Review: Lupin the 3rd - The Secret of Twilight Gemini.

 

    Last week, I finally was able to watch Lupin the 3rd - The Secret of Twilight Gemini. I was a bit excited as I got this movie for Christmas and it was one of the Lupin 90s special I hadn't seen yet. A bonus to the excitement was when I got to the main menu. The song played, "Tsukaito Taiyouno Meguri", was a song I heard over 10 years ago from an old MikuMikuDance video that I use to be obsessed with. I would say it was a foreshadowing to my obsession to Lupin.

    However, my excitement for the movie was soon turned to a bit of a disappointment. Let's start with my biggest gripe...Lupin and Lara's forced romance. The movie obviously wanted the two the pair up and leave a bittersweet ending for them with Lupin leaving Lara to continue his journeys and Lara to support her people. However, their romantic relationship was non existent.

    There was no build up of any kind to them liking each other. When Lupin first saw her in the marketplace, he mentions how cute she is and then moves on. It's about 15 to 20 minutes- more or less- before they see each other again due to the old lady that helped Lupin get information on the half gem he had received.

    The old lady suggests for Lupin to join Lara's group but both sides are unsure. Their chemistry doesn't spark as it seems they are just kind acquaintances. Lupin leaves to continue his own journey but returns back to Lara and her group and sees the place has been wrecked. Although, Lupin just stares at the place twice and then gives a long intense look at a kidnapped Lara before running to the roof to save her. That moment of confronting Sadachiyo and the kidnapped Lara is where Lupin suddenly falls in love with her after only 5 minutes of screen time interacting with each other. 

    In previous movies and shows, it is not unusual for Lupin to get serious when a woman's life is in danger. However, Sadachiyo kept suggesting about how Lupin is in love with Lara. While it's typical villain teasing,  I can't help feel that it was another force from the creators for Lupin and Lara's relationship.

    Another small complaint is when the two are making their escape, Lara jumped onto a camel and calls out for Lupin but he just is clueless and asks what should he do? Even though it was obvious that he should jump onto the other camel to escape with her. This cluelessness continues when they are in the desert. Knowing Lupin, he would have been aware on what to do and knowing the desert as he has been to deserts countless of times. Unless the movie is suggesting this is his first time ever going to one, this seemed like they dumbed Lupin down so Lara can help and build their relationship more.

    The biggest moment of Lupin's love for Lara is when Lara is trapped in quick sand and Lupin freaks out. This scene could have actually been a good way to build their relationship but the creators made Lupin too silly and goofy in this. He freaked out like when he found out he tore up an invitation to Buckingham Palace from the Queen in Part 2 rather than showing struggle of being helpless to someone he likes.

    This was a major potential loss for Lupin and their relationship. Lupin is a man who hates to be wrong and outsmarted when it comes to the well being of a woman. An example is in Jigen's Gravestone, Jigen and Lupin find Yael Okuzaki's hideout. They hear Fujiko's cries for someone to hear her and find a microphone and a small TV showing a naked Fujiko in the dark.

    After making contact, Fujiko kept saying Lupin can't save her and it was hopeless. At first, Lupin was very calm about it and even smirky about it but as soon as Fujiko denies it again and gets disconnected. Lupin shows a furious face and yells into the microphone saying he could easily get her out of there before going back to normal when Yael appears. Although this is an alternate universe, Koike.

    An example of normal/main universe Lupin showing a vulnerable side, like the example above, is in Part 1 Episode 13, Beware of the Time Machine (Personally, my favorite Part 1 episode). After Mamo showed Lupin his time altering capabilities while threatening to erase him from existence in 4 days, Jigen and Goemon show concern for Lupin. Lupin, not liking to show his vulnerable side, brushes it off and laughs about it as he leaves to take a nap in his room. When he's alone, he shows a face of frustrated worry. He even gets paranoid  as he hears the door creak open and throws a knife at the wall- just missing a shocked Fujiko. After asking what's going on, Fujiko learns from Jigen and Goemon about Lupin and Mamo and how they are even scared for him. Lupin gets angry at them for suggesting he is afraid and even throws a knife at them (to which they casually dodge). He then quickly takes Fujiko away with him for a fun day out to ignore it.

