Jigen Week: Ep. Enjoy the Invaders Game & 129 In Jigen…
Jul 22, 2016 13:04:50 GMT -5
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Post by Jean Luc de Lemur on Jul 22, 2016 13:04:50 GMT -5
111 Enjoy the Invaders Game
or, Is the Invaders Safe Open?
One of the most frequently-used plot setups in this fourth season is what we might call the castle: a compound either containing a treasure our heroes have to get or a place where they find themselves trapped and unable to escape. The thievery bits of “Is the Invaders Safe Open?” are essentially a standard-issue example of this kind of episode: Catherine, a rich Long Island widow, challenges Lupin to steal a diamond in her mansion. There are various trials—some more ridiculous than others—culminating in the final one to get to the diamond, breaking into safe unlocked by winning the then-new game of space invaders. In a nice bit of animated bravado, each drop in coincides with steel beams in the walls. It’s silly, but unlike the previous trials it looks cool enough to overcome that.
But these trials aren’t the main draw. We get another glimpse into Jigen’s New York roots (oddly this episode implies this Lupin’s first time in the city). Zenigata follows them, and Catherine ends up aiding their escape, when she presents Lupin and Jigen with their challenge. Catherine, it turns out, is an ex-lover of Jigen’s. She fell in with Jigen when his career as an outlaw was developing—Jigen knew that, whether he ended up in a better material condition or prison, it wasn’t the right life for Catherine.
Recommended?
Yes. The mechanics of the theft are mostly unremarkable, but its finale and the Jigen-Catherine relationship, though a bit melodramatic, hits its mark.
Stray Observations
• The NYPD was evidently pretty well off in the late fifties and early sixties, driving 1958 Lincolns here (I looked it up and they actually drove Fords, but one can’t fault the animators for going with the more distinctive Lincolns).
• I didn’t mention it last week in my discussion of the fourth season’s music last week, but the final theme for the fourth series does go further than previous themes. While previous end themes always had a certain witsfulness to theme, this one, “Love is Everything,” is downright gooey (when I first heard it—right after the non-stop action of “Albatross”—my response was a “whaaa?”). But it works perfectly here.
129 In Jigen, I Saw the Gentleness of a Man’s Soul
or, The Kindness of Jigen is Seen
Although Lupin’s behavior’s trended more chivalrous since The Castle of Cagliostro—it was even a major theme of the most recent series—in the late seventies Lupin was still a bit too roué to respond appropriately to a girl in a slip breaking into his hotel room. Jigen, though, can be trusted to treat our female protagonist as, well, just another human being. And he’ll do it without antics, either—Lupin’s comic side was emphasized in this series, so if you want to get serious, you have to go with Jigen.
And this episode is an excellent light, but not jokey, adventure. There’s a revolution in Janaika—despite its name and island status, feels more like a combination of Argentina and Cuba—and Jigen’s hoping to take advantage of the chaos to steal a famous painting of Venus owned by the dictator. That’s when Sandra, the dictator’s daughter, steps in—the painting’s been promised to her.
The machinations over the painting, the defeat of the security system, and the rest of the Lupin gang’s approach is all well-paced. And the coup is a bit interesting, too—though Jigen’s own leanings are towards the left, the Lupin gang takes its typical approach of staying out of others’ conflicts—they have enough of their own troubles. Jigen finds himself involved because of the painting, and his role in the revolution begins and ends there. And, if the broader context around Sandra hints at anything, it’s that in Janaika revolution is its own form of continuity.
Recommended?
Yes—it’s a well-plotted, well-made episode which really shows Jigen at his best—competent, aware, and empathetic.
Stray Observation
• I love the rebels’ flag, but it looks more appropriate for Central Asia than Latin America.
We’re approaching the end of Lupin III Part II reviews. Next week we do our final three reviews of “regular” episodes, produced in-house by TMS. All three are variations on the “castle” theme: 121 “The Treasure My Grandfather Left Behind,” 126 “Together with Lupin in Hell,” and 137 “The Magnificent Team-Play Operation.” The week after we will look at a Trio of episodes made by Telecom: 143 “The Miami Bank Raid Anniversary,” 151 “The Arrest Lupin Highway Operation,” and 153 “The Bills that Came from God.” We’ll follow that up with a revision of the review of the two Telecom-made episodes directed Miyazaki episodes, 145 “Albatross: Wings of Death” and 155 “Farewell, My Beloved Lupin.”
or, Is the Invaders Safe Open?
