Episode 9

Lupin III, vol. 6: Assassin Sings the Blues

This story is unusual in that it gives Fujiko a previous love interest, and puts her dangerously close to dying. The artwork is good, as is the interaction between the various characters.

At the airport (probably Narita) a man meets up with his partner (Kyap) (it's been a long time since they last met) and they drive to the bay. At the docks, Kyap says that he needs help protecting some papers from Lupin, and the first man (Parn) replies that he came to this country to finish business from three years before, concerning a woman in a photo. The photo is of Fujiko. Meanwhile, Lupin is trying to put the moves on Fujiko, while she drives around in her Triumph. However, Fujiko just wants to hear about the next job. Lupin answers that he's after the confidential papers for an electronic brain worth several billion yen.

At the hideout, Jigen is killing time throwing darts, and Goemon is wondering who else will be involved. Jigen's answer of "that woman" is overheard as Lupin enters the room, followed by Fujiko. Goemon cuts up a table to show his refusal to work with her, and he leaves. Jigen is disgusted.

At the docks, in a warehouse, Lupin knocks out a guard who was reading a girlie magazine, and confronts Kyap. The two try to out-duel each other. With a throwing knife, Kyap disarms Lupin, and takes his pistol. Kyap states that the papers aren't in this office. Lupin already knows this. Angry, Kyap punches Lupin in the face, but just succeeds in removing the mask, to reveal Fujiko. Kyap gets a phone call from warehouse 4, but the caller is unconscious when the phone is answered. He wants to know where the real Lupin is, and Fujiko replies "warehouse #4." At the warehouse, Lupin is happily driving away, and Jigen is shooting down anyone that dares fire at the departing car.

Enraged, Kyap plans on killing Fujiko, but she answers that that's pointless -- her gun was boobytrapped. Saying goodbye, she turns and walks right into Parn. In a flashback, on a cliff over the ocean, a group of shadowy men order Parn to kill Fujiko. He shot, Fujiko was hit in the shoulder, and she fell into the ocean below. Parn stared over the edge of the cliff as his target swam away. In the present, Kyap asks if this is the woman, and Fujiko uses a smokebomb to get away. Kyap fires once (with a different gun,) before Parn stops him. Kyap wants to know what the problem is, and Parn tells him to look at the floor. There is a trail of blood.

At the hideout, Fujiko, unconscious, mutters 'Parn.' Lupin asks who 'Parn' is, and a depressed Jigen answers "the name of an assassin." Parn had a girlfriend, that disappeared 3 years ago. Lupin asks who this woman was, but Jiken says he doesn't know. Then, the doctor steps out of the room, saying that it's an emergency, and he needs to get more instruments. Lupin asks him to do this, but the front door opens and and the doctor is knocked out. Kyap and Parn step inside; Lupin and Parn stare at each other. Jigen reaches for his pistol, and Kyap wings him. Parn carries out Fujiko, and when Lupin warns that she shouldn't be moved, Kyap coldcocks him. Jigen wants to help, but Kyap warns him again to not move. Then, Kyap sees the plans on the couch, and takes them. The villians leave, and Jigen tries to shoot them, but he ruefully notes that he's not good at shooting with his left hand. Lupin recovers, dashes to his car, and drives off while leaving Jigen behind. Parn comforts the unconscious Fujiko, and Lupin is in close pursuit.

Inside the hideout again, Goemon wants to know what Lupin is doing, but Jigen can't answer. Then, Lupin calls in via walkie talkie. He wants Jigen to come help him out, and asks for the doctor. The doctor had returned to his office, and Lupin asks to have him brought out to him, quickly. In their hideout, Kyap wants to have the woman disposed of so they can get away. However, Parn is lost in his own thoughts, making Kyap concerned.

Jigen arrives, saying that the doctor is coming later with Goemon. Jigen wants to get to the hideout, but Kyap shoots at him. Lupin and henchman take cover. Parns asks if Kyap was shooting at Lupin, and Kyap replies "the henchman." Jigen wants to know what to do now, and Lupin answers "wait 8 hours." Parn gets disgusted with Lupin's lack of attack, and goes downstairs to stare at the victim. Kyap asks why they're hanging around with her. Fujiko remains unconscious.

Jigen asks what Lupin is doing, cutting down bamboo, and he watches as Lupin makes a large bow and arrow set. One walkie talkie is tied to the arrow, and launched into the cabin. Lupin then argues with Parn to have Fujiko brought out; he only wants to save her (he isn't interested in the papers, or revenge.) Jigen doesn't like the fact that Lupin wants ONLY the girl. Then, Goemon arrives with the doctor's black bag; the doctor was too scared and refused to come with. Having done his job, Goemon returns home.