    These two are great ways of showing Lupin being helpless and how different he becomes when he is vulnerable and incapable. It's rare to see Lupin act like this since he usually has a trick up his sleeve. This could have been perfect for Lupin and Lara's relationship building. Lupin could have shown his frustration and helpless to Lara. Lara would have been shocked as she had never seen him (or thought his character to) act like this but get an understanding he wants to help her but can't. She could have tried to reassure him, as she has more knowledge about the desert than he does, and tell Lupin what to do next.

    It's not big but it could have shown their support and kindle a relationship. He took care of her when she was helpless and now it was her turn to do the same to him. However, Lupin freaks out and moves about even though Lara told him not to move or else she will sink faster. In fact, she should have been dead with how much he was moving about.

    And then, after the failed attempt of his using clothes to get her out, Lupin jumps into the sand pit to die with her. My disappoint was immense at this point. This didn't feel like Lupin to me. I know the man does crazy things but usually there's a reasoning to it or it plays off more cleverly. 

    Example, Lupin the 3rd: The First. When Laetitia was thrown out of the plane to fall to her death. Lupin abandons his hiding spot (while stealing the journal) and jumps out in attempt to save Laetitia. Although he forgot to bring a parachute and just chills in the sky with Laetitia who isn't as calm. They are saved by Fujiko in a plane and then Jigen and Goemon later. I believe he knew Fujiko was still around and knew she was going to save them. They were captives together and while they never said anything, their relationship is the type that they can talk to each other without words. Just like Lupin and Jigen.

    Lupin wouldn't just happily give up and die with Lara. He wouldn't just give up on trying to save her. They do sink together but are saved in time by the Founder of Lara's group.

    After Lupin wakes up at an oasis, unsure if he is really alive. He doesn't show any concern or worry for Lara's well being. He is more confused and explores until finding Lara in the water which is where he discovers the other half of the gem.

    Ending off Lupin and Lara's relationship, he leaves Lara with the two showing they have feelings for each other but knowing they have to go their own ways. The scene isn't as emotional or have an impact that the creators were hoping for. It just was okay. It didn't have the same impact that Lupin and Clarisse had or Lupin and Laetitia. 

    What makes their relationship more strange is the fact the movie is suggesting that they had the same grandfather which would make them cousins. I personally don't think they are related. I don't think Lupin the 1st was Lara's grandfather at all. The man they showed had some similarities to Lupin but I would have never even had thought that the portrait of the foreign hero Fujiko found was Lupin the 1st. I barely see the similarities. Plus, I think it's better not to have them cousins if the movie wanted them to be lovers...

      The next biggest con is the story itself. The story could have had potential but it drags on with predictable plot points. After meeting Lara for the first time (obviously knowing she was going to be important to the story), Lupin and Jigen meet an old lady who tells the two the story about Dolune and the war. She says the gem was split in half. One went to Dolune and the other to his lover. Lupin had Dolune's half but they couldn't imagine where or who had the other half. However, as soon as the old woman mentioned Dolune's lover was pregnant and the other half could have been given to her child. This was an instant giveaway to me that Lara's mother was the daughter and that she gave it Lara because not only does it give Lara another reason of her importance of the story but also right after, the old woman formally introduces Lupin to Lara after escaping Sadachiyo. It wasn't a shock when the revealed she had it.

    I think it was always going to be obvious but if they wanted to have that shock value that Lara had it. I don't think the old woman and Lara should have had a connection cause that was a big giveaway. They should have teased about Lara's necklace. They didn't reveal anything about her necklace throughout the movie until the reveal. If they hinted, it could have made Lupin curious which could have lead to a better way for them to meet and build a relationship.

    After learning about the other half of the gem, Lupin gets a glimpse of Lara's necklace and wants to investigate while Lara believes he wants to help her and her group. Both with different intentions for each other but soon falling for each other. The reveal of Lupin's true intention could have challenged their relationship which could have progressed it more.

