Hey guys since we're giving our own thoughts on the part 1 episodes, i was thinking of doing a tier list ranking of every episode in the series, (something a Lupin has never done before) just to visually show off which one goes higher or lower.
So here's what my ranking looks so far and i'll give first the explaination behind the set of ranking sections and disclaimer this is an already existing tier list and i chose this particular list because it looked convincing.
You know haven't even giving my real thoughts on the first episode so here's my short summary of it, considering that Lupin burning the very first episode in the whole franchise the plot seems straight forward with Lupin participating in a race that is completely set as a trap by the scorpion gang and they kidnap fujiko at the same time, while Lupin needs to save her in time before he needs to come back and finish the race, while i find the episode decent and not a bad start to the series and the animation looks solid by today's standards, at least how yasuo otsuka and his team manages to perfectly craft the modern realistic feel of the anime, (Which was the first of it's kind in the genre that i already mentioned) both how i enjoy the badass editing with how there's no dialogue occuring in between when the race is going on and the moment Lupin and Jigen swap places with the music going sheer silent and Lupin counting down to explode the starting course, there some bits that i find less favourable like i felt that the actors are struggling hard when providing the voices of the protagonists with Goro Naya trying hard as Zenigata (even though this is his first time voice the character) and of course the tickle torture machine, the one aspect that i find very off putting with, but all of that i deicided to put this in Nice man tier for not just having a straight forward plot and craftable animation but for how the show knows how to suspend the action thrills with it's audiences.
Anyways for my thoughts on episode 2 The Man they called a Magician, the plot focuses on Fujiko who stole a microfilm from the title magician Pycal who is the ability to shoot fire out of his finger tips and is bulletproof, meanwhile Lupin and Jigen are having to go up against the invincible magician, while they need to unveil Pycal’s secret, while I do find the story a bit simple with some cool narratives added and considering what Masaaki Osumi is doing with his directorial style by trying his best to mimicking the maturity of the manga and behaving like an actual Lupin story, unlike is Lupin burning has a short moment where he actually behaves the gentleman thief that we all recognize, but I felt like the tone in the episode was going way too far like with the burning moments like how Lupin’s car gets set on fire and Pycal stripping off Fujiko half naked, which fun fact I much prefer the scene in the manga where he actually rapes Fujiko,(however in the greatest heist collection the version of the illustrated panel looks more like Fujiko is masterbating, which I find it weird considering what print of the chapter did they have left) eventhough considering how far Osumi was trying to play off by not having too sexual and add up something else that really could make you switch off to another channel, but at times there are scenes of how necessitates it being a real Lupin story in terms of the animation and editing, examples like Lupin and Jigen trying to fight off Pycal in different methods but fail and Lupin being confronted by Pycal in the car which leads to him crashing the vehicle near a cliff and Lupin having a last confrontation with Pycal after learning about secrets then later defeating him, but one scene i want to highlight lastly is when Lupin and Jigen are laying in the ground and watch the sunsets which gives it a calm somber and heartwarming conclusion, as for my negative view well i felt like the comedic bits didn’t fit in to the plot while they are funny including where Lupin and Jigen are sitting in the car and gets surprised by floating Pycal but they are only here to play with the dark humor, that’s the only thing i can criticize about it, while the characters do their typically conventional job of keeping up with the involvement to the plot and the main protagonist are in their usual tangent with Lupin and Jigen are trying up for their task and Fujiko mostly spends a lot of time warning the duo, but of course the character that think naturally steals the episode is Pycal i do find him a neat villain whom being as so called magician has the ability to shoot fire from his fingers and being bulletproof but also tricks his enemies by pretending to float in midair in way of the transparent glass( which kinda makes me wonder how the hell does he set up the glass above the enemy even though he needs to do it silently?) which basically makes him supernatural but a eerily type of wizard and his VA Eimei Esumi (which he is known for staring in crime films and pink films) really conveys the evil maniacal role of the character.
With all of that In conclusion despite the plot and the characters i would rank it in Nice man tier same as for Is Lupin burning for the normal convenient plot and for the real natural Lupin tone.
So here's what my ranking looks so far and i'll give first the explaination behind the set of ranking sections and disclaimer this is an already existing tier list and i chose this particular list because it looked convincing.
- KINO an episode that's considered the greatest or at least a masterpiece.
- Nice Man an episode where i find good and very convincing with the plot.
- Midpin an episode that is still fine and at least watchable.
- RUPAAAN!!!! where an episode is bad of course.
- D (just D) where an episode is straight up garbage, end of story.