Parn sits next to Fujiko, remembering the good times the two of them had (riding horse together; she'd drink wine while he cleaned his rifle...) Fujiko recovers enough to recognize Parn; then recalls the time when she was on the cliff, and he'd told her to run away, before shooting her in the shoulder. She loses consciousness again.

Some distance away, Goemon plays flute to the setting sun. It gets dark, and Lupin radios to Parn. He wants to bring in the medicine, but Parn refuses to allow that. Instead, Lupin offers to launch the medicine to the cabin, if Parn can administer it himself. Parn allows this option. Kyap wonders if Parn really can help the woman. Jigen also asks this, and Lupin doesn't care either way. He's just awaiting his chance. The bamboo arrows are launched at the cabin, and keep hitting the outside of the walls, making Kyap more disgusted. Parn wordlessly accepts the arrows and removes the packets from them. Finally, one arrow hits the cabin a ways above the window, and Kyap has to crawl out to get it. This is what Lupin was waiting for, and he fires a rock that smashes into Kyap's head. Parn looks outside to see what's happening, and fires off a shot at Lupin. The hero races to the back of the cabin, and gets to Fujiko first. Parn stands at the top of the stairs, gun out, while Lupin states that he has what he came for, and is going to leave now. Fujiko recovers, and yells for Parn to not shoot. A gun shot rings out.

Parn collapses. Fujiko had grabbed Lupin's gun, and killed her former lover. His last words imply that he wanted to get together with her again. Jigen arrives, and lowers his hat in respect. Later, in a disco, Lupin and Fujiko are dancing and drinking. Lupin is getting ready to make a play for her. However, when Jigen descends the stairs to the new hideout, he finds Lupin stripped to his underwear, tied up, and with a large bump on his head. And, at the docks where Parn had last met Kyap, Fujiko stares out at a ship anchored in the bay.
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Episode 10

Lupin III, vol. 6: Chase the Money Counterfeiter

The character designs shift a bit with Chase the Money Counterfeiter, and the story returns to a pure adventure theme. Lupin and Jigen bomb a car carrying a suitcase. They take the suitcase, which probably belongs to Danshaku ("The Baron." Danshaku is a rank of Japanese nobility.) Later, in a small prop plane, Lupin is complaining about Danshaku's poor counterfeiting skills. Then, when the plane is over a city, Jigen dumps the bills that were inside the suitcase. Below, people madly scramble for the cash, but stop short upon reading "counterfeits made by Danshaku, exposed by Lupin III," written on them.

The elegantly coiffed, blond Danshaku is in a room with an underling, cursing Lupin's interference. The underling, French, says that he has a plan -- he's contacted Mine Fujiko. Danshaku doesn't believe this, but Fujiko is already leaning by the door. She says that Lupin is moving towards the location of Kowalski Empire. Danshaku yells out, and French wonders why. Danshaku states that the woman living in the huge mountain there is his mother. He tells Fujiko to stop Lupin, and he'll go to the mountain himself. Fujiko agrees.

As they are flying along, Jigen asks who the "Silver Fox" is. Lupin replies that 30 years ago, Iwanov used to make real money, before becoming the world's best counterfeiter. He connected with a strange woman, "The Silver Fox," who collects clocks. Basically, everyone is after Iwanov to have him make a set of plates for them. Suddenly, Fujiko flies up, gets Lupin worried, and then shoots him down. Following behind in a helicopter, French and Danshaku are pleased to see Lupin crash. On the ground, Fujiko wonders where the bodies are, while Lupin and Jigen sneak into her plane. They fly off, stranding her (she is most annoyed.)

A ways farther into the frozen wastes, a car drives into a hollow mountain; at the top of the mount is a huge clock. The Silver Fox, the old grey-haired empress, leaves her car and is greeted by Iwanov. He's been working on the mechanism of the big clock for her. She is pleased, but someone rings the front doorbell. She bids Iwanov goodnight, and is annoyed to discover that her boy has arrived. Danshaku wants her to turn over Iwanov (it's common knowledge that she is hiding him somewhere, probably within the mountain.) They argue, and she denies that Iwanov is in the area. They are interrupted by the arrival of Zenigata. The old woman meets Zenigata in her lounge, which is decorated with various clocks. Zenigata introduces himself, then states that he has word that Lupin is in the area. She claims to know nothing of this man, and Zenigata warns her of the thief. She laughs, and gives him a veiled warning. She presses a button, and various clocks sprout arrow-shooting gunbarrels. The Inspector leaps out of the way, and demands to know the meaning of this. She tells Lupin to quit playing games, and to take off the mask. He does so, and calls her Ukulina, The Silver Fox. She asks why he's come, and Lupin replies that he wants Iwanov. She gets angry, and tells him to leave. Lupin opens a window, saying that they'll meet again. However, he's shocked to discover that the window is part of the face of the big clock, and the minute hand is swooping down to chop him in two. He leaps out, and slides down the steep slope on his back.

