Lupin The 3rd: Bye Bye Lady Liberty [Blu-ray]

This movie is very strange, but you would(and should) know that going in. Osamu Dezaki, who directed(and I believe wrote as well) was an auteur in the truest sense and his finished, non-American projects always sort of come out like experiencing a really lucid dream that seems real and your just one step away from waking up. "Acid trip" is a term that gets thrown out a lot but I feel like that's too strong and broad. I've become a big fan of his and watching his projects when sick or under the weather has a strange, almost soothing effect on me. When looking for more of his work after stumbling onto his Black Jack OVAs from the 90s,(on the Retro Crush app) and looked for more I couldn't believe he was trusted with Lupin the Third of all things! Not only that, he did three other movies and THIS one was the first of the yearly tv movies! My mind was blown! So the movie itself is great! I mean for a tv movie this is literally movie quality animation. Its Dezaki so there's little coherence plot wise, and lot of stylish animation. Lupn and co. have never looked cooler in my opinion with this Mad Magazine style character designs fit them to a T. Plus, I always give credit to any Lupin project that A.) doesn't stoop to doing weird stuff to Fujiko and B.) doesn't try to rein in Zenigata/Pops. The villians are actually kind of awesome as well, they gave me Cagliostro vibes despite this story mostly taking place in America . Looking at the cover, unless you had some insight, I don't think any of you would guess the crazy premise of this movie. I didn't mean to make this review an essay but in closing, I would really prepare myself before purchasing this movie. Osamu Dezaki's anime is not for the unprepared. Its like drinking vintage wine never having consumed alcohol. If you're a lapsed fan who hasn't watched Lupin the Third since the Adult Swim dub aired, this is NOT for you. If you've only watched the most recent series or that cgi movie, trust me, this is NOT for you. However, if you're a die hard or casual Lupin fan and you're open to weird, different, mature takes on these characters, and you liked or appreciated that weird Fujiko series, I think you'll like this movie and appreciate it for what it is: A master expressing himself using established and beloved characters using a 94 minute piece of art. Chef's kiss.

Lupin III is one of the only anime series that I love and I have been a faithful fan since 2003. Like many Americans I was introduced to it through Adult Swim's airings of the second series and from there enjoyed purchasing the movies and sets from Geneon and Funimation. Discotek continues to live up to that proud tradition by releasing some of the earlier television specials, starting with 1989's "Bye Bye, Lady Liberty". The plot is typical Lupin, complete with silliness and all of the unusual gadgets that we've come to love and expect. He steals the Statue of Liberty (using nothing more than a giant balloon, no less), evades captors by using explosive rubber ducks (yes, you read that properly) and battles a strange cult that has some kind of supernatural powers that flow from a creepy old guy. Sound ridiculous? It is and it's a blast. Fans love Lupin because it's fun and never takes itself too seriously. Adventure, mayhem, comedy, and a small amount of drama has always been a winning formula for this series and this release showcases them all wonderfully. The story does drag a bit in places and the plot isn't the strongest, yet it's a fun special and one that fans will most likely find enjoyable to some degree. As always, the special features and presentation are top notch. Discotek has always done this franchise justice and we're treated to the original Japanese sub as well as the 1996 English dub. The dub is serviceable but the character voices seem off, a step down from the great subs by Geneon and Funimation, but it's nice to have it included and as the story progresses you begin to get used to the quirky voices. The liner notes and other small extras are great to have as well. The sound and picture are stellar too. It's great to see this series getting the treatment it deserves and hopefully more viewers here in America will catch on to this legendary franchise. Major kudos to Discotek for keeping up with these releases and I am already eagerly awaiting their next release.

I'm excited about this Anime, I love Lupin and why shouldn't I also be able to recommend this movie to those of you who are looking for a good Anime Movie, action and humor, you can't wait any longer, it arrived undamaged on time with good packaging

This is my sixth Lupin the Third movie I have watched. I own the original series, and red jacket. Please do yourself a favor and watch this in Japanese with the original 1989 cast. The UK dub isn't great. I don't mind it in english versions in the Lupin the Third saga, they change, and that's totally cool with me. I didn't care for this one. It definitely has the Lupin goodness we all know and love. I am happy to add this to my collection. Thank you!

This is the one that started all the television specials it's awesome I just love Lupin I don't know how anybody can not love Lupin just watch whatever you want to watch with this series of movies have a lot of fun with it it's great stuff

Lupin and crew get embroiled with a secret society trying to use a hidden jewel from the Statue of Liberty to combine with a computer virus to wipe out the planet, kooky art and wild story.

An awesome anime exciting adventure.

Enjoyed the movie....

great film and a must see if your a fan. Here's a list of all the other film in the Series if you want to check them out.(the original title's of the film's) 1. the castle of cagliostro 2. missed by a dollar 3. secret of mamo 4. fujikos unlucky day 5. dead or alive 6. bye bye liberty crisis 7. princess of the breeze 8. sweet lost nights 9. the fuma conspiracy 10. napoleons dictionary 11. the legend of the gold of babylon 12. memory of the weather-p 38 13. order to assasintate lupin 14. the stolen lupin 15. the last job 16. zangetsu sword of fire 17. lupin the 3rd vs detective conan (Part 1 "2011" and part 2 "2013") 18. the seven days rhapsody 19. Blood seal eternal mermaid 20. another page 21. the first contact 22. lupin the 3rd kiri_no_elusive 23. return the treasures 24. alcatraz connection 25. from Russia with love 26. angel tactics 27. hunt for harimos treasure 28. secret of twilight gemini 29. memories of the flaming tokyo 30. farewell to nostradamus 31. lupin the 3rd 2014 "live action film" 32. return of pycal 33. hemingway papers 34. lupin the 3rd 1970's "live action film" 35. red vs green

Rare 1996 Re-Released dvd with the rare uk English Dub, and Special Features.......