Manga Subject: Manga reviews Reviewed this time: Lupin III, vol. 2: Lupin is Burning...?! by Monkey Punch Lupin III, vol. 3: Farewell, Lovable Magic Woman by Monkey Punch Lupin III, vol. 4: 13th Generation Goemon is Here by Monkey Punch Lupin III, vol. 5: One Wolf Calls Another by Monkey Punch Lupin III, vol. 6: Assassin Sings the Blues by Monkey Punch Lupin III, vol. 8: Beware the Time Machine by Monkey Punch Back in 1992, Comic Souris started printing the color comics based on the original Lupin III TV episodes. These are of the "first season" Lupin, or "the Blue Suit Lupin" (ie. -- Lupin's first wardrobe on the show consisted of: a blue suit jacket, green pants, yellow tie, and black shirt.) I have no way of confirming that the order of the TV episodes and the order they are printed in the volumes are the same, but these volumes are consistently 2 stories each, in apparent sequence, and do seem to match up more or less correctly. NOTE: Lupin III, vol. 1, is actually a 3-book set taken from the movie Castle of Cagliostro. Since there are 23 episodes, and only 12 books, it would appear that one episode has been ommited, but I'm not sure which one. Lupin III, vol. 2: Lupin is Burning...?!, and The Man They Call a Magician Over all, the production values in the manga are above average in vol. 2. Since the pictures are taken from the TV show, there's not much to say about the artwork. Basically, this LOOKS like a color comic book. The colors could be a little more vibrant, but that's not a major problem. If you liked the early Lupin series, you'll like this book. There is fighting, death, implied sex, and a panel or two of Fujiko's exposed breasts. The episode starts out with Lupin entering a car race, and intervening before one mechanic can tamper with the engine of Lupin's race car. We quickly learn that Scorpion (a crime syndicate that may have been introduced in earlier,) is putting on the race just to kill Lupin -- all of the racers, pit crew, and support staff are Scorpion agents. All, that is, except for the police inspector that is also shown in flash-back: Zenigata. Zenigata has entered the race to capture Lupin. On a hillside, a distance from the race course, Daisuke Jigen is sitting with a radio, keeping in contact with Lupin and Mine Fujiko (Lupin calls her "his lover.") Meanwhile, Fujiko has infiltrated Scorpion's Hotel Miracle, only to be swiftly caught and fastened down to a "tickle board." The head of Scorpion describes his plan: along the race course, there are various traps (oil spills, piles of lumber,) awaiting Lupin. His death will be filmed by the many cameras set up along the way. And, when Lupin dies, so will Fujiko. However, while they're waiting, the leader rips open Fujiko's blouse, and starts the little plastic hands of the tickle board to do their work. Lupin knows about the traps, though, and he switches places with Jigen during the race, to sneak into the hotel while the baddies think that he is still in his car. Disguised as a plumber, Lupin breaks lots of pipes to flood the basement, and then runs some high voltage wires out to the room where the enemy is watching the TV monitors. Everyone but the leader is electrocuted, and the leader gets shot by one of his own men. Lupin and Fujiko escape, and Lupin re-enters the race to dispose of the remaining Scorpion men. The leader makes it to the race course, and dies thinking that Lupin has been blown up. It looks like Zenigata is going to come up completely empty-handed, until Fujiko knocks out Jigen, and tells Zenigata how Lupin had faked his alibi with Zenigata as one of the witnesses. In return, Zenigata rips up Fujiko's arrest warrant, and handcuffs Lupin and Jigen. Apologizing to Lupin, Fujiko drives off. Zenigata happily drags Lupin to jail; but, what we see is Zenigata dragging the wreckage of a racecar, tied to his handcuffs. Lupin pops his head up from the backseat of Fujiko's car, and uses one of the little plastic hands to play with Fujiko's hair. The scene fades out as Fujiko protests Lupin's sexual advances. In _The Man They Call A Magician_, a man named Piker gets riddled with machinegun fire from some shadowy agents. Later, on Lupin's estate, Jigen is practicing with his pistol, and Lupin is catching fish for supper. Inside, Fujiko is taking a shower. Lupin fixes supper, and comments (in a flashback) on how he and Jigen had just rescued Fujiko from a house fire. Jigen holds up an octopus (which reappears throughout the episode, for no explained reason,) and gets Lupin recoiling in horror. But, Lupin's carefully planned supper is destroyed when Piker enters the house and kidnaps Fujiko. Piker shoots flame from his fingertip, and takes "combat magnum" bullet rounds to the head without flinching. Apparently, he is an invincible demon. Lupin and Jigen go to the scene of the house fire, while Piker tortures Fujiko and asks her where the "photos" are. Fujiko pretends to want to have sex with Piker, then pulls out a derringer and shoots the man pointblank -- again, no effect. At Fujiko's burned-out house, the two heroes don't find anything interesting. Then, Jigen discovers 3 film slides hidden in the dashboard of Lupin's car at the same time that Fujiko confesses to Piker. Lupin