One show I didn’t expect to like as much as I did this season is Lupin III Part V…
The reason I’m enjoying Lupin III so much is because Zenigata and his fellow police have gamified the usual police chase so that (in Lupin’s words) “everyone’s a cop now”. Considering the way people use their phones so much for watching livestreams and other entertainment these days, it’s basically Pokémon Go, only with a Lupin skin (and with different risks for the players).
People even treat the Lupin Game like any old piece of entertainment too, with a chat providing running commentary for what Lupin’s doing through chase scenes with Zenigata. Not only does the chat create less ambiguity in what’s going on, it shows exactly how complacent people have gotten after seeing Lupin run around for so long. After all, in real life it’s been over 30 years since Lupin first stated doing heists, so that’s one way of how they can reflect it in the context of the show.
Not only that, but the stakes have been raised. It’s not just Zenigata and Lupin’s friends, but Zenigata’s ICPO buddy Goro Yatagarasu, the Marco Polo people and the assassins of Happy Death Day are in on the chase too…and that’s only up to episode 3 of Part 5! That’s why, even though Lupin III is a phantom thief, the title of this post is a quote normally attributed to Sherlock Holmes.
The best thing about this Lupin series is how he’s now versed in technology, everyone else around him is versed in technology and the key to escaping villains is Ami, who has a special skillset in…you guessed it, technology. By placing Lupin III in a new technological age, he no longer becomes a relic of the past and I think that’s the reason why I’ve grown so attached to this part of the franchise, even though I don’t particularly like Part 4. It’s about seeing what will become of him in a world that is as transient as a tweet and ever-evolving. It’s not just about cutting another worthless object or trundling about the idyllic countryside, looking for the next target – a fast thief needs a fast world to keep up with him, and that’s why Part 5 works.
So, what do you think about Lupin III Part V? Is it too unapproachable because it has previous parts? Alternatively, do you think it’s weird Lupin takes selfies now?
The Animanga Spellbook 
Well I got into Lupin after 1 episode of part 4. I really like both part 4 and 5 and intend to get back to them soon! The game in part 5 is such a good idea that its difficult not to get excited!
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