Eternal Mermaid to stream for FREE on YouTube in the U.S. this March!

Fans in the United States! The 2011 released television special, Blood Seal of the Eternal Mermaid is the next film to hit YouTube for FREE.

Catch it from March 1st through to April 4th, and is only available for those within the U.S. Please also note that this particular upload has Japanese language audio with English subtitles only.

The 2011 TV special was noteworthy on release as it was not only the first in quite some time to feature a bold new visual style, but it also included new Japanese voice talent. It introduced Daisuke Namikawa as Ishikawa Goemon XIII, Miyuki Sawashiro as Fujiko Mine and Kōichi Yamadera as Inspector Zenigata.

The changeover of voice actor (seiyuu) is a big deal in Japan, and the news even made it onto daytime television shows. Replacing Makio Inoue, Eiko Masuyama and the legendary Gorō Naya would be no small feat for the new talent - however, they all did a great job and are still voicing the characters to this day.

Blood Seal of the Eternal Mermaid is generally favoured by fans of the series as being one of the best TV specials. It is a good one to jump in with, as no prior knowledge of the series is needed. The climactic, supernatural ending of the film gets a tad over-the-top, but it remains entertaining throughout and feels like a solid Lupin adventure. It is a tiny bit gory with more bloodshed than the typical Lupin episode or film, so may not be one to watch with the kids.

Definitely check it out, if you're yet to see it — and if you are familiar with the special, why not give it a rewatch?