Created in 1967 by Kazuhiko Katō (under the pen name Monkey Punch) Lupin III is about a master thief with a penchant for the ladies. Over 40 years later the character is as popular as ever. So are his cohorts Daisuke Jigen (a master marksman), Goemon Ishikawa XIII (descendent of the legendary thief), Fujiko Mine (the object of Lupin’s desire and his female counterpart) and Inspector Zenigata (the intelligent but unlucky Interpol agent).

Released in 1994 as Lupin III: Moeyo Zantetsuken (roughly Burn, Zantetsuken!) this particular outing focuses more on Goemon the skilled martial artist and owner of the titular Zantetsuken sword. The Zantetsuken, by the way, is capable of cutting nearly anything. Helicopters, buildings, steel gates. Nothing is safe (except for maybe konnyaku jelly).

There’s a treasure hidden deep in the dark ocean waters that holds a secret close to Goemon’s powerful weapon. Teaming up with his childhood friend, Kikyo, Goemon must protect the treasure from not only a power hungry gang lord Chin Chin-Chu but his friends as well. With his honor at stake and a conspiracy to use the treasure for evil will Goemon be able to stand up against all of the hurdles ahead?

The animation in this 1994 television movie starts off promising with a top notch battle between Goemon and a group of ninjas. Things go downhill from there and into the realm of what you would expect from a televised production. This sort of lure is common in most films but it can still be disappointing especially with animation.

From the Lupin series POV the story here is very reminiscent of past episodes and rather formulaic. The focus on Goemon is nice and I recommend fans of the character watch this one. The suspension of belief is exceptionally high in this installment (such as Lupin surviving the pressure of the ocean floor without a suit) even by Lupin standards.

Unfortunately, this is the final time Yasuo Yamada would voice Lupin III. Having performed Lupin’s distinct voice for three seasons and multiple feature films the seasoned veteran played the character perfectly.

A fun ride and a must see for Goemon fans but the sub par story elements and the animation keep the film from being one of Lupin’s top treasures.

Presentation:
The DVD release from Funimation is available in a single release or in the First Haul DVD pack. The video is acceptable but appears faded. The colors are muted and the image seems slightly dull. The audio is clear in both English and Japanese stereo options.
The English dub is tolerable for those who dislike subtitles but Lupin should be enjoyed in it’s native language since the actors involved have been playing the characters for so long.

Extras include character profile galleries with information on their English voice actor counterparts.

Overall:
A fun adventure with Goemon in the lead. It proves to be entertaining but falls short in comparison to other Lupin specials. Rent it if you are new to Lupin. Buy it if you are a Goemon fanatic.