"LUPIN THE IIIRD Jigen Daisuke's Gravestone" Review: A moving film that delves deep into Jigen's past and the bond with the Lupin gang

"LUPIN THE IIIRD Jigen Daisuke's Gravestone": New charm and depth of the Lupin III series

■Overview of the work

"LUPIN THE ⅢRD Jigen Daisuke's Gravestone" (ルパンザ 三だ ジゲンダイスケノボヒョウ) is an OVA based on the original work by Monkey Punch, and was released on June 21, 2014. This 52-minute work is a story that focuses on Jigen Daisuke in particular, among the Lupin III series. Directed by Koike Takeshi and produced by Telecom Animation Film, it faithfully reproduces the worldview of the original work while bringing out new charms.

■ Story

The story begins in East Doroa, where tensions continue to run high following the assassination of the songstress Queen Malta in the neighboring country of West Doroa. Lupin III and Jigen Daisuke infiltrate East Doroa in search of the hidden treasure "Little Comet," but are shot during their escape. Jigen realizes that the bullets used to kill them are the same as those used to assassinate Queen Malta, and identifies the sniper as Yael Okuzaki, a sleazy assassin who prepares the graves of his targets in advance. Together with Lupin, they break into Yael Okuzaki's hideout and engage in a quick-draw contest, Jigen's specialty.

■ Characters

In this work, the character of Daisuke Jigen is particularly highlighted. Jigen is known as Lupin III's partner, and his calmness and excellent shooting skills are key to the story. Familiar characters such as Lupin III, Fujiko Mine, and Inspector Zenigata also appear, and there are plenty of scenes where their individual personalities shine. New characters include Diva Queen Marta and assassin Yael Okuzaki, whose presence adds depth to the story.

■Cast

Lupin III is played by Kanichi Kurita, Daisuke Jigen by Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Fujiko Mine by Miyuki Sawashiro, and Inspector Zenigata by Kouichi Yamadera. Queen Malta is played by Marika Minase, the singing part is performed by Beverly Staunton, and Yael Okuzaki is played by Akio Hirose. The acting of each cast brings out the charm of the characters and makes the story more exciting.

■ Main staff

The production of this work involves many talented staff members. The project was planned by Kato Shuhei and Kato Ryota, the script was written by Takahashi Yuya, and the music was composed by James Shimoji. Ishii Katsuhito participated as creative advisor, while Tamura Seiki was the art director, Saito Yuko was the visual coordinator, Mogi Takahiro was the color designer, Sekiguchi Nobuo was the title designer, Yamashita Toshiyuki was the design work, Tazawa Jiro was the director of photography, Kasahara Yoshihiro was the editor, Shimizu Hiroshi was the sound director, Tokunaga Yoshiaki was the sound effects designer, Marui Tsuneo was the sound coordinator, Suzuki Tsuneyasu was the literary director, Horikawa Yuko was the production director, Iuchi Tomoki was the assistant producer, and Kiyozono Yu was the producer. Koike Takeshi was in charge of character design, storyboards, direction, and animation direction, and the production and writing were handled by TMS Entertainment.

■ Theme songs and music

The ending theme "Revolver Fires" is sung by Gary Stockdale, with lyrics by Takumi Iwasaki and music by James Shimoji. The insert song "My Dream" is sung by Beverly Staunton, with lyrics by Kitty Brown, music by James Shimoji and orchestration by Takashi Araki. These songs add to the atmosphere of the story and enhance the emotions of the viewer.

■ Evaluation and impressions

"LUPIN THE ⅢRD Jigen Daisuke's Gravestone" is a work that fans of the Lupin III series cannot miss. The story delves deeply into the character of Jigen Daisuke, bringing out new appeal in the series. In particular, the scene of Jigen's quick-draw showdown is worth watching, full of tension and thrills. In addition, the story centered on the assassination of Queen Malta adds political tension and elements of mystery solving, and has the power to draw viewers in.

The character acting is also excellent, especially the voice of Kiyoshi Kobayashi who plays Daisuke Jigen, who perfectly expresses the character's calmness and strength. Kanichi Kurita who plays Lupin III also charmingly plays Lupin's light-hearted character. The new characters Queen Malta and Yael Okuzaki also breathe new life into the story, drawing the viewer's interest.

The visuals also highlight the technical capabilities of Telecom Animation Films. Art director Seiki Tamura's beautiful backgrounds and color designer Takahiro Mogi's vibrant colors enrich the worldview of the story. Cinematographer Jiro Tazawa's camerawork and editor Yoshihiro Kasahara's sense of tempo also enhance the visual appeal.

The music also plays an important role, with James Shimoji's compositions enhancing the atmosphere of the story. In particular, the ending theme "Revolver Fires" and the insert song "My Dream" have the power to stir the emotions of the viewer.

■ Recommendation points

"LUPIN THE ⅢRD Jigen Daisuke's Gravestone" is recommended not only for fans of the Lupin III series, but also for those who like action and mystery. The story that focuses on the character of Jigen Daisuke brings out new appeal in the series. In addition, the story centered on the assassination of Queen Malta adds political tension and mystery solving elements, and has the power to draw viewers in.

The acting of the characters, the visuals, and the music are all excellent, making this a work of high quality overall. In particular, the scene where Daisuke Jigen engages in a quick-draw contest is worth watching, and is full of tension and thrills. The new characters Queen Marta and Yael Okuzaki also breathe new life into the story, drawing the viewer's interest.

If you are a fan of the Lupin III series, you should definitely watch this film and experience the new charm and depth of Daisuke Jigen. It is also recommended for those who like action and mystery. "LUPIN THE IIIRD Jigen Daisuke's Gravestone" is a wonderful work that has the power to draw viewers in.