The result, , is not just a gimmick. It is a love letter to the franchise’s heritage, a standalone adventure that respects the source material while pushing the visual boundaries of Japanese animation. For newcomers and longtime fans alike, this film serves as a perfect entry point into the chaotic, clever, and charismatic world of Lupin.

For over five decades, the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin III has been a chameleon of the animated world. He has been a cigar-chomping, magenta-suited icon of the 1970s, a sleek protagonist of episodic adventures, and even a gritty figure in darker theatrical films. But in 2019, director Takashi Yamazaki (known for Stand by Me: Doraemon and the Academy Award-winning The Great War of Archimedes ) did something that many fans considered either brilliant or blasphemous: he rendered the world’s greatest thief in full 3D CGI.

"Lupin III: The First" has received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising the film's bold animation style, engaging story, and faithfulness to the original character. The movie has also performed well at the box office, demonstrating the enduring popularity of Lupin III.

franchise, serving as the first-ever feature-length film in the series to be fully animated in . Directed by Takashi Yamazaki

, a young aspiring archaeologist with a mysterious connection to the diary. The Conflict: They face off against the , a Nazi splinter group led by

, who believe the diary is the key to a world-ending power generator called the The Heist: