Lupine the 3rd: Part III 20
Lupine III Part 3 20
ルパン三世 – Part III Ep. 20
Summary/SPOILER Summary
Lupine and Jigen meet Fujiko on TV, supporting AZUMAYA Onihei at his press conference. Fujiko visits Lupine and asks him to steal a specific painting. Lupine does as she asks, but when he returns to his hideout, he scans the painting and runs it through the computer. The computer returns an image of a man whom Lupine eventually recognizes as Mamushidayu (Viper the Swindler). Mamushidayu once tricked Lupine into stealing a diamond, then kept it for himself.
Lupine finds Mamushidayu's mansion, where the man and Fujiko are on a date. However, his attempt to scale the cliff failed. So Jigen put him on a plane to parachute down. Unfortunately for Lupin, Mamushidayu captured him. However, he denies he was ever Mamushidayu and challenges Lupine to prove otherwise.
Zenigata visits Onihei because Lupine is there. At the same time, Zenigata has evidence that Onihei murdered someone. When Zenigata showed the photo and arrest warrant, Onihei denied it, saying his face looked different at the time of the murder. Indeed, Onihei's name is actually Mamushidayu. When pressed, Mamushidayu gives up the diamond's location to Zenigata. At that moment, Fujiko walks in and Lupine reveals that he has disguised himself as Zenigata.
The crew flew to the island, but Mamushidayu arrived first and activated the air defense system. Lupine makes a ground attack on the tower with the diamond and defeats various fighters on each floor. At the top, Mamushidayu activates the top of the tower to become a helicopter. Lupine defeats Mamushidayu, takes the diamond, and is picked up by the crew on the plane.
Thinking/Evaluating
Man, Lupine the Part 3: Part III 20 is another one of those nonsense stories. Things just happen not only because the plot requires it but also because of “reasons”. Some scammer seems to have had plastic surgery to change his appearance from a fool to a smart one. Not only that, it also changed his voice as well as his name. All this is done so that he can lead a “respectable” life and run an economic organization. Okay, okay.
There are rumors about this man having a shady past. So he asked Lupine to steal a cheap painting. And now we come to the really stupid part. Somehow, Mamushidayu knew this painting could identify him. But how? Lupine's computer identified Mamushidayu's image (but not name), but again, how? Why does this picture prove anything? Mamushidayu and his new Onihei identity don't look alike. Nothing here makes any sense.
I won't even go into Mamushidayu's trained lions. That said, since Mamushidayu tricked Lupine into stealing a diamond years ago, why would Mamushidayu have it on an island somewhere after all these years? He doesn't seem to be a collector, unlike Lupin. But the plot needs him to prove to “Zenigata” that his current appearance is fake. Uh. Everything about this episode is confusing and silly.
Final thoughts and conclusions
Let me summarize my review Lupine the 3rd: Part III 20 with some final thoughts.
I'm really tired of the line where Fujiko offers herself as a reward to Lupine if he does something, only to end up not following through. Goemon is mainly a guest character. Jigen didn't add much of that to the episode. And Zenigata is really Karen. I learned that snakes (vipers) can strip off all of a woman's clothes.
Final, Lupine the 3rd: Part III 20 is a confusing, meaningless mess with a story that is quickly forgotten.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Ping is currently not allowed.