Jigen is waiting below in a car, and drives Lupin (with his jacket destroyed in back) home. Lupin decides that Iwanov is not here. At the Imperial Hotel, Lupin and Jigen discover that Fujiko is waiting for them. She wants to work with them to get Iwanov, who she claims is living in the mountain. Lupin argues with her, until Fujiko produces a photo that shows the target standing by a window in the big clock's face, within the '0' of the numeral '10.' She also states that Danshaku has hired her, so Jigen decides that he wants out of this caper.

Within the mountain's halls, Danshaku's men are looking for Iwanov, but haven't found him so far. Danshaku yells at them to find the target before Lupin does, and has them split up to search some more. High above, on the ceiling, Lupin chuckles. He locates a passage that opens outdoors, below the face of the big clock. He climbs up, then uses a rope to snag the minute hand and clambers up to it. Along the way, he happens over another window. Inside, Ukulina is walking through a room, while holding a candle. He continues up to the minute hand, then hunkers down to wait. It's currently 11:38, and he needs the minute hand to reach 11:50 to allow him to get to the window. The cold gets to him, as he drifts off to sleep. The wind is chilly, and drives the snow ahead of it. Finally, it's time. Lupin uses his 'cut through metal' dagger to open up the window.

Inside, is the mechanism of the big clock. He stares at the work of Iwanov, as various parts click and rotate. Ukulina walks out of the room, and Lupin hides just in time. He wonders why she would be up at this time, and discovers that one of the clock parts, a bucket, is really an elevator to the next floor up. Above, Lupin discovers Iwanov, and a huge array of counterfeit currencies. He comments on the workmanship, and Iwanov (sitting motionlessly at a table) comments that the bill Lupin is drooling over is actually the real thing.

Lupin tries to get Iwanov to do a counterfeiting job for him, but the man doesn't take on any new work these days. He just wants to live in peace, and not have to kill all the guys looking for him. He tells Lupin to go back home, but the thief pulls a gun and implies that he's willing to take tough measures of persuasion. This is a mistake; Iwanov steps on a button and Lupin falls into a hole in the floor. Iwanov asks Lupin to leave him alone, and Lupin refuses. So, the tube opens to a lower section and Lupin falls further. Iwanov asks again, Lupin refuses again, and Lupin falls further. Lupin falls into a tunnel, asking if he could have one more chance to reconsider.

Danshaku and minions are already in that tunnel, and encircle Lupin, with guns drawn. Iwanov is watching on a monitor, and he pushes another button. The wall opens, and the floor tilts. Everyone falls to the field below, except Danshaku. The man crawls back inside, unnoticed. Lupin drives off in his jeep, and the minions chase him in their cars. There's lots of shooting, and one by one, the chasers crash. French has his car equipped with machineguns behind the headlights, and missile launchers. Ukulina is watching with binoculars, from the window in the secret room. Then, Danshaku discovers Iwanov's secret room. He wants to take Iwanov and leave, but Ukulina keeps watching him through the binoculars. The two men struggle, and Ukulina shoots Danshaku with the tiny pistol hid in the binoculars. In revenge, her son shoots her back. The old woman dies, telling Iwanov that he's now free to do his own thing again. But, he's devoted to her, and doesn't want to leave her side.

Outside, Lupin shoots some of the men chasing him, but has to dodge the shells from French's car. French gets out, to shoot at Lupin with a machinegun. The gun is shot from French's hands, and Lupin dives for it. But, someone shoots the machinegun, destroying it. Fujiko is on the ridge, with a rifle. Lupin is happy, but she wants the two men to fight it out on an even footing. She then shoots French's car, destroying the last remaining, working vehicle. Fujiko drives away in her own car to get Iwanov, as French kicks Lupin in the face.

Iwanov has placed the Silver Fox in an open coffin, surrounded by flowers. He goes to the printing room, and turns a key. The mountain top explodes, killing him. Outside, Fujiko is moaning "No way! It can't be happening! This is the worst!" French and Lupin have bashed themselves up pretty good. Lupin asks if French heard something just now, between blows. French replies that it's just the ringing in their ears.

Much later, Jigen has found Lupin, and bandaged him up real good. They walk into the sunset, with Lupin muttering plans for using his counterfeit money. Jigen isn't impressed.
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Episode 11

Lupin III, vol. 7: The Time the Seventh Bridge Falls

I don't have this volume.

Someone is blowing up bridges in the city, and the latest explosion almost kills Zenigata. Looking at a map, Lupin discovers that there is a pattern involved. Jigen locates the bomb planted in one of the remaining bridges, and Lupin defuses it. The bomb is returned to its place. The next day, the bomber checks in with the failed device, and Lupin follows him back to his castle. There, Lupin and Jigen are captured, and the old man that owns the castle explains his plan -- An armored car will be used to transport a large suitcase of money from the city. Because many of the bridges along the route have been destroyed, the armored car will be forced to follow one specific route, allowing Lupin and Jigen to hijack it.

