Monkey News - 17.12.19
Welcome to this weeks edition of Monkey News, the news roundup for everything Lupin III!
Is Lupin Still Burning? OVA airs on Toonami December 14th at 3am!
Characters and above image owned by TMS and NTV.
The 2018 OVA Is Lupin Still Burning? has aired in the U.S. for the first time!
The OVA, which sees Lupin and Jigen going head to head with past foes in a deadly race to the finish line, included a full English language dub. The dub featured familiar talent, with the likes of Tony Oliver, Richard Epcar, Lex Lang, Michelle Ruff (and more) reprising their roles.
If you missed the showing, fear not! Adult Swim has uploaded the film to their Roku app and it is available for streaming as of yesterday (Monday the 16th of December)!
Lupin III: The First has won first place in a viewer satisfaction survey!
Characters and above image owned by TMS and NTV.
Lupin and companies first venture into feature length 3DCG is going down a treat with Japanese audiences!
The latest film, released on December 6th 2019 in Japanese theatres, has been reviewing well amongst viewers and critics alike. It has recently made first place on a movie poll for viewer satisfaction, beating the likes of Ghost Master and Last Christmas.
Various film fans took part in the survey with many voting for the film as it gave them many nostalgic memories of watching Lupin at a younger age. The fans surveyed went on to say that the film lived up to their expectations, and reminded them of many hours sat watching television in the 70’s and 80’s. They also said that 3DCG feels like a natural fit for Lupin and pals, and the new look does not feel out of place.
Characters and above image owned by TMS and NTV.
In terms of performance at the box office, Lupin III: The First drew in enough numbers on opening weekend to slot it in second place amongst cinema rankings for December 7th - 8th. The film came in at number two behind Disney’s latest animated feature film, Frozen 2. Read more information regarding the opening charts right here (Japanese language).
This news bodes well for English speaking territories, as while there is no official announcement of the film heading West just yet, it's looking to be likely now that it is getting plenty of praise.
Check out Japanese website Pia right here for more details.
Michelle Ruff to attend Katsucon 2020!
The English voice actress of the femme fatale Fujiko Mine is set to attend Katsucon in 2020!
The convention will take place in at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in D.C between Thursday, 13 Feb 2020 to Sunday, 16 Feb 2020.
Michelle Ruff’s first involvement with the series was during the early 2000’s, when she made her debut as the character as part of Adult Swim and Pioneer / Geneon’s English dub of Lupin III Part II. She has since voiced the character in various other episodes, films and specials. This includes (but is not limited to) the FUNimation dub of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine and most recently, Lupin III: Part 5.
To view more information on the event and read up on Michelle Ruff, check the Katsucon official website right here!
"The Memorial to Monkey Punch: A certain manga artists trajectory for sixty years" releases in Japan on December 24th!
A new book focusing on the work of Lupin III creator Kazuhiko Katō is releasing in Japan on Christmas Eve!
Cover artwork is yet to be revealed, however early information suggests that the book is to be filled with interviews and artwork from Katō’s career. Guest texts and introductions will also be included, as many famous figures mourn his passing.
Read more about the book over at futabasha right here (Japanese language).
Lupin is bringing in the New Year on Japanese television!
Lots of Lupin goodies are coming to Japanese TV on New Years Eve, and continuing through to January 2020.
The festivities are to hit channel みんなのアニメチャンネル2 (Everyone’s Anime Channel 2). Find below a complete list of what’s on:
"Lupin III: Part 5" All 24 episodes
Distribution date: December 31, 2019 (Tue)"Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro"
Distribution date: January 1, 2020 (Wednesday) 21:00"Lupin III: Voyage to Danger"
Distribution date: January 1, 2020 (Wednesday) 22:50"Lupin III: The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure"
Distribution date and time: January 12, 2020 (Sunday) 21:00"Lupin III: Walther P38"
Distribution date and time: January 19, 2020 (Sunday) 21:00"Lupin III: Burning Memory - Tokyo Crisis"
Distribution date: January 26, 2020 (Sunday) 21:00"Lupin III: The Columbus Files (Fujiko's Unlucky Days)"
Distribution date: February 2, 2020 (Sunday) 21:00
Be sure to also tune into the AbemaTV streaming service from January 1st, 2020 to watch Lupin III: Part 5 along with The Castle of Cagliostro at your leisure!
Check out the original article announcing the line-up over on Natalie Comic News right here.