studies the slides, but they make no sense to him. Piker returns to Lupin's house, and withstands a grenade blast, and a bazooka round. Piker then sets fire to some furniture with his finger. He also walks on air as Lupin drives away to escape. The last blast of flame destroys Lupin's car, but he and Jigen do get away. Back at his hideout, Piker reads the note that Fujiko left behind, when she slipped out of her ropes. Jigen is sleeping on the couch, when Lupin comes into the room to show him how the trick with the fire is done. Jigen's pants are extinguished, and Lupin states that Piker has a tube running from a concealed gas can, to his fingertip; it's a small flamethrower. As for walking on air, that's just a very strong sheet of glass that had been rigged in place beforehand. But, they still don't know what the slides are for. At this point, Fujiko shows up, and moves the glass sheet. Lupin discovers this by climbing out the window to grab his lover, and tumbles to the ground. In a daze, he realizes that the slides are three parts of one picture -- made complete by viewing all three at one time. Lupin wants to confront Piker, and Fujiko leaves after reluctantly telling him to be careful. In his hideout, Piker is awakened by a taped message from Fujiko, stating that Piker is a fake, and Lupin is the strongest man in the world. Piker takes the challenge, and uses a small prop plane to fly over Lupin's car, and drops down on top of the roof. Piker gets into the backseat of the speeding car, and asks where the film is. Lupin answers that it's in his pocket. Piker replies that it can stay there, and shoots Lupin in the back of the head. Lupin's car goes over a cliff, and Piker jumps out before it splashes into the deep water below. Lupin hallucinates Fujiko as a mermaid that tells him goodbye before swimming off; Jigen standing outside the door, saying that Fujiko is a dangerous woman; and an octopus. The octopus turns out to be a rope, and Jigen hauls Lupin to the surface, to safety. When Piker returns to his hideout, Lupin is already there waiting for him. Piker sets Lupin on fire, but it has no effect. Lupin then tells us that the slides contain the formula for a chemical compound that can protect its user from strong impacts and fire. Lupin and Piker get into a fire duel, and Piker loses. The villian uses the trapdoor in the floor of his cabin to reach a rope to climb down to the river raging several hundred feet below them (Piker is living in a cabin attached to the top of a cliff, next to a waterfall.) But, the fire burns through the rope, and Piker is believed to fall to his death. Back at Lupin's house, Jigen is target practicing again, and Fujiko is seducing Lupin just to get at the formula. However, the slides were destroyed in the fire duel, and Lupin deliberately forgot the formula as well. So, Fujiko bops Lupin on the head with a vase, and leaves. Lupin tries to chase after her, and runs into the sheet of glass again. However, Lupin is philosophical about it all, as the scene fades to black. Volume 2 is nothing really great, but it's nice to have if you are a fan of the early series. [Comic Souris, ISBN4-12-410408-1 C0379, 680 yen] ### Lupin III, vol. 3: Farewell, Lovable Magic Woman, and One Chance For a Prison Break Not as much to say about this volume. The artwork is average, and the stories are straightforward mind candy. In _Farewell_, Lupin goes to an island in search of a scientist who has developed a powerful explosive from the petals of a flower that grows only on this island. Along the way, he falls for the scientist's daughter, Linda, and afoul of the assassin's group -- "Killer In Killers." Lupin gets caught, and KIK's leader, Starn, offers him a chance to join the group. But, Lupin prefers to escape by tying Starn up and impersonating him. KIK wants the flowers to make a bomb devastating enough to make them a world power, and Lupin just wants Linda. Fujiko makes a deal with Linda to ship some of the flowers off the island, but her plane is shot down by KIK. As KIK starts digging up the flower patch, Lupin sprays it down with gasoline and torches it. However, Linda is actually a byproduct of the flowers, and she dies as well (with the help of a bullet from her father.) KIK shoots and kills the scientist, leaving Starn and Lupin to face each other. At this point (supposedly, the island is at danger from the burning flowers) the only way off the island is via a submerged submarine missile that Lupin learned about from the scientist. Starn intercepts Lupin on the sub, but gets coldcocked by Fujiko. Fujiko also wants to use the missile, but warns that it won't go more than 100 meters with two people aboard. She makes a show of sacrificing herself for Lupin, but smuggles herself aboard, anyway. The missile launches, (probably killing Starn) and goes less than 100 meters. The story ends with the main three sailing on a raft in the ocean, trailing a SOS signal. Jigen is complaining about Fujiko being a dangerous woman (right now, she is getting all the shade from their jackets,) and Lupin tells him to quit complaining. _One Chance for a Prison Break_ is a bit unusual in that Lupin gets imprisoned for murder, and Zenigata does his best to