Rupan Sansei: Purizun Obu Za Pasuto
2019 / 92m - Japan
Adventure, Comedy - Animation
2.5*/5.0*
Lupin III: Prison of the Past poster

Watches

December 22, 2020

2.5*/5.0*

I can't say I really like the more polished version of Lupin that has been popping up in his later films. While the Koike-directed OAVs are pretty damn cool, the film version of Lupin is turning a bit gray and boring. Prison of the Past bears all the superficial traits of a typical Lupin III film, but lacks its joyous vibe.

Lupin and his usual team infiltrate the Kingdom of Dorrente in order to save one of Lupin's most infamous competitors. Once there, he discovers he's not the only master thief who has come to Dorrente. Something weird is going on and Lupin is hellbent on discovering the secret of the Dorrente kingdom.

The art style looks a bit cleaner, but the animation itself feels less vibrant. Lupin is back to doing his usual tricks, only the plot is a tad more serious and there isn't that much creativity here. The film comes off as conscientious, even a little stale. It's a shame, as I believe there's still plenty of potential left in the Lupin formula. They just need to do better than this.