Otaku Evolution Episode 235 - Lupin III: Tokyo Crisis

[@AManWithaZ]

I feel this Lupin story is so close to being great, but is held back by too many choices in execution that prevent it from being a classic that prevent me from being able to recommend the movie to others (several examples already noted in the review). For me, the greatest problem that holds this story back is that for a Lupin movie that is ostensibly more centered on Zenigata--putting a spotlight on him and his perspective--it totally fails at making Zenigata a compelling character. His depiction is very shallow and the entire movie makes him an entire joke. He truly appears incompetent and as a one-note bumbling fool. Obviously, Zenigata's depiction shifts from story to story, and this slapstick interpretation of Zengata has been done before, but namely that's when he's very much a tertiary character meant as a light obstacle, not as a central character for a narrative. If the story chose to depict him with a little more dignity (obviously, he'd still fail to catch Lupin) this would have gone a long way in making him a more sympathetic and likable character, and not a pathetic loser like what the finished film seems to depict. Heck, if I remember correctly, he doesn't even save the day at the end. Instead, Lupin swoops in and does the actual heroism (which, of course makes sense for a "Lupin" movie, but it just further shows how useless Zenigata seems to be in the film). This is a long way of saying, this story had genuine potential and Zenigata deserved better.

[@otakuevolution2131]

Good point! Thanks for watching!