Return of Pycal releases July 27th in North America!
The latest Discotek Media home video release hits North America this summer, as the 2002 OVA The Return of Pycal comes to Blu-ray on July 27th, 2021!
Included on the disc is the original Japanese language version complete with English subtitles, and an upscaled 1080p video transfer. Special features consist of an international opening, international ending, all three secret endings from the Japanese release and original television promos.
RightStuf (at time of writing) has the Blu-ray currently sat at the pre-order price of $16.22, which is reduced from the RRP of $24.95. As with all modern Discotek Media releases, a DVD version is not planned and the Blu-ray version will be region locked (to region A).
If you are yet to see this one or simply need a refresher, check the blurb below for plot information!
“Lupin The 3rd Return of Pycal is an anime film directed by Mamoru Hamatsu.
THE TOUGHEST ENEMIES DIE HARD... OR IS THAT MORE LIKE HARDLY DIE?
Lupin and his partners in crime gather in Greece to acquire the seven mysterious “Celestial Crystals.” He targets one being kept in a Mediterranean mansion and finds himself up against not just his rival Inspector Zenigata, but a second one as well! And one of them is far more violent than usual... This vicious version of Zenigata sheds his disguise to reveal himself: Pycal, the man once called “The Magician.” He has somehow escaped his deadly fate and has a new goal: to collect the Celestial Crystals for himself. When gathered, the crystals give the bearer a unique and immense power over others. Can Lupin and the others stop Pycal and save the world from his control?”
If you are already familiar with the wider works of Lupin III, this following sentence is likely to come as no surprise to you. If not - then quickly take a seat and read on…
The Return of Pycal sucks.
That’s right - it big time blows.
Pycal himself is a rather interesting villain from the original manga series, and features in the second episode of Lupin III: Part I. It was a rather novel idea for him to make a return in 2002 after being absent from the show for over thirty years, however the character was done a disservice.
Rather than featuring an exciting new scenario with an old time rival, instead, Return of Pycal ultimately ends up being a dull, uninteresting film that blurs together with some of the other lowlights of Lupin III specials from the noughties.
With that said, please consider buying this film - but just… not for the film itself.
$16.22 is a small price to pay to support the continued tireless efforts of Brady Hartel and the rest of the Discotek Media crew. Pycal in particular proved plenty difficult for the team, with its many weird 3D visual elements causing plenty of headaches during the upscaling process - and yet they still pushed through with it, and the film has never looked better as a result.
This is undoubtedly going to be the most love anyone could put into a Blu-ray release of Pycal - and to even get an English language release of such an obscure outing is a blessing.
Whether you end up loving or hating the film, take solace knowing that you are supporting a fantastic team of people that we hope continue to release Lupin III content in North America for years to come.