    Another plot twist that wasn't too shocking was Zenigata's commissioner being the main villain. It at first became suspicious when he flew over to Morocco help Zenigata with the mission but then became very obvious that he was going to be a bad guy as soon as it was revealed to Zenigata that the commissioner was a decedent of the group that took over control of Lara's people and their land.

    I will admit, I didn't expect him to be the cult leader. That was a twist that got me. However, I wish it wasn't Lupin who figured it out. I really wished it was Zenigata. It would have given him so much more purpose to the movie. Lupin only saw this man once and somehow figured it all out.

    With Zenigata, they actually showed him piecing things together but ultimately decided to make him clueless right after and believe Lupin was slandering his boss. It didn't make sense and just ruined a moment  that could have been great for Zenigata.

    Continuing with this focus on making a character useless, Jigen and Goemon were completely useless in the film- Goemon, especially. Jigen had some purpose with finding the old lady and saving Lupin but that's it. nothing else. They could have taken Jigen out of the story and made Lupin the one to find out the old woman and it would have played out just the same. As a huge Jigen fan, this was disappointing.

    In the beginning of the movie, when Dolune is talking to Lupin and gives him the half of Twilight gem. For a couple of seconds, it shows a surprised Jigen. It seemed like they were hinting at an interesting plot twist with Jigen. Especially, with how Jigen found that old woman, I was really waiting for the twist with Jigen and the gem and yet, just like Zenigata's build up, it led to nothing.

    It could have led up to making Jigen's part of the film to be important or have relevancy. Sadly, like Zenigata and Goemon, they had no ideas for them expect for a couple of scenes. Even Fujiko fell to curse after the first half of the film.

   Goemon was hurt the most with being irrelevant to the film. He appears out of nowhere when Lupin tries to save Lara from Sadachiyo. He claims to have a history with Sadachiyo and challenges him to a duel. He claims he came to kill Sadachiyo for using his skills (that they both learned together) for his greed. I thought it was the stupidest reason why. Goemon doesn't mention he is killing Sadachiyo because he is an assassin who has killed many (assuming). Just he says he is going to kill him because he is using his skills for greed. 

    This piece of lore was just thrown at us, first of all. 

    Second, Goemon was originally an assassin- one of the best. Now, he is a thief working with Lupin. I think it was the most ironic reason for Goemon to kill Sadachiyo. If it was a more personal reason, it would make a lot more sense. However, Goemon only meets Sadachiyo twice in the movie and that's it. No more info is given between them.

    Their final battle was terrible to top it off. Sadachiyo abandons the whip for his own sword to fight Goemon. Their fight is only seen for about 30 seconds or more before Sadachiyo easily cuts Goemon's sword, Zantetsuken, in half.

    The half gets flung up into the sky and as Sadachiyo is about to kill Goemon, the blade stabs him in the back killing him but not before saying, "Goemon, you fool." and then dies. I was so confused why he said that and a bit stunned that it ended so anti-climatic.

    Speaking of which, the final battle was just as lame. The fight between the good guys and the bad guys was very generic and nothing stood out. Then, when only the main bad guy was left, they just killed off simply. The final battle with the bad guy usually has some suspense especially when it's a surprise villain but instead of a bang, it ended with a pathetic whimper. The elder of Lara's group just, out of no where, shot him dead. 

    Very lackluster. 

    Very forgettable. 

    It was as if they writers didn't know how to set up a proper fight scene/ending for him so they just have him suddenly shot in the head.

    Next con, the nudity. Lupin is known for nudity of women. It's common knowledge to a Lupin fan. It's been like that since the beginning. As a girl, personally, I don't have any problems with it. It doesn't bother me much because knowing what and how the show is. It's doesn't strike me as shocking.

    In this case though, I thought it was unnecessary. It felt like they were forcing nudity in there for no reason. I get the intimate scene with Lupin and Fujiko. However, during the middle of the film, with Fujiko's capture and then later, Lara's, the nudity felt so forced. As if they HAD to put it in there or else they would get fired from their jobs.

    The commissioner ripping Lara's shirt just to reveal her necklace felt so unnecessary. It would have made more sense if she had some tattoo on her torso that he wanted to reveal or something like that...But for a necklace? He could have pulled it out or taken it from her. Easy as that and it wouldn't feel out of place.

