I'll give you the best cliff notes I can do after one viewing (my japanese is only okay. I got the general plot but might've missed some details):
Beginning: >! The film opens with essentially a 10-minute recap of all the previous specials. Makes sense considering how long it's taken to get to this point. A quick opening scene takes place a month before "the 2 lupins" as we see Lupin driving back to his hideaway (which closely resembles his part 1 hideout). An explosive goes off and destroys everything he owns. All his cars, treasures, and precious bottles of wine are destroyed. But a map of the Bermuda triangle is left behind with a knife stabbing into a specific island... !<
>! Then, just as it was shown at the end of "The 2 Lupins" we see the crew flying into the Bermuda triangle to the unmarked island where they expect to find the origin of all these Assassin's they've been facing in these previous movies. Zennigata follows the crew in another plane. After a brief confrontation between the Lupin and Zennigata shooting at one another in the two planes, Okuzaki (with a new robot arm) snipes down Lupin's plane by shooting its engine. The debri from Lupins Plane also hits Zennigatas plane, and he is forced to eject. Fujiko, Jigen, and Goemon all parachute from the plane while Lupin crash lands it. !<
>! Over the first half hour, we follow the different groups' fights and deal with the "locals" on this island. People who are forced to wear masks so they don't breathe the poisonous air and are tied to the "immortal bloodline." !<
>! Lupin meets with the little girl from "goemon's bloodspray" and a mysterious creature that looks like Mamo. Except he is able to have super speed, strength, and can not be killed by bullets. (In a scene, Lupin puts the barrel of his gun to the creatures head, and it pulls the trigger for him. The creature dies for a few seconds before light goes into its skull, and the bullet slides back out as he reheals himself) !<
>! Lupin learns that the air on the island will kill any outside being within 24 hours, and it is impossible to escape. Since the ocean tsunamis back to the island whenever anyone tries to leave. While walking around with the little girl and the "Mamo" monster, it is revealed that the real mamo also keeps all of his "books" on this island. A catalog of the history of a person's "story" as well as DNA that can be used to clone them. Lupin sees a book for himself, as well as Lupin the First and Lupin the Second. !<
The Middle:
>! In the middle of the film, we get a lot of callbacks to the previous specials. Honestly, Okuzaki gets more screen time than he had in Jigen's Gravestone. As the crew handles the locals of the island, we start to notice that they randomly explode, and their "life force" flies away into the atmosphere. !<
>! At a point, the Mamo Creature turns on Lupin and begins to attack the rest of the crew. As it fights Goemon near a waterfall, we get to see the return of Hawk. Hawk acknowledges Goemon from their previous encounter and faces off with the Mamo creature. Despite Hawk's strength, he is too slow to land a killing blow to the Creature, and we see Hawk's get his neck snapped and thrown off the cliff. (At this point, I was so mad. I was waiting for Hawk to return, and he's in the film for maybe 2 minutes before being killed to show off this new threat) After Hawk's is killed and Goemon is defeated, the group decides to all split up again. Fujiko, Jigen, and Goemon will head to the southern end of the island, and Lupin will head the other direction. !<
>! Zennigata meanwhile is following the crew. He gets a few conversations with Fujiko and later Lupin, but he doesn't do too much in the film outside of fighting and helping. He follows Lupin to the other end of the island. Which leads to a car chase sequence where Lupin is fighting the Mamo creature (and the little girl is sitting beside him. This scene is shown in a lot of the trailers). !<
>! The car action sequence ends with Lupin lighting extra gasoline canisters on fire in an attempt to destroy the creature. Lupin hypothesized that the creature was regenerating its cells asexually and if all the cells are destroyed at once, it can't regenerate (this was a part where I might not be completely correct on the reasoning. Anytime science comes into the equation, it gets hard for me to follow in Japanese. But, despite all his effort, the Mamo creature continues to regenerate. As it regenerates from nothing, it screams out, and a nearby volcano erupts. !<
The final Act (MAJOR SPOILERS)
>! While the creature regenerates, Lupin escapes and heads towards the erupted volcano and Zennigata follows him. Lupin tells zennigata that he needs to head south where the rest of the crew is and get off the island. They are running out of time, and because Lupin landed on the island first, he is near death. Lupin whispers one final favor from the old man, and despite Zennigata's orders, Lupin falls into the volcano lava. Much to the tears of Zennigata.!<
>! In the climax of the film. The crew finds a giant WW2 style battleship. They have a long fight with the locals of the island and eventually the Mamo Creature. The creature gets its head blown off, sliced, and beaten multiple times. But it is no use. It keeps regenerating and eventually defeats Jigen, Goemon, Zennigata, and Okuzaki. With Goemon defeated the creature moves to kill Jigen. But just before it crushes Jigen's skull, it stops.... !<
