English Dub Review: Lupin The Third Part IV “Don’t Move The Mona Lisa”

After his imprisonment and nearly meeting his fate in the last episode of Lupin III, I can’t wait to see what the world’s greatest thief has in store next!

OVERVIEW (Spoilers Below):

A new problem arises for Lupin’s gang. They’re entirely out of money! Being said, they need a job, and Lupin has his sights set on Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa – currently in possession of the Louvre in Paris. Inspector Zenigata is already on the case as well. It doesn’t take long to see that Lupin is back to his old tricks, and I must say it is good to see our boy in the blue jacket, especially after last week’s episode. As the hijinks ensue, it feels even more refreshing to see the entire crew get in on the action. Even though Lupin makes a clean getaway both I and Inspector Zenigata believe that not all is as it seems… because The Mona Lisa is still hanging in place and was never even touched. So what’s going on? There’s always more than meets the eye going on in Lupin III, and that’s exactly whats going on here as well. Is the Louvre in possession of the real Mona Lisa, or is it a fake? And if Lupin doesn’t or doesn’t have the real Mona Lisa, then who does and what do they want with it? Most of these questions are answered, but even then there is quite a few question that is left hanging in the air, unanswered. It’s interesting to see how everything falls in to place throughout the course of this episode.

In an episode full of switchbacks and turnarounds, there’s a lot that happens in just a few short minutes. I wish that this episode had been just a few minutes longer. I think it is safe to say that I can not get enough Lupin the III. True to form, this is classic Lupin episode that really sets the flow things back to normal after last week’s harrowing close call. I enjoyed this episode, as the pacing, the plot, and the action all flowed very smoothly and it was great to see the gang back at it again. There were a few times I got slightly confused about what was going on, especially towards the end of the episode due to all the sleights of hand and trickery that was abundant through this episode. That being said, “Don’t Move the Mona Lisa” is a classic, true to Lupin episode that captures not only the essence of Lupin III but the life of a thief. I was also left with a few questions as well – like what is up with the gray-haired man seen at the end of the episode? If I’m not mistaken, he also escaped the custody of Mi6 at the end of the last episode as well, and the director of Mi6 was very concerned about his escape. So who is he? What impact will he have on the show’s future plot? And will Lupin and the gang manage to get a bite to eat before they starve!? I guess we will just have to find out next week!

OUR TAKE

“Don’t Move The Mona Lisa” is a great episode filled with laughs, action and an intriguing plot – all trademarks of Lupin the III. From the beginning to end you will be thoroughly entertained and find yourself enjoying Lupin’s classic style and the capers he pulls. This episode in itself is the definition of Lupin the III and helps set the tone for what I am sure will be an exciting and amazing continuation of the season and the series. My one lingering question that remains through all of this, however, is this. Will we ever see Rebecca again, or has she become a thought of the past? Or has everything fallen back on our usual crew consisting of Lupin, Goemon, Jigen, and Fujiko? Only time will tell, and I’m sure that the next episode of Lupin will continue to deliver as expected.