have Lupin hang. We start out with Lupin uncovering a cache of gold coins, (and apparently trying to kill three guards,) when Zenigata steps in. Jigen and Fujiko airlift the money box to safety, but Lupin is caught. Fujiko then keeps trying to free Lupin, but Jigen keeps stopping her. Jigen knows that Lupin has a plan, but no clue as to what it is. However, Lupin goes to jail, and is sentenced to death at the end of one year. He is stripped down, and straitjacketed. And, for the next year, he drives Zenigata crazy by claiming that Lupin has escaped and disguised himself as one of the guards. As time runs out, Zenigata and Jigen are getting really worried. All this time, one Buddhist priest has been visiting Lupin, so Jigen decides to take the priest's place on the final day, to sneak in a gun to give to Lupin. But, Lupin turns him down, indicating that this is a one-man showdown between him and Zenigata. Jigen leaves (after getting a last cigarette from Zenigata to give to Lupin.) With 20 minutes left until the execution, Lupin reveals that while MOST of his gimmicks were taken from him, he had used the time to let his index fingernail grow and become sharp enough to cut through the straitjacket, and to shave with. Zenigata interrupts him halfway through the shave, but Lupin keeps acting crazy. When the time comes, Lupin overpowers his guard, and slips out of the cell. The guard is taken off to be executed, loudly proclaiming that he's not Lupin. Lupin gives himself away to Zenigata, but panicks the cop by asking who it is that is about to be fried. Zenigata runs to stop the execution, and Lupin just walks out the front gate in the guard's uniform. Fujiko, thinking about Lupin's sad demise, throws his prized Walther P-38 into the ocean. Jigen is happy to see Lupin, but dismayed to learn that the forest where he buried the loot a year ago has become a blasting site. One explosion sends the gold coins into the air, and across the landscape. Lupin lights up another last cigarette, and he and Jigen laugh over the situation. Again, volume 3 is recommended to people that like the series, and collect-aholics. [Comic Souris, ISBN4-12-410409-X C0379, 680 yen] ### Lupin III, vol. 4: 13th Generation Goemon is Here, and The Rainy Afternoon is Dangerous The artwork remains consistent in _Goemon_, but the animators had trouble holding to the model sheets in _Rainy Afternoon_. It's interesting to see the introduction of Goemon as an assassin, but the following story depicts Fujiko as being very ruthless and even possibly calculatingly murderous. Much more so than in other episodes; but this is possibly in keeping with Monkey Punch's original intent. The story in _Goemon_ is quite straight-forward. One day, while practicing his chops against automated hatchet-throwing machines, Ishigawa Goemon is approached by two men claiming to be talent scouts from Hollywood, searching for actors to appear in a samurai movie. These are obviously Lupin and Jigen, speaking in katakana-English. Goemon notices that Jigen is packing a gun, and challenges the man to shoot him. Goemon stops the bullets by cutting them in two, and letting them drop to the ground at his feet. Lupin and Goemon go inside the house to drink tea. Lupin asks about this great sword, and Goemon replies that it has a long history (apparently having been forged from the metal of an meteor.) The only threat to the sword, and which is Goemon's next target, is Lupin III. Whose face Goemon has not yet seen. Lupin is a bit shaken by this, and even more concerned to discover that Goemon's current girlfriend is Fujiko. Before the woman can blurt out his name, Lupin yells out that he's just seen the real Lupin standing outside. Goemon rushes out, but stands just outside the door and listens to Lupin interrogate Fujiko. With his cover blown, Jigen and Lupin try to escape. Goemon catches up to them and Lupin sprays him with a liquid that bursts into flames on exposure to air. Goemon withstands the heat long enough to snare Lupin with a rope coated by the liquid. Later, nursing his wounds, Lupin listens to Jigen describe a very well-known assassin named Momochi no Jijii (Old man Momochi.) Turns out that Momochi's prize pupil is Goemon, and is also his next target. Goemon himself is the 13th generation of a family of samurai. Momochi next shows up in Goemon's home (fails in his attack on Goemon,) and berates the man for his slackness. Momochi also describes Lupin as a sex fiend who has molested Fujiko. Meanwhile, Fujiko shows up at Lupin's hideout, and claims that she was held as a captive by the sex-mad Goemon (her portrayal of Goemon is funny.) Enraged, Lupin and Goemon are tricked into meeting each other outside Goemon's home later that night. They accuse each other of being sex perverts. However, Momochi uses this opportunity to try to kill both of them with mortar rounds. Thinking that he has succeeded, Momochi meets with Fujiko and tearfully describes Goemon's and Lupin's fates at each other's hands. He adds that as a crowning touch to his career, he's offed his greatest competition and can now retire. As a payoff, he gives his accomplice a huge diamond. However, Goemon had been tipped off, and is currently hiding under the floor, with