THE END OF LUPIN THE IIIRD
>! When Lupin fell into the "volcano," he didn't actually die. Instead, it is revealed to us that the island itself is a living being. This is something that is hinted throughout but wasn't totally revealed. Think of the volcano as the entrance to the "brain" or "heart" of the island. Originally, Mamo arrived on the island Manu years ago. He took his own "God blood" and poured it onto the dead "ape like" creatures. Bringing to life this Mamo-looking beast. But to stay alive, it's had to connect itself to the life of the island, the "immortal bloodline". When the air kills anyone that reaches the island, it absorbs their life force and redistributes it back into the island. It also brings the locals back to life that were originally part of the island. Which is why they violently explode. To heal the Mamo creature, their life force is being pulled away to give so that Mamo can regenerate. !<
>! Lupin has a talk with the little girl and the real Mamo, who is listening in on the conversation. They knock away Lupin's gun, and Lupin falls to the ground, running out of time. He looks at the heart of the island, pulls out his finger pistol, and says, "Bang." !<
>! It's revealed that Lupins final order to Zennigata was to use a tank at the bottom of the volcano and shoot it into the ground. The ground debri is blown up and into the "lava". As it sinks down quickly towards the heart. The debri impaled it. Destroying the life of the island. This, in return, kills the Mamo creature and stops it right before it smashes in Jigen's skull. !<
>! With the island, which is actually a creature itself, now dying, everything begins to flood. The little girl and Lupin share a final word before the flood kills them both. !<
>! Meanwhile, Jigen and Goemon escape on a plane, and zennigata rows away on a raft. Fujiko returns to the Lair that mamo had and finds many clones of the little girl all walking together. They open a secret way off the island and go together. !<
>! Enraged that his island is dying. The real mamo decides to set off a barrage of nukes that destroy the island. Leaving everyone to believe Lupin is dead. In the final scene of the movie, we flash back shortly before the final confrontation and see Lupin returning to the mamo throne room. He picks a lock and takes out his family's 3 books. Deciding to destroy them himself. Because "only he can write his own story" and that "we only get one chance to write it". !<
>! After Credit Scene !<
>! In a final scene we see the crew and zennigata visit Lupin's broken grave from "Jigen's Gravestone". The crew seem unconvinced that Lupin is truly dead. Meanwhile an ICPO agent approaches Zennigata, telling him that there is more work to be done. !<
>! Lupin's fate is left open. Mamo is still out there. And God damnit I want a full blown season to follow this. Whether that be a TWCFM season 2. Or a season of Lupin The IIIrd. We will have to see what the future holds for Koike and his team !<
Okay... that is everything I can recall from the film. Sorry that took so long. I was writing it out on my phone. If there are any typos or other things, I apologize. I hope you can see the movie soon and get the full story :)
In an interview with mantan-web.jp, Koike stated that this is the end of his Lupin, and it's the ending he wanted. He also mentioned that the film serves as a prequel to the movie Mystery of Mamo. Koike is finished with Lupin.
Thanks for the summary. I can't wait to see it in motion as well.:) It really seems mind blowing. I like how it is a prequel to Mamo. It creates an endless circle in the franchise.
Thanks for the summary. I can't wait to see it in motion as well.:) It really seems mind blowing. I like how it is a prequel to Mamo. It creates an endless circle in the franchise.
@Mrs_Lupin no problem i have not watch that movie mamo though but they say its fine to watch this one as its a prequel anyway
Looking forward to being able to see it, just watched the Zenigata movie. While Ill miss his take on the Lupin franchise I think he likely will have lasting effect, but if Lupin becomes more lighthearted again I wouldn’t be too upset. I do love gritty Lupin though.
I didn't watch this one yet but my issues with Koike Lupin are the same issues I had with early Green Jacket. It tries to be cool but it's just cringe 70s edge. Mystery of Mamo managed to get the best Lupin on screen and Lupin never had the same characterization again. Now if TMS had the balls they should just pull a Hakaba Kitaro and adapt straight from the manga, I know the stories there are a bit dry but they could add to it as long as it keeps the tone...
anizawa89 said: I didn't watch this one yet but my issues with Koike Lupin are the same issues I had with early Green Jacket. It tries to be cool but it's just cringe 70s edge. Mystery of Mamo managed to get the best Lupin on screen and Lupin never had the same characterization again. Now if TMS had the balls they should just pull a Hakaba Kitaro and adapt straight from the manga, I know the stories there are a bit dry but they could add to it as long as it keeps the tone...
