English Dub Review: Lupin The Third “Fujiko’s Lie”

Overview:

Thief extraordinaire Fujiko finds a wrench thrown into her latest plans when she gets saddled alongside a young boy named Gene who recently loses his father. Tragedy strikes Gene, but he’s of particular interest to Fujiko because he’s now the only person that knows the location of the half a million dollars that his father was able to embezzle from a mining company before he passed. Fujiko and Gene set out to recover this hidden treasure, but because nothing can ever be easy in the Lupin world, of course, this poor boy also has a ruthless killer named Bincam who’s hot on his tail and a threat to both him and Fujiko. Bincam’s the one that’s responsible for the death of Gene’s father and he’s now more determined than ever to recover that cash and to tie up loose ends. Bincam’s a serious complication in Fujiko’s mission to respect Gene’s deceased dad and honor what he’s left behind. To make matters worse, Bincam is host to some bizarre abilities and precise modifications that make him an even more dangerous adversary. Fujiko finds herself on one of her most difficult missions yet, but her time with Gene helps remind her of why she’s such an accomplished thief in the first place.

Our Take:

The final chapter in director Takeshi Koike’s My Name is Fujiko Mine spinoff trilogy, Fujiko’s Lie returns back to where it all began and instead of finishing off this saga with a Zenigata detour, it gives another concentrated look at the majesty that is Fujiko Mine. With the Fujiko Mine series already giving a lot of attention to its titular character, it’s interesting to see what else Fujiko’s Lie considers necessary territory for Lupin’s resident femme fatale. Fujiko’s Lie may be the final piece of this tangential trilogy, but in many ways, it’s the smallest of the stories in these films. It decides to cap off this series and character with an intimate, human story that pushes Fujiko a little out of her comfort zone in an unexpected way. The film explores a very different side of the character, while still celebrating what everyone’s grown to love about her over the course of the series and why she was given an entire spinoff series in the first place.

One of the most fascinating things about the way that Fujiko’s Lie is structured is that it essentially turns her into the Lupin character of the narrative. $500,000 in cash may not be as mysterious as a magic lamp or Napoleon’s secret grocery list, but it’s more than enough to grab Fujiko’s attention and have her pal around with a young boy. In fact, a coming of age male is pretty much the audience that’s going to be most preoccupied with Fujiko. Against all odds, this unusual duo finds a comfortable rhythm that works and makes this film feel different. Fujiko may not be the picturesque specimen of chivalry and ethics, but Gene is able to pierce her icy heart enough that she has his best interests in mind just as much as she cares about her own big score.

The animation in all of these Fujiko Mine films has been a delight and that’s still true with Fujiko’s Lie. The film has some fun with color and gets experimental in a few instances, but the most stunning examples of animation are reserved for Fujiko’s big battle against Bincam. Bincam, the villain in Fujiko’s Lie, is one of the film’s biggest strengths. This force of nature isn’t just a worthy obstacle that continues to get in Fujiko and Gene’s way, but he’s over the top dangerous in the most outrageous way. There are plenty of occasions where Lupin the Third feels like it’s riffing especially hard on James Bond and the tropes of that franchise, but Bincam feels like he’s ripped out of a 007 venture that’s been given a rewrite by David Cronenberg.

Bincam is extreme in a number of ways. For one, his whole body has been filed and sharpened down, from his fingernails to his teeth, so his whole body is turned into a deadly killing tool. On top of this, Bincam seems to also foster a strange ability involving poisonous nuts that allows him to manipulate the will of people, putting him on a whole other level. He’s an individual that’s so unstable that he needs to be restrained in a Bane-like fashion whenever he’s not on a mission. Bincam’s definitely the most dangerous and severe enemy that Fujiko has gone up against, but he’d be a lot to handle for anyone from the series.

The threat of Bincam is always felt, even during calmer moments, but it’s the scenes where the three of them actually come together that are the most intense. A relative newcomer to the voice acting scene, Billy Kametz, voices Bincam and really stands out in the role. Kametz has already made a strong reputation for himself in the voice acting community, but his work here as Bincam is another worthy addition to his roster. Similarly, Erika Harlacher does solid work as Gene and she and Christina Vee are really able to build chemistry together that goes a long way in Fujiko and Gene’s scenes. Christina Vee is such a pro at playing Fujiko at this point and it’s clear that she’s still having a lot of fun with this character. She’s never been more confident in the role, which goes a long way since Fujiko’s performance here is all about putting on airs and hiding her true self.

Fujiko’s Lie is able to maintain its focus just as well as the two films that precede it. It doesn’t allow for much deviation from Fujiko’s hunt for this fortune, but because this is Lupin the Third, Lupin does make an inevitable appearance. Lupin’s presence is handled more like a familiar face rather than overwhelming energy. He doesn’t crowd the story or invade Fujiko and Gene’s space. It’s nice to see some restraint on this front and that it remembers that this is Fujiko’s time to shine when it would be so easy to have Lupin take over their mission. However, the appearance of Jigen makes for a welcome surprise and he’s an appreciated addition during Fujiko’s plight. Like the other Fujiko Mine films, Fujiko’s Lie isn’t even an hour-long so the fact that it lets Fujiko and Gene’s story just exist without overcrowding is such a relief. Fujiko’s Lie is another great example where less is more and what’s really important here is this extended look into one of the most important people in Lupin’s life.

Lupin the Third: Fujiko’s Lie is a very entertaining Fujiko story and a strong finish for Koike’s trilogy of movies. It cleverly pairs Fujiko up with an unlikely ally and sets them both up with a crazy villain that would feel more at a place in a shounen anime series. All of this results in extreme circumstances that mix together a tense game of cat and mouse with a treasure hunt. All the while, Fujiko gets to shine and reiterate why she’s so amazing. My Name is Fujiko Mine series as a whole highlighted the multitudes that Fujiko is capable of and this film nicely encapsulates just how much Fujiko has changed and grown.

Fujiko’s Lie is a clear success and Koike’s three character-centric films have not only been some of the most consistent and enjoyable Lupin ancillary content to come out in recent years, but they should act as a firm confirmation that Takeshi Koike should be given even more freedom and responsibility in the Lupin franchise. He’s done exceptional work with these movies, so hopefully, his days with these characters are far from finished. He’s at least got to make that Zenigata movie.