The appeal and evaluation of Lupin III: Stolen Lupin - The Copycat is a Midsummer Butterfly

All-round evaluation and recommendation of "Lupin III: Stolen Lupin - The Copycat is a Midsummer Butterfly"

Overview

Lupin III: Stolen Lupin - The Copycat is a Midsummer Butterfly is a TV special that aired on Nippon Television on July 30, 2004, and is part of the Lupin III series based on the manga by Monkey Punch. The work is 91 minutes long and has a self-contained story format. It was directed by Ueda Hidehito and produced by TMS Entertainment and Nippon Television Network Corporation, and the copyright of the original work belongs to Monkey Punch and TMS.

story

The story begins when the treasure of the Bourbon dynasty is stolen by a mysterious woman. Inspector Zenigata is convinced that the culprit is Lupin and pursues the truck with great enthusiasm. However, just as Lupin appears from the sky and attempts to steal the treasure back along with the truck, he is kidnapped by someone. After kidnapping Lupin, Malkovich takes Fujiko hostage and threatens him to steal the evil jewel "Bull's Eye," but this too turns out to be a trap. This film depicts Lupin using his own wisdom and courage to overcome the numerous traps he is faced with.

cast

The cast includes familiar voice actors such as Kan'ichi Kurita as Lupin III, Kiyoshi Kobayashi as Daisuke Jigen, Makio Inoue as Goemon Ishikawa, Eiko Masuyama as Fujiko Mine, and Goro Naya as Inspector Zenigata. The voice actors who play unique characters, such as Koji Nakata as Malkovich, Takeshi Aono as Murphy, Joji Yanami as Lumberjack, Yu Asakawa as Becky, Toru Shinagawa as Dolcruz, Takashi Irie as Santana, and Kiyomitsu Mizuuchi as Hakuryu, also deliver superb performances.

Main Staff

The producers are Ozaki Yasumichi and Ono Rieko, the screenwriter is Okawa Toshimichi, the script producer is Iioka Junichi, the music is Ohno Yuji, the music director is Suzuki Seiji, the sound director is Kato Satoshi, the character designer is Hirayama Satoshi, the mechanical designer is Mizumura Yoshio, the sub-designer is Ogi Kazuhiro, the art director is Suzuki Akira, the color designer is Sato Naoko, the director of photography is Endo Yasuhisa, the editor is Taguma Jun, the assistant director is Kobayashi Tetsuya, and the production manager is Hashimoto Kazunori, bringing together professionals from various fields.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme is "THEME FROM LUPIN III'78 (2002 version)" composed and arranged by Yuji Ohno. The ending theme is "A ROSE TATOO" sung by Salina Jones, with lyrics by Yoko Narahashi, composed and arranged by Yuji Ohno. The insert song is "LUPIN THE THIRD" also sung by Salina Jones, with lyrics by Yoko Narahashi, composed and arranged by Yuji Ohno.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Lupin III: Stolen Lupin - The Copycat is a Midsummer Butterfly" is one of the most highly acclaimed works in the Lupin III series. The reasons for this can be summed up as follows:

Story ingenuity

The story of this work depicts Lupin using his wisdom and courage to overcome various traps. In particular, the events that unfold after Lupin is kidnapped are unpredictable, and have the power to draw the viewer in. In addition, concrete items such as the treasure of the Bourbon dynasty and the magic jewel "Bull's Eye" add excitement to the story, making Lupin's adventure feel even more real.

Character Appeal

The appeal of the Lupin III series lies in the individuality and charm of the characters. In this work, familiar characters such as Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, Fujiko, and Zenigata play an active role, and the charm of each character is brought out to the fullest. In addition, new characters such as Malkovich, Murphy, and Lumberjack are also unique, adding depth to the story.

The Wonder of Music

Yuji Ohno's music is one of the important elements of the Lupin III series. In this work, the opening theme, ending theme, and insert songs liven up the story and enhance the emotions of the viewer. In particular, Salena Jones' singing voice makes Lupin's adventures feel even more moving.

The beauty of the images

The visuals of this work are extremely beautiful, as a result of the collaboration between professionals in various fields such as character design, mechanical design, art direction, color design, and photography. In particular, the scene where Lupin appears from the sky and the scene depicting the brilliance of the magic jewel "Bull's Eye" are visually very impressive.

Recommended points

"Lupin III: Stolen Lupin - The Copycat is a Midsummer Butterfly" is recommended not only for fans of the Lupin III series, but also for those who like action and suspense. It is especially recommended for the following people:

Fans of the Lupin III series

For fans of the Lupin III series, this is a must-see. Familiar characters such as Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, Fujiko, and Zenigata play an active role, bringing out the charm of the series to the fullest. In addition, the clever story and wonderful music will satisfy fans of the series.

People who like action and suspense

For fans of action and suspense, this is a very enjoyable work. The way Lupin overcomes the various traps using his wits and courage is captivating to the audience. Also, concrete items such as the treasure of the Bourbon dynasty and the magic jewel "Bull's Eye" add excitement to the story and are visually very impressive.

People who want to enjoy music

Yuji Ohno's music is one of the important elements of the Lupin III series. In this work, the opening theme, ending theme, and insert songs liven up the story and enhance the emotions of the viewer. In particular, Salina Jones' singing voice makes Lupin's adventure feel even more moving. For those who enjoy music, this is a work not to be missed.

summary

"Lupin III: Stolen Lupin - The Copycat is a Midsummer Butterfly" is one of the most highly acclaimed works in the Lupin III series. It has the power to draw viewers in with its clever storyline, charming characters, wonderful music, and beautiful visuals. This work is recommended not only for fans of the Lupin III series, but also for those who like action and suspense, and those who want to enjoy music. Please give it a watch.