his sword pointed at the old man's butt. Momochi finishes by stating that he'd been getting his assignments from an "assassination computer," that had named Lupin as a target. Goemon reveals that he is still alive, and Momochi evades the sword, taking Fujiko hostage. He escapes outside, ditching the woman, to a hot air balloon. Goemon watches Momochi escape, only to be shot down by Lupin's behind-the-back trick shot. Momochi dies in the fall, and Goemon leaps into Lupin's car to finish his assignment. Lupin drives onto the freeway, and the two of them fight it out on the roofs of various vehicles. Lupin tries shooting the fire liquid from an orca-shaped water pistol, but this time Goemon uses his sword to fan the stuff back to the gas tanker Lupin is standing on. The tanker explodes, and lots of cars get smashed up. The destruction is recorded by Fujiko, and played back on TV. Lupin watches this, cursing the fact that Fujiko keeps taking the treasure and everything from him. The story ends with Goemon cutting a tree in two (while not harming the butterfly perched on top of it,) and vowing to defeat Lupin when they next meet. In the following chapter, _The Raining Afternoon is Dangerous_, Lupin has returned home in the rain, and Jigen notices a piece of paper taped to Lupin's back. It's a plea for help from a woman. Then, a man bursts into the room and demands that Lupin come with him. Lupin ignores the danger, and goes just to meet the woman in distress. They drive to a mansion, where Lupin discovers that Fujiko is the woman that wrote the note, but it's for an old man in a vegetative state. Lupin wants to leave, but the driver holds a gun on him, and Lupin capitulates. Fujiko claims that she's just a maid in this house. Lupin gets outside, where he meets up with Jigen. They are about to talk when a car arrives, and one man tries to kill them with a machinegun. Lupin pushes Jigen to safety, but hurts his arm. A few minutes later, as the car is driving by, Jigen shoots a hole in the trunk, and Lupin embeds a throwing knife, with a stick of dynamite, into the new hole. The car blows up. Seems that the bad guys are threatening the vegetable and Fujiko, and are out to stop Lupin's attempts to help them. Lupin goes to a hospital to have his arm looked at, and as he is putting his coat back on, the vegetable's photo falls out. The doctor recognizes the old man as the head of a powerful gang. The guy disappeared from sight 6 months earlier. Lupin recalls that that's about the time that Fujiko claimed that she started working for the guy as a maid. Next, Lupin returns to the mansion with Jigen, only to discover that the old man died over night. Fujiko is in mourning. Lupin realizes that someone is listening at the door, and when he opens it, the guy with the machinegun from the car falls into the room. The guy is captured, and confesses that he was the vegetable's right-hand man. About 6 months ago, the vegetable was a very powerful leader, and he'd had a scientist build a machine for him. Supposedly, it was a life-extending, or suspending, machine. The leader wanted the scientist to enter the machine first to test it out. The scientist tried to run, and was shot in the back and killed by the leader. At this time, Fujiko showed up. The implication is that Fujiko sabotaged the machine, and the leader was turned into a vegetable by it. The leader's corpse has been impounded by the police, and the gunman replies that the corpse will be cremated soon. Fujiko panics at hearing this, and bolts. The gunman knocks out Lupin, and chases after the woman. Jigen enters the room to find Lupin on the floor. The hero speculates that there is something valuable hidden on the body. The weather has cleared. A little time passes. Lupin invites the vegetable's two henchman to a hideout to plan a way to get to the corpse and find out what's on it. The three are waiting for Jigen to show, and the man reveals himself to be hiding in the rafters of the building. Lupin starts by introducing himself. Next, is The Hammer, a guy who can make long leaps, and is VERY fast in covering Lupin in explosives. Lupin spits them out. The gunman is about to state what his specialty is, but Lupin tells him that that's alright. Jigen wants to get to business, but Lupin requires that he has to introduce himself as well. Next, the hero asks the henchmen to give their passwords. He asks for the "co" word, and Hammer replies with "comic." From the gunman, for "sa" it's "Lupin the 3rd (Sansei)." Jigen wants to get down to business, but Lupin asks him for "ha." Instead of answering, Jigen tries pulling a gun. Lupin disarms him, and the gunman mows Jigen down. Still later, Lupin goes back to the mansion, to ask Fujiko what is so valuable on the corpse. Fujiko won't say, and just pulls the drapes to show that Zenigata is outside. Lupin can't act against her, or get to the body. But, Lupin has Jigen's body brought into the room, and pulls the mask off to reveal the driver that Fujiko had been working with. Fujiko is at an empasse as well. So, Lupin and the band get outside, and meet up with the real Jigen. Lupin shows Zenigata's driving route on a map. At one point, there is an x-intersection on the road. Farther