Before Miyazaki waved his hands over the Lupin franchise, there was one particular film that started the onslaught of Lupin films and specials that have gone for decades even to this day.
That films is Lupin the Third: The Mystery of Mamo!
Released in 1978, the film is a wild trip showcasing the weirder, more experimental side of Lupin, before Miyazaki injected his signature whimsy into the franchise forever in The Castle of Cagliostro a year later.
It focuses a lot more on Lupin’s sleaze-ball nature, much in line with Monkey Punch’s vision of the character. The film also plays up the romance between Fujiko and Lupin and dives into some quite strange visual sequences that reference things from 16th century painter Hieronymus Bosch, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and even a cameo from….. uh…. Hitler?
The movie is weird, but it’s really good and totally worth watching if you’re interested in a fun adventure, strange imagery, political jabs, and some great pulpy fun.
Listen to our full review here on our podcast!
Available on most every service where podcasts are typically found.
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/third-impact-anime-podcast/
Google Play Music: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Il3e2lqbq2awcml5zuxa64lh7m4
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/third-impact-anime-podcast
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnD4tDaOg7m3A0xatHfAc1g?view_as=subscriber
Third Impact Anime 
In my opinion, there is Mamo and then there is the rest of the Lupin series. The film is a work of genius that is not only a great political commentary but also a great character driven drama.
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