One of the most frequently-used plot setups in this fourth season is what we might call the castle: a compound either containing a treasure our heroes have to get or a place where they find themselves trapped and unable to escape. The thievery bits of “Is the Invaders Safe Open?” are essentially a standard-issue example of this kind of episode: Catherine, a rich Long Island widow, challenges Lupin to steal a diamond in her mansion. There are various trials—some more ridiculous than others—culminating in the final one to get to the diamond, breaking into safe unlocked by winning the then-new game of space invaders. In a nice bit of animated bravado, each drop in coincides with steel beams in the walls. It’s silly, but unlike the previous trials it looks cool enough to overcome that.
But these trials aren’t the main draw. We get another glimpse into Jigen’s New York roots (oddly this episode implies this Lupin’s first time in the city). Zenigata follows them, and Catherine ends up aiding their escape, when she presents Lupin and Jigen with their challenge. Catherine, it turns out, is an ex-lover of Jigen’s. She fell in with Jigen when his career as an outlaw was developing—Jigen knew that, whether he ended up in a better material condition or prison, it wasn’t the right life for Catherine.
Despite having seemingly every since Jigen break her way, though, Catherine’s now terminally ill. Offering Jigen the chance to steal the diamond on his own terms (obtain it as a thief rather than accept it as a gift) is her way of saying goodbye. Jigen takes it stoically, but takes it hard. Their final scene together is a great moment—it forces Jigen to confront the fact that, despite his unethical choices and her good ones, she’s the one dying. And while it tragically justifies Jigen’s life alone, her continuing affection shows that one can never totally outrun the past.
Recommended?
Yes. The mechanics of the theft are mostly unremarkable, but its finale and the Jigen-Catherine relationship, though a bit melodramatic, hits its mark.
Stray Observations
• The NYPD was evidently pretty well off in the late fifties and early sixties, driving 1958 Lincolns here (I looked it up and they actually drove Fords, but one can’t fault the animators for going with the more distinctive Lincolns).
• I didn’t mention it last week in my discussion of the fourth season’s music last week, but the final theme for the fourth series does go further than previous themes. While previous end themes always had a certain witsfulness to theme, this one, “Love is Everything,” is downright gooey (when I first heard it—right after the non-stop action of “Albatross”—my response was a “whaaa?”). But it works perfectly here.
129 In Jigen, I Saw the Gentleness of a Man’s Soul
or, The Kindness of Jigen is Seen
Although Lupin’s behavior’s trended more chivalrous since The Castle of Cagliostro—it was even a major theme of the most recent series—in the late seventies Lupin was still a bit too roué to respond appropriately to a girl in a slip breaking into his hotel room. Jigen, though, can be trusted to treat our female protagonist as, well, just another human being. And he’ll do it without antics, either—Lupin’s comic side was emphasized in this series, so if you want to get serious, you have to go with Jigen.
And this episode is an excellent light, but not jokey, adventure. There’s a revolution in Janaika—despite its name and island status, feels more like a combination of Argentina and Cuba—and Jigen’s hoping to take advantage of the chaos to steal a famous painting of Venus owned by the dictator. That’s when Sandra, the dictator’s daughter, steps in—the painting’s been promised to her.
The machinations over the painting, the defeat of the security system, and the rest of the Lupin gang’s approach is all well-paced. And the coup is a bit interesting, too—though Jigen’s own leanings are towards the left, the Lupin gang takes its typical approach of staying out of others’ conflicts—they have enough of their own troubles. Jigen finds himself involved because of the painting, and his role in the revolution begins and ends there. And, if the broader context around Sandra hints at anything, it’s that in Janaika revolution is its own form of continuity.
Recommended?
Yes—it’s a well-plotted, well-made episode which really shows Jigen at his best—competent, aware, and empathetic.
Stray Observation
• I love the rebels’ flag, but it looks more appropriate for Central Asia than Latin America.
We’re approaching the end of Lupin III Part II reviews. Next week we do our final three reviews of “regular” episodes, produced in-house by TMS. All three are variations on the “castle” theme: 121 “The Treasure My Grandfather Left Behind,” 126 “Together with Lupin in Hell,” and 137 “The Magnificent Team-Play Operation.” The week after we will look at a Trio of episodes made by Telecom: 143 “The Miami Bank Raid Anniversary,” 151 “The Arrest Lupin Highway Operation,” and 153 “The Bills that Came from God.” We’ll follow that up with a revision of the review of the two Telecom-made episodes directed Miyazaki episodes, 145 “Albatross: Wings of Death” and 155 “Farewell, My Beloved Lupin.”