Lupin III: Pilot Film

Name: Lupin III: Pilot Film
Genre: Action, Comedy
Released: 1969-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
Rating: 6.36

ルパン三世 Pilot Film

6.36(5,574)

Rank#8559

#6704

Movie1 ep.Finished Airing12 min

Two years after the birth of the manga a pilot film was released. It was a brief film of only 13 minutes that had the purpose of assay the response to a possible future anime realization of Lupin III. The pilot opens with a challenge call from Lupin to Zenigata from a public phone. (Source: AniDB)

Synopsis

Characters

Main

Supporting

Reviews(4)

Haneken2086

June 5, 2015

Recommended

In 1967, manga writer Monkey Punch created a comic called Lupin III, about a charming thief who was able to commit incredible heists and get away to brag about them. The manga was a roaring success, with its thrilling adventures, sensual women, and charming (if not trustworthy) protagonists; today it has passed into anime history as a milestone, with Lupin's incredible escapades making him a counterpart to James Bond. This was the first ever animated adaptation of Lupin III, airing only two years after the manga began. As its title notes, it was a pilot film, intended to start up a series about Lupin. Itbasically introduces the main cast and then gets straight to them making a grand getaway, with OO7-like flamboyance and finesse. Of note is that as this feature aired in 1969, just two years after the manga began. Thus, it appears to have a raw, prototypical feel about it; the animation is a little dated by today's standards. Also, no brilliant heist that occurs, only an escape from a police hunt led by Lupin's rival Inspector Zenigata; this sort of enhances the unrefined feel of this feature, since these characters are not quite their definitive versions (notably Lupin's ally Goemon is an enemy in this). However, overall the film maintains the racy, fast-moving pace that is characteristic of Lupin: whatever scrapes he ends up in, he always finds a way out of them. And while it's shorter and sketchy in comparison to the consequent Lupin features (five TV shows, five films and about 20 animated specials as of 2015), it holds up against those well in doing what all these Lupin stories do: put him through a perilous adventure with high odds against him, from which he comes out of it in style. It's not too bad a beginning for an anime legend. It's certainly worth a watch.

ojmendez

December 16, 2019

Mixed Feelings

I don't have a History with the Lupin the 3rd franchise. I remember watching a episode or a movie in the early 2000s and thought the Lupin character was cool. Then forgot about the character for many years until a few months ago when I saw Castle of Caglioastro have had a interest in the character again. So I figured that I should start from the beginning with the plot film that was released in 1969. The Plot film is a 12 minutes short giving you a introduction to all the main characters showcasing who they are. The animation is hilariously 1960s I mean this ina good way it's humorous. Fujiko Mine dancing with psychedelic colors was groovy baby! Yeah! This short gives you a taste of what would come in the future for Lupin the third. I would say it's worth a watch! for hardcore Lupin the third fans or for anime fans in gerenal who wanted a tease.

CRIMSONSAMA

May 3, 2021

Recommended

Decent short introducing the main cast of the Lupin series, a good way to start a series. Characters were interesting enough to warrant watching further by themselves, not taking into account the great animation for the time. Enjoyed the fact that Lupin is basically the world's smartest monkey as well. Overall, since this is a short being only 12 minutes, there isn't much to take in, which I guess is one of it's flaws. The fact that the series started in color in great, as other series remained in black and white at the time of this pilot. Time to dive into the rest ofthe series!

Hypn0s_X

May 10, 2025

Recommended

Lupin III Pilot Film – A Cool, Stylish First Look at Anime’s Slickest Thief As a long-time Lupin fan (and even if you’re just dipping your toes in), the Lupin III Pilot Film is a fascinating watch. It’s short, stylish, and gives you everything you need to know about the series in just under 15 minutes. What it lacks in runtime, it more than makes up for in personality. The biggest win here? It does an excellent job at introducing the main crew. You’ve got Lupin himself – smooth, cheeky, and absolutely loving the thrill of the chase. Jigen is all business with his hat, beard, andpinpoint accuracy. The guy barely cracks a smile, and it totally works. Fujiko Mine brings elegance and danger – seductive, beautiful, and always one step ahead. Then there’s Goemon, the traditional samurai with a weird sense of timing, but man, when he draws that sword, it’s all over. And finally, Zenigata, the goofy-but-determined cop who’s always on Lupin’s tail. He’s serious about his job, but half the time he’s two steps behind – and that’s part of the charm. Animation-wise, the pilot is a visual treat. The level of detail in things like cars and wristwatches is kind of insane for something this short. It’s clear the animators were flexing, and it pays off. The art style feels rooted in 60s/70s design but still looks slick today. It's got that gritty, analog charm that fans of retro anime will absolutely appreciate. Is it perfect? Not exactly – it's a concept film after all – but it's a super cool slice of what Lupin III is all about. Whether you're just getting into the franchise or you're already a fan, this little film is worth your time. Score: 8/10 (A must-see for any Lupin enthusiast)