The release of Lupin III: Immortal Lineage marks a seismic shift for the franchise, delivering its first long-term 2D animated film in nearly three decades, premiering in Japan on . This cinematic milestone redefines the series’ legacy, blending high-stakes action with mythic intrigue as Lupin and his team chase a legendary treasure tied to immortality.
Fans will receive exclusive “secret illustrations” for attending screenings, while a prequel series, Zenigata and the Two Lupin, sets up a layered narrative involving a terrorist attack, a snowbound “Roviet Union,” and a rogue ensemble of Lupin clones.
The film’s creative backbone—directed by Takeshi Koike, scripted by Yūya Takahashi, and scored by James Shimoji—echoes the franchise’s enduring appeal, with B’z’s “The Third Eye” anthem amplifying its mythic aura.
Amid a 30-year hiatus from traditional feature films, this project resurrects the iconic white-glove thief’s legacy, proving that the Lupin mythos thrives not through nostalgia but through reinvention.
They’ll tell you Lupin III is back, but let me tell you—this isn’t a comeback, it’s a corporate pantomime.
You know what they say about nostalgia? That it’s a drug. A sugar-coated, 30-year-old sugar cube that’s been sitting in the fridge, forgotten, then pulled out to sweeten the bitter truth: Lupin III’s last proper film was 1996’s Dead or Alive, and now they’ve gone and made a 2D anime that’s more about Instagram filters than thievery.
But wait…
Let’s unpack this. The new film, Lupin III: Immortal Lineage, is billed as the “first long-term 2D animated film” in almost 30 years. That’s a bold claim, but let’s not confuse long-term with proper. The last 2D Lupin film was 1996’s Dead or Alive—a 27-minute short, not a feature. The 2019 3DCG film was a CGI cash grab, and now they’ve gone full Boringly Pretty, with a prequel series called Zenigata and the Two Lupin that’s less about Lupin and more about a detective who’s still trying to catch a thief who’s still pretending to be a ghost.
You know what’s a real treasure?
The secret illustrations. Fans who cough up their cash for a cinema ticket will get a “collection of original secret illustrations”—a gimmick that’s less art and more gimmick. It’s like getting a branded coffee cup for your loyalty, but instead of a cup, you get a doodle of a guy in a white glove holding a sword. Wow, that’s deep.
And let’s not forget the prequel—
A hard action anime that’s less about Lupin and more about a detective who’s still trying to catch a thief who’s still pretending to be a ghost. The plot? A terrorist attack at a fictional “Roviet Union” airport, where Lupin is accused of being the main suspect. Oh, how quaint. The real mystery is why they’re still using a character who’s been dead for 40 years.
The team behind this? A luxury team, sure.
Takeshi Koike, who’s directed Jigen’s Gravestone and Gomon’s Blood Spray, is back. Yūya Takahashi is writing the script. James Shimoji is scoring it. Katsuhito Ishii is the creative advisor. And B’z, the legendary rock band, is doing the theme song. Oh, what a cast! It’s like a B-list movie with a A-list budget.
But here’s the kicker: this isn’t a film. It’s a corporate pantomime.
This isn’t a film. It’s a corporate pantomime. It’s a cash grab. It’s a nostalgia trip. It’s a gimmick. It’s a story. It’s a brand. It’s a legacy. It’s a myth.
Let’s not forget the core of the franchise.
Lupin III is a story about identity, purpose, and rebellion. It’s about a man who defies the system and chases his own truth. It’s about family, friendship, and justice. It’s about adventure, excitement, and immortality. It’s about the spirit of the times.