Lupin and Jigen refuse to get involved, until the old man pulls out a female hostage and threatens to kill her. Lupin submits. On the day that the armored car moves out, Lupin and Jigen use large paintings to force the car into an alley, and then trick the driver into driving out into the river. The armored car lands in Lupin's boat, and they get the money.

Lupin delivers the money to the old man. However, instead of releasing the girl, the villian has given Lupin a disguised dummy. Further, the villian has called Zenigata, and the entire police force descends on our hero. But, Jigen has attached a rope from the villian's boat to the part of the dock that Lupin is standing on, and Lupin gets to water ski during the ensuing gun fight. The villian is killed, and the girl is rescued. Unfortunately, the police interfere before the girl can thank Lupin. Lupin and Jigen escape in their boat.
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Episode 12

Lupin III, vol. 7: Who is Laughing Last?

I don't have this volume.

Out in the middle of some snowy wastes, an old white-haired man has two wooden boxes. A hatchet-wielding villian and his army has captured the old coot, while Fujiko tries to sneak in and steal the two boxes. She only gets one before the army is alerted, and she has to escape via her snow mobile. She fights it out with part of the army, then escapes to her cave hide-out -- where Lupin is waiting. Lupin is willing to either take the box from her, or just sleep with her. Fujiko objects to both options, so Lupin grabs her and takes her back to the old coot.

The army is alerted, and the hatchet man has his men hide, while the coot is released to talk to Lupin. Lupin gives the coot lots of money to find out what is in the boxes. He learns that they contain 2 gold statues.

Jigen, meanwhile, is sabotaging the army's vehicles. Finally, Lupin escapes the army's traps, and he instead starts lobbing mortar rounds into their camp. The hatchet man refuses to surrender the statues, and he carries them to his burning snow crawler just before it explodes and he is killed. The army is defeated, and Fujiko and the old coot are free to escape.

Lupin and Jigen tie themselves to Fujiko's snowmobile, and she enjoys the chance to shake them off. On the other side of the burning camp, the old coot rides off on a second snowmobile, carrying Fujiko's maps and Lupin's money.
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Episode 13

Lupin III, vol. 8: Beware the Time Machine!

Lupin is driving on a road late at night, when a weird guy in a cape appears on the road, and warns that Lupin will die in 4 days. Lupin then continues on to pick up Jigen, and they go to a mansion to commit their next crime. Inside the mansion, the owner (a fat old man with a heavy beard) complains that Lupin isn't going to show. Zenigata is in the same room, and he claims that Lupin WILL show. However, Jigen has already disguised himself as a maid, and Lupin is disguised as the old man. Lupin's cigar emits a heavy smoke cloud, and he steals the gold Indian statue that Zenigata was guarding. Outside, Lupin and Jigen are preparing to put the statue in the car, when the statue disappears. The weird guy and his cape show up, and the guy claims to be Lupin the 13th -- he came from the future to steal the statue and to kill Lupin the 3rd. Lupin and Jigen drive off and return to their hideout.

Lupin is disgusted to find Jigen and Goemon going through old books to find references to a name that Lupin 13 dropped -- Mamou. Lupin falls asleep, and Lupin 13 appears in his dream to describe the time machine he'd made. Then Jigen locates a book that refers to Mamou -- a magic-using character created by SF writer Hugo (who was born on Nov. 11, 1932, the date given by Lupin 13 in Lupin 3rd's dream.) Lupin then tries to force a showdown with Lupin 13, but it is 3 days early. Lupin 13 uses his powers to make himself, and his castle, disappear. Back in the hideout, Lupin describes what he'd seen, and he laughs like he's losing his mind. He retreats to his room, and is visited by Fujiko. He and Fujiko decide to go on a date to the race track. But, during one race, one of the horses disappears, and Lupin 13 can be seen in the crowd. Lupin 3rd is getting scared now. Things get out of hand, and Lupin asks Fujiko to marry him now, because he's going to die in a couple of days. They go to a nearby church, and a priest performs the ceremony. And, when Lupin tries to kiss his bride, she disappears from his arms. Lupin 13 is standing in the back of the church, watching.

In the hideout, Lupin says that he's giving up, and then he disappears also. Jigen and Goemon panic, until Lupin pops up from behind the fish aquarium in the room. Turns out that all of this has just been a magician's trick using glass and mirrors. So, Lupin sets a trap for Lupin 13, recreating an old peasant village that indicates that the Time Machine really does work. Lupin 13 slips up, and gives Goemon the chance to slice up the time machine (Fujiko was unconscious inside.) "Lupin 13's" disguise is destroyed, and the faker runs away in fear. However, Fujiko wants to resume the marriage ceremony, and Lupin 3 runs away in terror.
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