Lupin the Third: The Fuma Conspiracy

Directed by Masayuki Ozeki, this Lupin III film occupies the strangest position in the series. Goemon's wedding to the daughter of a samurai clan leader is raided by Fuma ninjas, the bride is abducted, and the antique urn demanded as ransom turns out to hold a map to a hidden treasure, sending the crew racing the ninjas to reach it first. What makes it unique in the franchise is a set of budget decisions: the studio replaced the entire regular Japanese voice cast to cut costs, along with the whole sound team. It became the first Lupin III production since the 1969 pilot in which Yasuo Yamada did not voice Lupin, and remained the only one in which Kiyoshi Kobayashi did not voice Jigen until 2021. For the same reason the series' longtime composer Yuji Ohno was replaced and none of the classic Lupin themes appear. The changes were never properly explained, alienated fans, and strained relations between Yamada and the series creator. The irony is that a film received coldly in Japan was praised in America for its animation, with an Anime News Network critic calling it possibly the best animated entry in the series. Who it's for: Lupin III followers and admirers of 1980s Japanese animation craft. Who it's not for: Not for anyone attached to the series' iconic voices and jazz score, since the film abandons both by design.