   Lastly, while the designs were great! The animation felt sloppy. I kept seeing specks all throughout the movie in scenes (which is normal for Cel animations but even the 70s Part 1 and 2 were much cleaner than this). I kept seeing color out of bounds of where it is suppose to be.

    It felt like there wasn't too much care going into this movie. With all my complaints, I can understand if some didn't find the movie good but other Lupin media that had poor stories had better care to the animation than this movie. It was a bit heartbreaking to see.

    I circled a few in this scene. These a bit more minor compared to other scenes I saw:

  

    With all these negatives, it's time for the positives of the movie!

 
    The character designs! I found the designs to be very pleasant to look at. It had the feel of a nice cutesy 90s anime. The colors were also soft and soothing to look at. Although, sadly, I thought Jigen and Goemon looked the same as usual.

    Lupin's new outfit in Morocco was a new change that I welcomed. He looked great in blue and white! It complemented his new environment well while still looking like an outfit he would wear. He does switch back to his usual at times but for most of the duration of the film, he wears the new suit.

    Zenigata was the best designed character in the movie. He had the perfect combination of cute and handsome without straying too far from his iconic look. I also loved how they went about with his expressions. He had many fun and cute expressions. Can't say anything more about it other than I feel his design was the best out of all of the characters.

    Fujiko's look wasn't my favorite...I'm not a fan of blonde hair Fujiko even though in original drawings from Monkey Punch, she had blonde hair at times. It just didn't feel like her. I like how they did acknowledge she dyed the her hair instead of making it seem like it was natural. I wonder if it was a reference to her from her early days from the manga or from The Castle of Cagliostro.

    Speaking about Fujiko, I was surprised to see that the movie actually showed Lupin and Fujiko having sex- or at least insinuating it. This is huge for their relationship as it is only joked about that they did or Fujiko stops it right before it happens. I think it gave their relationship a connection that is always assumed but witnessing just solidifies it. Although, for movie purposes, it doesn't last too long thanks to Sadachiyo.

   And going off of that...

    Sadachiyo, my beloved.

 I fell in LOVE with Sadachiyo. The whole time I really thought he was a woman until I was his voice actor in the credits. The voicing was done so well in both Japanese and English!

    Fun fact: The voice actor, Nachi Nozawa, who voiced the original Lupin from the pilot film and Pycal from the OVA, The Return of Pycal, voiced Sadachiyo. I was amazed and kept thinking, "I can't believe this is Pycal."

    His design was such a 90s look and I adored it. He reminded me of a mature and more masculine Sailor Mars (which I like her design too)! I just wished we could have learned more about him and why he was called the Scorpion. I wanted to know why he became what he is now. As well as he and Goemon's past together! They made it a plot point to have them have a past and fight but don't give any other information about it.

    I was so upset about his death. It was insulting to say the least. I think he deserved some irony but something that Goemon caused. Not an accidental death that Sadachiyo did. Like the main bad guy, I feel the writers had no idea how to kill him off so they did this instead. 

     To wrap this all up, the movie is not the best. If I had to rate it out of 10...I would say 5/10. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't stand watching it. The songs, designs, and some of the scenes were great! I really love the scene where Zenigata was going to visit the police station but suddenly a whole army of soldiers ran out the doors almost trampling him. Throughout those few seconds, Zenigata just has a cute surprised look with his hands up as if to say, "I don't know what's going on but I'm innocent."

    Scenes like that helped support the movie. However, the poor execution of the plot, the forced love relationship of Lupin and Lara, the messiness of the animation, and so much more just brings the movie down a few pegs. The movie had so many potentials and I feel that is a curse on Lupin media. So many good ideas and yet they are poorly done. The Secret of Twilight Gemini is no exception to this.

    I still recommend to watch it cause this is all just my opinion. Others might really love the movie and that's awesome. I honestly wish I could feel the same but it's fine to dislike it too. I know that I love Return of Pycal for it's potential ideas but this OVA is considered the one of (if not) the worst Lupin animation media ever. I still love it a lot though (will do a review on why I love it soon.)

    This is just my opinion and I wanted to share it and see what others thought.  :)