Anime Colony: Lupin III: The Fuma Conspiracy

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  Rating: PG
  U.S. Distribution Rights: AnimEigo
  Genres: Comedy, Action

Lupin III: The Fuma Conspiracy (OVA)
Alternate Title: Rupan III: Plot of the Fuma Clan

Description: The tranquility of a traditional Japanese wedding is shattered when the bride is kidnapped by evil Ninja! Their ransom demand is simple: the key to a hidden treasure!

Unfortunately for the Ninja of the Fuma Clan, the groom is a master swordsman named Goemon, and the groom's best friend is Lupin III (Rupan): Master Thief. Lupin & Co. go after the girl and the gold, while trying to stay one step ahead of the nefarious Ninja and two steps ahead of the relentless Inspector Zenigata of Interpol!

Overall Grade: 93% (A)

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Reviewer: Clyde Adams III
Episodes reviewed: subtitled

Grade: 93% (A)

This is a funny, exciting comic adventure, highly recommended. The production values are very high. The character designs and art are superb.

This adventure, involving a lost underground complex full of treasure and traps, is highly reminiscent of Indiana Jones. The Fuma clan make very challenging adversaries for the Lupin III gang: they are highly skilled, strong, clever, murderous, thoroughly unscrupulous, and almost as tricky as Lupin himself. The film also has plenty of the Lupin slapstick; one memorable scene has Lupin, fleeing from Inspector Zenigata, driving his car through a hot spring full of naked women.

Characterization is well above average, especially for a Lupin III film. We see Inspector Zenigata in despair, giving up his career because he believes Lupin dead. We see Goemon romantically involved, actually in love and about to marry. We see a serious conflict between Goemon and Lupin over the manner of rescuingGoemon's fiancee; Goemon wants a simple approach to keep her safe at all costs. Lupin wants to be tricky, partly to counter the Fuma clan's predictable trickiness, and partly to get a chance at loot.