Despite being part of the "light-hearted" episodes directed by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, it turned out to be a rather serious chapter almost without humor, though "heroic Lupin" is still present here, once again saving a beautiful girl from a cruel villain.
I must say this episode is a bit generic and not particularly memorable, repeating the same formula from previous, much better chapters, without being particularly amusing nor interesting.
The premise had a lot of potential, but the execution is fairly weak. Mostly due the completely forgettable villain (Even when the dub I watched tried to give him a bit more of personality by giving him a cartoonishly evil laugh) and the equally forgettable hostage girl.
Of all the episode from the 1971 Lupin the Third series I have seen, this might be the weakest one of the bunch.
I must say this episode is a bit generic and not particularly memorable, repeating the same formula from previous, much better chapters, without being particularly amusing nor interesting.
The premise had a lot of potential, but the execution is fairly weak. Mostly due the completely forgettable villain (Even when the dub I watched tried to give him a bit more of personality by giving him a cartoonishly evil laugh) and the equally forgettable hostage girl.
Of all the episode from the 1971 Lupin the Third series I have seen, this might be the weakest one of the bunch.