It’s official: Japan’s favorite gentleman thief is coming to the U.S. and Canada in his first cg outing. GKIDS, which regularly distributes high-profile anime films, will release Lupin The 3rd: The First this year for Oscar qualification, in both Japanese and a new English dub.
The feature is the latest entry in the famed Lupin III franchise created by Kazuhiko Kato, better known by his pen name Monkey Punch. Watch the trailer and read the official synopsis below:
The iconic “gentleman thief” Lupin III returns in an action-packed, continent-spanning adventure, as Lupin III and his colorful underworld companions race to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Bresson Diary, before it falls into the hands of a dark cabal that will stop at nothing to resurrect the Third Reich. The gang undertakes trap-filled tombs, aerial escapades and daring prison escapes with the trademark wit and visual finesse that have made Lupin III one of the most storied animation franchises in the world, in a thrilling new caper that is sure to delight fans old and new.
The director of The First is Takashi Yamazaki, whose other projects include Dragon Quest: Your Story and Stand by Me Doraemon. The film is produced by TMS Entertainment and Marza Animation Planet, which handled the animation. It was released in December in Japan, ranking #2 in its opening weekend and going on to earn $6.73 million (according to Box Office Mojo). Its opening weekend gross was only 37.7% of that of the 2013 crossover film Lupin the Third vs. Detective Conan: The Movie.