English Dub Review: Lupin the Third: Part V “How to Steal a Kingdom”

Overview (Spoilers Below)

We begin right where we left off, amid a bunch of dead terrorists as Dolma is whisked away to her kingdom by the CIA. The princess never resisted and it seems an earnest reaction to flee this “unsafe” school for girls. But in reality, the CIA is secretly aiding a coup led by Padar’s high priest. Turns out, the kingdom is divided into two halves, a super modern side, and a technology-free traditional side. The traditionalists oppose Dolma’s father’s advanced ways and wish to bring all of Padar back to darker times.

Lupin and the boys arrive in the kingdom and are a bit taken aback by all the modern advancements like self-driving cars, delivery drones, retinal scans, and easy-pay devices. They seem much more comfortable on the traditional side of the city where they learn that Princess Dolma is immensely popular. She’s their beloved “People’s Princess” and therefore instrumental in the planned coup. The CIA may have been behind the terrorist attack at Dolma’s school, but instead of trying to kill her, they were attempting to recruit and control her.

Fujiko and Ami are also in Padar. While working a contract for ShakeHanz, the global IT company that runs Padar’s reform movement, the girls find out where the princess is being held and come up with a plan to infiltrate the traditionalists.

While the traditionalists are going around destroying all of Padar’s access to technology, both groups of thieves break into the palace. Fujiko and Ami disguise themselves as staff, while Lupin dons the face of his greatest rival, Inspector Zenigata. While the master thief plays around with his little masks, Ami busts loose and scales the building—despite her fear of heights—to get to the princess’ tower. And she almost makes it, if not for that pesky CIA agent who is waiting outside Dolma’s room, ready to deal with any trespassers.

Likely a not-so-secret sadist, the agent disarms Ami and attempts to choke her out with his oafish hands. Just before the girl loses consciousness, Lupin finally arrives on the scene and takes out the pesky officer with some nifty fishing wire he has tucked away in the sole of his shoe. As the CIA man lies incapacitated, Dolma descends the stairs for what we all expect to be a heartfelt reunion with her friend Ami. Instead, the princess takes out her trusty bow and harpoons Lupin right through the kidney. Ami is shocked and worried about the first person she ever called a friend.

Our Take

This was one of the season’s best episodes, but not necessarily because of the greater plot. While the coup plotline adds some intrigue and gives this arc purpose, if you’ve lived through one coup, you’ve lived through them all. Because we already like Lupin, Ami, Fujicakes, etc. there’s no question that we’re going to root against the traditionalists even though their desire for less technology isn’t that unreasonable in this day and age. Plus, when you add the sinister bald guy, and dick-ish CIA spook, there is no way we’re going to side with those crazy religious fanatics.

The best scene of the episode was when Ami ordered a bowl of “Butter Padariac Stew” at one of Padar’s traditional restaurants. Dolma and Ami shared a bowl back at school, and here we learn that it’s a special delicacy that is meant to be shared among close-knit families. So, even though it appears Dolma has drunk the Kool-Aid and joined the high priest’s coup, there is still hope for the troubled princess—and all of Padar—because of Ami. It may have been easy for Dolma to betray her country in the abstract, but Ami represents the human element of the princess’ bad decision, and won’t be as easy to dismiss.

The contrast between the two sides of the kingdom was phenomenal. While neither group spent much time on the reformist side, the advanced tech really stood out. And when the groups migrated to the traditional side, it was as if they entered a completely different country. The shops, food stands, and a sense of community came off as authentic and comforting. It made sense why some people would want this way of life over the fast-paced, impersonal ways from across the river.

Ami showed great bravery when crossing into enemy territory considering her dependency on technology. Without “Underworld” to guide her, Ami basically went into combat blind and deaf—and massively afraid of heights—because she truly cares for Dolma. It’s a shame that Dolma had to mess everything up by putting a sizable hole in Lupin’s back, but it’s early yet, and the world loves a good redemption story. And if Lupin can forgive that prick Albert for shooting him, he can certainly forgive a confused, young girl.