Lupin the Third: Episode 0: First Contact (2002)

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

A Brilliant Conflict

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

The very best Lupin III movie.Excellent from beginning to end, the characters are spot on, the art is superior, the story is great. It's funny, it's poignant, it is set to some of the best music Yuji Ohno composed, the ending montage is perfect Lupin III.This movie presents one of many versions of the beginning of the Lupin gang (See also TV episodes and Monkey Punch comic). Not only how they met, but what their relationships are to each other throughout the stories. Lupin and Jigen's brotherhood; Jigen and Goeman friendship of mutual respect; Jigen and Fujiko's antagonistic dislike of each other; and Fujiko and Lupin's relationship of betrayal. This movie even supplies an origin for the classic yellow roadster Lupin's gang drives on and off through all the TV shows and movies (sometimes as a Mercedes, sometimes other things, sometimes two seat, sometimes not).Also, the story sets up the various likes and dislikes of the characters. For example, Zenigata's devotion to his obsessive version of police work, and cup-of-noodle. Jigen's condescension to people who have bad relationships, and hate of the dentist (a joke in other Lupin III movies). Lupin's mercurial disguises. –Especially funny when Lupin and Jigen are captured and the camera pans past a table where their pockets have been emptied. Jigen's pile is a gun, some bullets, and some cigarettes. Lupin's pile is his P-38, and rope, and extend-o arms, and masks, and makeup, and a parachute, etc, etc.Lupin Tradition: The big boss, Galvez, looks the same way big bosses always do, fat with the triangular bald head. The evil sidekick of the big boss, Shade, also is drawn to tradition. Same hair, same clothes, same tacky sunglasses, same preference for dual guns. Jigen getting shot, any time it happens it is always in the left bicep. Always.

In this Lupin the 3rd TV special, we see Jigen being interviewed by a reporter who is interested in knowing how Jigen met Lupin.Jigen tells her all he knows about the day he encountered Lupin.Back then Jigen was part of a New York Mob who holds a secret treasure.Lupin is after it but he won't be able to open it till he finds out what the key is to opening it.We also get to see how Lupin first met Fujiko, how Goemon got involved, and how Zennigata became obsess with capturing Lupin.It's a great Lupin movie to watch. A must see for the die hard fans. It's unconfirmed on when it'll be released in the US. Only available in fansubs.