No one is amused in Count Almeida’s park, as the players assemble for the final confrontation.
What They Say:
Oscar’s body is missing, girls are being kidnapped all over the world, and Lupin still hasn’t made good on his threat to steal Fujiko Mine. There’s only one thing to do: It’s time to pay a visit to one Count Luís Yu Almeida.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
Girls are being kidnapped around the world, and only Fujiko seems to recognize the pattern, a pattern that points to Count Almeida. With Zenigata in tow, they head to his amusement park and find a disturbing ride dedicated to the life of Fujiko. As the horrors of Fujiko’s young life unfold before her eyes, Lupin and Jigen are pursuing the mysterious owl messenger in search of their own answers about the Count’s plans. And Goemon has been captured by the Count’s men to undergo a very bizarre transformation.
This episode is all setup for the grand finale; we learn more about the experiments performed on Fujiko as a girl and watch her approach a final and deadly breakdown. There is little else to say about the episode other than it moves every player into place skillfully and with the beautifully bizarre artwork the series has utilized. Regardless of whatever is behind the final curtain, this episode solidifies the series as one of the better told stories I have seen in recent memory.
In Summary:
All the players are skillfully moved into their places for the final reveal. This was another example of how action, a dash of comedy, and exposition can be combined into a compelling story. While we have already seen Fujiko tormented by her past, the surreal amusement park take on explaining it made it feel fresh rather than a longer rehash of her flashbacks. However the final episode unfolds, the series has exceeded my expectations for a reboot of the Lupin franchise.ß
Grade: B+
Streamed By: FUNimation
Review Equipment:
24” iMac booted into Windows XP Home, using FF11.
