I haven't yet dug in any series, since the episodic format doesn't easily appeal to me. Instead, I picked the option of movies and specials. My impressions remain mixed, as some works simply manage to draw out more qualities of the franchise's kooky charm.
Nonetheless, a major strength is the lack of an overarching plot; excluding the trilogy of movies related to the Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna series, one can watch in any order they desire.
Animation is consistent and smooth for both stunts and fights. Among my favourite sequences occur while a structure collapses, with dutiful care in depicting the crumbling building and the people falling or running away from the debris. Further impressing was the clever cinematography in certain sequences. An example is a skyscraper elevator scene: as it ascends, the viewer is treated to an outside view of an part of the cityscape, steadily revealing more and more layers of city blocks.
The music fits with the adventurous and old-school feel of Lupin III, featuring upbeat jazz soundtracks. The ending song is notable as a soothing ballad fitting, contrasting well with the rest of the OST. The sound direction is decent, with both sound effects and voice acting maintaining a consistent quality to them.
Despite its start, the plot takes more of an action thriller approach, shown by including themes of political conspiracy and terrorism. After the kidnapping occurs, the gang is going back-and-forth to the USA and Brazil in order to uncover the conspiracy and save the victim, overcoming obstacle after obstacle. Transitions between settings and scenes were glued together so well that I lost track of time at times. As for the conclusion? Fitting for a typical Lupin work, but also delivered a great relief after the previously intense thriller.
