LUPIN III: JIGEN'S GRAVESTONE (2014)

 

PHENOMENALITY: *uncanny*
MYTHICITY: *good*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *psychological*

Some of the same crew who executed the excellent telseries A WOMAN NAMED FUJIKO MINE, which centered on the mysterious bandit-broad in Lupin III's life, executed this shorter study of Lupin's frequent partner-in-plunder Daisuke Jigen. What information I have suggests that GRAVESTONE was an OVA but had a theatrical release anyway. Possibly, since the OVA is in two parts, with a cliffhanger ending in Part 1, the two sections were separately made available for rental in Japanese venues.

The FUJIKO series purported to describe the ways in which all four series-principals-- Lupin, Jigen, Fujiko, and the samurai-crook Goemon-- first crossed one another's paths, before they became a loose association of accomplished heist-artists. GRAVESTONE does not seem to immediately follow the events of FUJIKO, though. Apparently at least a year or two have passed since the events of that series, since GRAVESTONE's opening suggests that Lupin and Jigen have worked together long enough that their association has proved profitable. Fujiko is in the story as well, though arguably she plays more of a side-role this time, with the strongest emphasis being placed on the relationship of Lupin and Jigen. Goemon is only indirectly referenced, while bloodhound Zenigata only makes a token appearance at the end (as does one other LUPIN luminary I'll decline to specify).

The gist of the complicated plot is that in the past Jigen attempted to run security on the life of the Princess of East Doroa. Jigen failed to keep the princess from being slain by the famed assassin Okuzaki, whose skill with guns is said to rival Jigen's own. Later-- actually, the opening scene of the movie-- Jigen teams with Lupin to make a heist in the same country, which is undergoing many tensions with neighboring West Doroa. Jigen learns that he's to be Okuzaki's next target, and this leads the two crooks-- with minimal help by Fujiko-- to begin their own unorthodox investigation of scurrilous doing in East Doroa.

Okuzaki, in contrast to his usual assassination techniques, does challenge Jigen to a gunfight, which Jigen loses, albeit because of his enemy's special equipment. Lupin and Jigen escape the assassin, and at some point find themselves invading the sanctum of Okuzaki's boss, who's captured Fujiko during her attempt to rob him. This allows for some Lupin-Fujiko byplay, which serves to keep the Lupin-Jigen interaction from being overdone.

The "gravestone" of the title is one that Okuzaki erects to warn his adversary of his impending death. But no viewer believes for a moment Jigen will die, and indeed he even gets the chance to redeem his initial failure to outdraw the assassin. The threat of death is only psychologically pertinent in that it strengthens the bond between the two male super-thieves, even if they go to absurd lengths to deny that bond. Once Jigen knows that he alone is being hunted, he considers it a matter of pride to face his enemy alone, and refuses any help from his crime-partner. Lupin of course makes an excuse to involve himself, and Jigen doesn't really mind getting the help, as long as he's played the lone wolf. It's eminently clear that they admire one another's skills, even if they're occasionally combative over minor offenses, and the GRAVESTONE script gives the duo the chance to show their allegiance without being sloppy.

The movie would qualify as "uncanny" just for the imputation of the two gunmen being able to pull off stunts like shooting so that their respective bullets collide. There are some other tech-items involved, though the only one of note appears in the prison where Fujiko's held by the assassin's boss. For some reason the boss menaces the lady thief with what looks like a crude robot with a drill-bit in its crotch, though the drill is so large that its use would pretty much annihilate any person with whom the robot tried to have congress. This scene may have been thrown in just to satisfy fans who expect to see some sexy hijinks in LUPIN entertainments, and I don't object to that; only that the actual scene is rather underwhelming.