along the route, the two roads intersect again in a kind of swastika shape. They will use this fluke of the terrain. The band positions themselves near the road. Zenigata has the corpse put in a police van, and follows the van in a motorcade. As the van nears the first intersection, a barracade diverts the van along the side road. The gunman shoots the side mirrors off the van, and drives an identical van along the real route, followed by the motorcade. Lupin drives up behind the real van, and the Hammer leaps forward to bang the back doors open, before returning to the car. Lupin and Jigen leap into the van, while the driver notices that the mirrors are missing, there was a strange sound in back, and the the barricade wasn't there when they were checking out the route yesterday. Lupin checks the corpse, and finds a huge diamond that he identifies as the Star of Kilimanjaro. He and Jigen return to the car, and then the van reaches the swastika and is reunited with the motorcade. As the band is standing on a bluff, looking at the diamond, the gunman asks to hold it. Then, Fujiko drives up on a motorbike. The gunman throws the diamond to her, and leaps onto the bike. Jigen kills the traitor, but Fujiko escapes. Zenigata has been alerted to Lupin by Fujiko, and he sets up a road block. Lupin evades it by driving into a river. The three villians escape but are soaked, prompting Jigen to comment that this is just like the heavy rains on the day that all of this started. Later, Fujiko is in the bathtub at home, stroking her body with the Star. The episode ends as she wickedly kisses the diamond. This book is worth getting just for Goemon's introduction, and Lupin's bad English. [Comic Souris, ISBN4-12-410410-3 C0379, 680 yen] ### Lupin III, vol. 5: One Wolf Calls Another, and All Members Gather, Trump Strategy Continuing with the Comic Souris collection of Lupin III color comics from the first TV series, we have volume 5. The reproduction quality is the same as in the previous books; however, the character designs tend to fluctuate from scene to scene, and the odds are high that some of the dialog is probably missing from the books. Fortunately, this does not get in the way of the strange situations, clever ruses, and general fun of the stories. Volume 5 starts out with "One Wolf Calls Another," which re-introduces Goemon, in the TV version, and shows us how the samurai finally decides to join forces with Lupin and Jigen. Lupin is in a field, practicing all the standard samurai tricks (cutting bamboo stacks with a sword, kicking and punching stone statues...) He thinks he's pretty cool, but... In the next scene, Lupin is fully bandaged up, as he talks to Jigen about the dagger that Arsene Lupin used to have (which was taken from him) that could cut through steel. Just like Goemon's sword can. Jigen needles Lupin about the loss of the dagger, and Lupin tells him to stop; this is a matter of family pride. Eventually, Lupin decides to act, leaving the stunned Jigen behind (this is, as he said, a family matter.) Goemon has taken on the job of chief guard at the estate of a very rich man, and there is a call out for underlings. One guy, a gangster who is good with a sword, is approaching the fortress when he is confronted by himself. The duplicate knocks out the original with a well-aimed pebble to the head. On a rock outcropping, Goemon's meditation is interrupted when an underling states that the next batch of prospects has arrived. He wonders who is waiting for him, and Lupin is standing off to the side, watching and chuckling. 5 people introduce themselves, and Lupin and Fujiko recognize each other. They are placed in a room to wait, while one by one, they are called to the other side of a screen. Lupin is using an old magazine with a hole in it, to pretend to be asleep, while staring at Fujiko's breasts. He asks her what has brought her here, but the woman just attacks him with a knife, refusing to blow her disguise. Then, one by one, the other entrants collapse unconscious into the holding room. Looks like the entrance exam is pretty brutal. When the woman's turn comes, she uses a short dagger to disarm the man attacking her. Goemon is impressed. Then, Lupin is called out. He wants to start a conversation with Goemon, but is brought up short when he sees the woman in the samurai's lap. He acts upset, and ignores Goemon's question as to which weapon he wants to use. So, the test attacker sweeps in to attack with a sword, and Lupin disables him with an overwhelming fart. Goemon is again impressed, and decides to test Lupin's prowess with a sword (according to the data sheet Goemon has, the guy Lupin is impersonating has a bit of a reputation.) So, Goemon attacks, Lupin counters with an overhead block, and his wooden sword shatters. Lupin collapses, but not before he puts a little bug on Goemon's uniform (a ladybug.) From the parapet above, Goemon's employer congratulates him. Then, the two of them go down into the secret laboratory, where workers are following the instructions in some old scrolls to make a sword that can cut through steel (AKA: Zantetsuken.) It's these scrolls that Goemon has been hired to protect. They talk about the threat from Lupin, should the