-off or not, I will always treasure ZERO, writing these reviews, and watching it alongside you all over on social media. What a show.

Looking to keep up with all of our Lupin ZERO written reviews? Why not check out our new Lupin ZERO review hub to find links to the review of each episode, and our “final thoughts” article once it releases in early 2023!

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