You know haven't even giving my real thoughts on the first episode so here's my short summary of it, considering that Lupin burning the very first episode in the whole franchise the plot seems straight forward with Lupin participating in a race that is completely set as a trap by the scorpion gang and they kidnap fujiko at the same time, while Lupin needs to save her in time before he needs to come back and finish the race, while i find the episode decent and not a bad start to the series and the animation looks solid by today's standards, at least how yasuo otsuka and his team manages to perfectly craft the modern realistic feel of the anime, (Which was the first of it's kind in the genre that i already mentioned) both how i enjoy the badass editing with how there's no dialogue occuring in between when the race is going on and the moment Lupin and Jigen swap places with the music going sheer silent and Lupin counting down to explode the starting course, there some bits that i find less favourable like i felt that the actors are struggling hard when providing the voices of the protagonists with Goro Naya trying hard as Zenigata (even though this is his first time voice the character) and of course the tickle torture machine, the one aspect that i find very off putting with, but all of that i deicided to put this in Nice man tier for not just having a straight forward plot and craftable animation but for how the show knows how to suspend the action thrills with it's audiences.
Anyways for my thoughts on episode 2 The Man they called a Magician, the plot focuses on Fujiko who stole a microfilm from the title magician Pycal who is the ability to shoot fire out of his finger tips and is bulletproof, meanwhile Lupin and Jigen are having to go up against the invincible magician, while they need to unveil Pycal’s secret, while I do find the story a bit simple with some cool narratives added and considering what Masaaki Osumi is doing with his directorial style by trying his best to mimicking the maturity of the manga and behaving like an actual Lupin story, unlike is Lupin burning has a short moment where he actually behaves the gentleman thief that we all recognize, but I felt like the tone in the episode was going way too far like with the burning moments like how Lupin’s car gets set on fire and Pycal stripping off Fujiko half naked, which fun fact I much prefer the scene in the manga where he actually rapes Fujiko,(however in the greatest heist collection the version of the illustrated panel looks more like Fujiko is masterbating, which I find it weird considering what print of the chapter did they have left) eventhough considering how far Osumi was trying to play off by not having too sexual and add up something else that really could make you switch off to another channel, but at times there are scenes of how necessitates it being a real Lupin story in terms of the animation and editing, examples like Lupin and Jigen trying to fight off Pycal in different methods but fail and Lupin being confronted by Pycal in the car which leads to him crashing the vehicle near a cliff and Lupin having a last confrontation with Pycal after learning about secrets then later defeating him, but one scene i want to highlight lastly is when Lupin and Jigen are laying in the ground and watch the sunsets which gives it a calm somber and heartwarming conclusion, as for my negative view well i felt like the comedic bits didn’t fit in to the plot while they are funny including where Lupin and Jigen are sitting in the car and gets surprised by floating Pycal but they are only here to play with the dark humor, that’s the only thing i can criticize about it, while the characters do their typically conventional job of keeping up with the involvement to the plot and the main protagonist are in their usual tangent with Lupin and Jigen are trying up for their task and Fujiko mostly spends a lot of time warning the duo, but of course the character that think naturally steals the episode is Pycal i do find him a neat villain whom being as so called magician has the ability to shoot fire from his fingers and being bulletproof but also tricks his enemies by pretending to float in midair in way of the transparent glass( which kinda makes me wonder how the hell does he set up the glass above the enemy even though he needs to do it silently?) which basically makes him supernatural but a eerily type of wizard and his VA Eimei Esumi (which he is known for staring in crime films and pink films) really conveys the evil maniacal role of the character.
With all of that In conclusion despite the plot and the characters i would rank it in Nice man tier same as for Is Lupin burning for the normal convenient plot and for the real natural Lupin tone.
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When I first saw this episode back in July 2024, I wasn't entirely sold on it (or the series as a whole yet), finding its moody tone and - as Seroster pointed out - messy character motivations a little jarring. I still think it's the weakest Osumi episode of Part 1 relatively speaking, but on rewatch I appreciate it more, both for that very same strong atmosphere (even with the animation shortcuts, the purple, pink and green colour palette of the island is lovely to look at) and for its historical significance. This seemingly unremarkable episode introduces a few franchise staples like the Lupin Mask Rip, Jigen's distrust of women (especially Fujiko), the gang going up against warmongering villains worse than any thief and the anime's very first "girl of the week" in Linda. The Latin Spanish dub also improves the episode in two ways: by removing the reference to Linda being a "witch" despite the fact that the most witch-like thing we see her do is melt (I wonder if that was an intentional move to simplify the plot or a means of religious censorship?) and with friggin' Stern. He's voiced by Inspector Zuñiga's VA, Roberto Colucci, who really livens up the whole episode by giving him a high-pitched, nasal Saturday morning cartoon villain voice and iconic "ÑAJAJAJA" laugh (as heard in the clip compilation I linked to on the first page of this thread).