thief try to get onto the grounds, and they are concerned that maybe the thief already has. Along the way, the employer shows how quick and ruthless he is, by grabbing a bird perched on his shoulder, and wringing its neck. The employer asks what Goemon will do if he finds Lupin, and the samurai replies "cut him up." Lupin is listening in (his 'titch' of disdain at the comment attracts some attention from the other testees in the room.) He tells the bug to fly home, but Goemon notices it, and cuts it in two. That evening, Lupin tries to sneak into the woman's room, but steps on the caltrips on the floor. He hops outside, to discover that the woman really is Fujiko, and that the other 3 testees are her minions. She tells him "good night," and Lupin is coldcocked from behind. A plane flies over, dropping a box of automatic weapons and grenades. Armed, the group storms the fortress, as Lupin watches from one open eye. The group kills several guards, and makes its way through underground tunnels to reach the little cell holding the scrolls. Goemon is there, and he kills the remaining two men, but lets Fujiko go; he doesn't want to cut a woman. Fujiko leaves, but Lupin has snuck in to grab the scrolls. However, Goemon tells him to look more closely at them -- there's a burning fuse attached. Lupin throws the bomb past the bars of the cell. Goemon curses the fact that he's screwed up. The explosion covers him with debris. So, Lupin continues on past to get into the bedroom of the employer. The old man isn't quite quick enough, and Lupin grabs his sword first. He's forced to talk about Zantetsuken... It was 25 years ago, on a very windy day. The employer was out practicing his swordsmanship, when Lupin II appeared with a dagger that cut the guy's sword in two. Shocked, the man watched Arsene leave, but through devious tricks had managed to steal Arsene's dagger. Lupin asks if this was Lupin II, and the old man says it was. Lupin asks where the real scrolls are, and the old man balks. However, Goemon answers that he has them. The old man wants Goemon to slash Lupin, but the samurai had been listening to all of this, and he wants to set up a contest. The winner gets to take the scrolls. Lupin and the old man agree, with the old man choosing to use his Zantetsuken. Lupin is happy with the situation. The next day, Goemon sets the scrolls on a tree trunk, and tells the two antagonists to come forward. The old man is wearing a kendo uniform (martial art using sword,) and Lupin is wearing steel armor with a shoulder holster on the outside. They take the 10 paces, and turn. Lupin starts shooting, and the old man stops the bullets (note: his sword doesn't cut the bullets in two, like Goemon's does.) Lupin's armor gets diced, and Lupin runs away. However, he's also boobytrapped the field. The first trap is a steel weight hidden in a tree. The old man cuts the weight in two, but one half still hits him in the head. Lupin is still being chased, when the guy falls into a covered pit. Since the sword won't help the guy get out of the pit, Lupin declares himself the winner. But, before he can take the scrolls, Fujiko flies overhead in her plane and snags them on a line. Fujiko apologizes as she flies off, and Lupin yells at her. However, Goemon again had switched the scrolls, and he gives the real ones to Lupin. Goemon has his sense of honor. And, since his services are no longer needed, Goemon tells his employer that he's quitting. Lupin is impressed. Later, Goemon has given Lupin a letter inviting him to a duel. Lupin insults the paper, saying that it's too rough to use as kleenex, too small to make a paper airplane, but maybe enough to try to heat up bath water. Lupin doesn't want to duel, but Goemon advances. Lupin pulls his gun -- Goemon moves forward. Lupin warns that something bad will happen, but the samurai takes another step. Lupin pleads with him to stop, and Goemon falls into another pit. To show that he considers the duel over, Lupin helps Goemon out. Then later, Goemon is waiting for Lupin near a felled-tree bridge. Lupin is driving his car, with Jigen inside. Eagerly, Lupin tries to run Goemon down. Goemon cuts the car in two, and is chased by Lupin's side of the vehicle. After a while, the two realize how funny this is, and they sit down together, laughing. (Apparently, they have decided to drop the duel.) Jigen doesn't understand what the joke is. _All Members Gather, Trump Strategy_, the following chapter, begins with Mr. Gold, a very rich, powerful man, gloating over the good fortunes that have come his way because of the Napolean Trump in his possession. He gets a phone call; Lupin claims that he will crash Gold's party tomorrow, and will steal the cards right at midnight. Gold isn't scared, so Lupin shows his power by calling Gold's attention to the wrappings on the stacks of money in Gold's vault -- they all say "Lupin." Lupin repeats "tomorrow, midnight." The time of the party arrives. The guests are gathered, and several old matrons are talking about how their hearts are pounding so nervously at the idea of Lupin arriving. Gold reassures them that there's nothing to worry about. Then, Zenigata comes in, telling Mr. Gold to cancel the party. Lupin, the master of disguise, must already be on the grounds; having the party will make it harder to protect the cards. But, Gold states that his friend of 25 years is the chief of police, and that he intends on enjoying the birthday party that he is throwing for himself. Zenigata will just have to do his job of arresting Lupin. Zenigata buckles to the implied threat, but swears at Gold under his breath. Gold calls everyone over, and shows them the treasure that Lupin has decided to target -- the deck of playing cards that Napolean owned; called "the Napolean Trump." According to the story, Napolean's army was on its way to attack Russia, but succumbed to the cold winter winds. On the night before the fateful battle, Napolean performed a fortunetelling ritual. The Joker from the deck warned him of disaster, before a strong wind blew all of the cards away. Napolean was defeated and exiled. However, in his hands, the Trump have brought Mr. Gold only good fortune. The cards are safely locked in a glass case in the middle of the room, and Zenigata is standing nearby. He notices that his watch is 5 minutes slow, and corrects it while stating that Lupin will strike in 5 minutes. Then, a voice booms out that Lupin already HAS the cards, and the ones in the case are fakes. Zenigata attacks the big birthday cake, thinking that Lupin is inside, but only succeeds in pulling out a tape recorder. Gold opens the case, and is happy to see that the cards are the real ones. But... Lupin had disguised himself as one of the matron ladies, and a strong vacuum cleaner is hidden in his purse. He sucks up the cards, states that he'd changed the clocks in the building to be 5 minutes fast, leaps up to evade some of the security pouncing on him (this includes another of the old matron ladies,) escapes through the skylight, and then hides while releasing an inflatable Arsene Lupin II propellor-driven balloon. The guards shoot the balloon down, and Gold concedes round one of the battle to Lupin. He vows to get the cards back. At the hideout, the group celebrates the ease at which they got the cards, but Lupin is concerned. They'd been told earlier of a vision that Fujiko had seen; the Napolean Trump Joker had appeared on the road in front of her, and warned her that the deck would soon come into her possession. (Joker appears a bit to be like Lupin in tights, and with a big red nose.) Joker introduces itself as the protective angel of the Napolean deck, before disappearing. Lupin jokes that it's good that the vision wasn't the angel of misfortune. At the moment, a small child knocks at the door, and gives a bouquet of flowers to Jigen. Lupin shouts out that it's a boobytrap from Gold, as the flowers explode in Jigen's hands. In the hospital, Jigen is wrapped up in bandages, and Lupin expects the next attack to come now. A nurse walks into the room, and Goemon kills the goon before he can pull out his gun. They wheel Jigen out to the hall to escape. A doctor and nurse stroll past, then attack with scalpels and a machine gun. Goemon dispatches them, also. Seems that the hospital is owned by Gold, and peopled with his minions. Lupin wheels a casket down to the main lobby, and tells the guards there that the patient in room 203, Jigen, had tragically died. The guards let the group go. They get to a hearse, and a spy radios Mr. Gold that they're on the move. Inside, Lupin is wondering about Joker being the angel of bad luck, and Fujiko assures him that she's keeping the cards with her. In his office, Gold is watching a blinking light on a road map, stating that it's useless for Lupin to try to escape. He calls Zenigata to bring the Inspector in on the chase. The heroes have switched vehicles. Fujiko is driving, with Goemon in the cab. Lupin is complaining about the temperature of the freezer truck, and Jigen is just a frozen block of ice. Gold is above them in a helicopter, watching the blinking light on a portable electronic map. Ahead of them, more goons spray the road with oil; Fujiko loses control of the truck, and it slides up the ramp into a larger semi. But, Goemon leaps up and cuts the semi trailer in two. Zenigata arrives to arrest them, but tosses his cigarette into the oil. Lupin uses the blaze to escape. They get into a police car, and Zenigata keeps chasing them. So, Lupin decides that they'll split up and meet at an old castle hideout. A little later, Jigen and Fujiko are inside the castle, with Zenigata and cops outside. Fujiko uses the cards to tell their fortunes. She stops when she notices that one of the cards feels funny. Peeling the coating off, she finds the transmitter Gold used to track them. Cursing, Jigen sets the transmitter afire. Zenigata is wondering what's taking Lupin so long to arrive, and Gold berates him for not entering the building to get the cards. Zenigata isn't interested in the cards, he wants Lupin. So, Gold pulls out a letter from the chief of police, reminding the Inspector that they're such good friend. Defeated, Zenigata wonders what to do next. Gold radios to some of his men. On a hill, Lupin is judging the distance to the castle, and the direction of the wind. Goemon wonders if they're going to rescue the others. Lupin asks "what others?" as he tries to tie a sapling to the ground. Disgusted that Lupin is throwing his friends to the wolves, he leaves to save them by himself. Lupin gets hit in the face by the tree, but is amused at the samurai's old-fashioned sense of honor. The police storm the castle, and Jigen holds them off for a few minutes. The invaders chop the door down with an axe, and Jigen realizes that these men aren't police. One goon states that the real police are outside; these guys are Gold's personal guards, with orders to kill to get the deck. Jigen and Fujiko are getting concerned, when Goemon cuts the thugs down. Goemon tells them that he'd come in alone to save them, because Lupin has abandoned them. However, Fujiko asks what the thing on Goemon's back is -- it's a note from Lupin, with instructions. At the same time, Lupin has selected a rock, and catapulted it with the tree to hit Mr. Gold in the back of the head. Zenigata is standing outside with his men, when Gold comes up and states that he's going to act now. Zenigata says "go ahead." Gold throws a grappling hook, on a rope, into the second floor window. He ties the other end of the rope to the tailend of a jeep. As he starts driving away, Zenigata asks what the point of this is. Gold rips off his face, and says "it's this." Zenigata is stunned to see Lupin driving the jeep. The rope goes tight, and a large kite (made by using the carpet) bursts out of the wall. Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko are holding on to the kite, and they smirk at Zenigata as they fly away. Fujiko happily pulls the Napolean deck from inside her blouse, and notices the Joker turn to talk to her. Joker thanks her for rescuing the deck from the clutches of such an evil man. The cards flutter into the wind, as Fujiko watches in dismay. Lupin waves goodbye to "the angel of bad luck." The scene fades as the jeep drives off. [Comic Souris, ISBN4-12-410411-1 C0379, 680 yen] ### Lupin III, vol. 6: Assassin Sings the Blues, and Chase the Money Counterfeiter The the first 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 replies that he came to this country 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. 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. [Comic Souris, ISBN4-12-410412-X C0379, 680 yen] ### Lupin III, vol. 8: Beware the Time Machine, and Secret of the Emerald 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. Secret of the Emerald pits Lupin against a tricky woman who is very rich. The woman, Kathleen, is going to get married on her yacht, and she has allowed Zenigata and Lupin to come aboard to act as entertainment for everyone else. Lupin is disguised as a professor who knows Kathleen, and Fujiko is posing as Kathleen's maid. Fujiko succeeds in stealing the priceless emerald that Kathleen has been wearing on her dress. But, the gem is a fake. The rest of the episode just has Lupin running around the yacht as Kathleen gives false clues concerning the gem's location. Finally, Lupin notices that Kathleen's Siamese cat is a little weird -- it has one false eye, and the real emerald is hidden in the cat's empty eye socket. Lupin and Fujiko steal the emerald (and put an eye patch over the socket), and escape the yacht by riding away on a prop-driven kite plane. [Comic Souris, ISBN4-12-410414-6 C0379, 680 yen] ============================= Volume # Title -------- -------------------------------------- 1 Castle of Cagliostro, in three books -------- -------------------------------------- 2 Lupin is Burning...?! (Rupan wa moete iru ka...?!) 2 The Man They Call a Magician (Majusshi to yobareta otoko) -------- -------------------------------------- 3 Farewell, Lovable Magic Woman (Saraba itoshiki majo) 3 One Chance For a Prison Break (Datsudeku no chansu wa ichido) -------- -------------------------------------- 4 13th Generation Goemon is Here (Juusan dai Goemon toujou) 4 The Rainy Afternoon is Dangerous (Ame no gogo wa yabai-ze) -------- -------------------------------------- 5 One Wolf Calls Another (Ookami wa ookami o Yobu) 5 All Members Gather, Trump Strategy (Zenin Shuugou Tranpu Sakusen) -------- -------------------------------------- 6 Assassin Sings the Blues (Koroshiya wa buruuzu o utau) 6 Chase the Money Counterfeiter! (Nise satsu tsukuri o nerae!) -------- -------------------------------------- 7 (Banme no ??? ga ochiru toki) 7 Who is Laughing Last? (Dare ga saigo ni watta ka) -------- -------------------------------------- 8 Beware the Time Machine! (Taimu mashin ni ki o tsukeru!) 8 Secret of the Emerald (Emerarudo no himitsu) -------- -------------------------------------- 9 Capture Lupin to go to Europe (Rupan o tamaete Youroppa e ikou) 9 ???? (????) -------- -------------------------------------- 10 ???? (????) 10 Pay Attention to the Beauty Contest (Bijin kontesuto o maaku se yo) -------- -------------------------------------- 11 (Dotchi ga katsu ka san???me!) 11 Arrest the Fake Lupin! (Nise Rupan o taero!) -------- -------------------------------------- 12 Save the Shrewish Female Jockey! (Jaja ??? o tasuke da se!) 12 Golden Fight (????) -------- -------------------------------------- ============================= -- Curtis H. Hoffmann June 15, 1994 Melody Haim, #205 4-5-4 Suge, Tama-ku Kawasaki City, Japan