Rupan sansei: Mamo karano chousen (1978)

Directors:

Yasuo Ôtsuka
Soji Yoshikawa
(more)

Writers:

Grant Moran (English version)
Monkey Punch (comic)
(more)

Release Date:

16 December 1978 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Sometimes being able to put together a world-class art collection takes a thief... this time it takes an extraordinary thief!

Plot:

Lupin risks death to learn the secret and intentions of a wealthy and seemingly immortal, but certainly ruthless, recluse.

Plot Keywords:

Transylvania | Immortality | Egypt | Carribean Sea | Spain

Cast

Yasuo Yamada	...	Arsene Lupin III
Kiyoshi Kobayashi	...	Daisuke Jigen
Eiko Masuyama	...	Fujiko Mine
Makio Inoue	...	Goemon Ishikawa
Gorô Naya	...	Inspector Koichi Zenigata
Tony Oliver	...	Arsene Lupin III (voice: English version)
Richard Epcar	...	Daisuke Jigen (voice: English version)
Michelle Ruff	...	Fujiko Mine (voice: English version)
Lex Lang	...	Goemon Ishikawa (voice: English version)
Jake Martin	...	Inspector Koichi Zenigata (voice: English version)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Axelrod	...	(voice: English version)
Richard Cansino	...	Commissioner / Thug Guard / Premier / Scientist (voice: English version) (as Edward Villa)
Peter Fernandez	...	Arsene Lupin III (voice: English version)
Osgood W. Glick	...	Stuckey (voice: English version)
Jack Grimes	...	Inspector Koichi Zenigata (voice: English version)
Earl Hammond	...	Goemon Ishikawa (voice: English version)
Michael McConnohie	...	Gordon (voice: English version)
Haruo Minami	...	Egypt chief of police (voice)
Edie Mirman	...	Fujiko Mine (voice: English version)
Kô Nishimura	...	Mamo, Howard Lockwood
Corinne Orr	...	Fujiko Mine (voice: English version)
Bob Papenbrook	...	Flinch (voice: English version)
Paul St. Peter	...	Mamo / Howard Lockwood (voice: English version) (as George C. Cole)

Directed by
Yasuo Ôtsuka
Soji Yoshikawa
Richard Epcar		(English version)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Grant Moran		English version
Monkey Punch		comic
Atsushi Yamatoya		writer
Soji Yoshikawa		writer

Produced by
Ken Duer	....	producer (English version)
Yutaka Fujioka	....	producer
Hideki Goto	....	producer (English version)
James Yosuke Kobayashi	....	executive producer (English version) (as Yosuke Kobayashi)
Hiroe Tsukamoto	....	producer (English version)

Original Music by
Yuji Ono		(as Yuji Ohno)

Film Editing by
Alex Agoston		(English version)

Sound Department
Chris Latham	....	sound recording engineer: English version

Animation Department
Kimiko Amano	....	animator: Act
Junko Andô	....	animator: Studio Live
Takeshi Anzai	....	animator: Act
Yuzo Aoki	....	character designer
Hisako Araki	....	animator: Act
Takafumi Hayashi	....	animator: Act
Takahisa Ichikawa	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Kazuo Inoue	....	animator: Magic Bus
Yumi Inoue	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Yukimatsu Itô	....	animator: Act
Miyuki Kanbayashi	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Hachio Kashime	....	animator: Oka Studio
Ryoko Kishimoto	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Yûko Kitagawa	....	animator: Studio Live
Shigetaka Kiyoyama	....	animator: Magic Bus
Sakiko Kobayashi	....	animator: Act
Tomoko Kôda	....	animator: Act
Kenzô Koizumi	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Shigemitsu Koshiba	....	animator: Act
Tatsuji Kunishima	....	animator: Studio Mook
Reiko Kuwahara	....	animator: Studio Mook
Hiroshi Kuzuoka	....	animator: Oh Productions
Junko Maeda	....	animator: Act
Masaji Maruyama	....	animator: Studio Live
Saburô Masutani	....	animator: Oka Studio
Setsuko Matsuda	....	animator: Studio Mook
Noriko Mochizuki	....	animator: Studio Mook
Akemi Morikawa	....	animator: Act
Kôichi Murata	....	animator: Oh Productions
Yûko Nakajima	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Noriko Numa	....	animator: Act
Kiyomi Ogawa	....	animator: Studio Live
Yumiko Ôhasa	....	animator: Act
Kenichi Okamoto	....	animator: Oh Productions
Yutaka Oka	....	animator: Studio Mook
Yukio Ôya	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Takeshi Ozaka	....	animator: Act
Akio Sakai	....	animator: Studio Live
Nobukazu Sakuma	....	animator: Act
Yoshiko Satô	....	animator: Act
Yumiko Satô	....	animator: Act
Mieko Seki	....	animator: Act
Setsuko Shibuichi	....	animator: Magic Bus
Kazuyoshi Shimada	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Chûzô Shimizu	....	animator: Magic Bus
Kazuhiro Sotoyama	....	animator: Magic Bus
Mariko Suzuki	....	animator: Magic Bus
Rie Takahashi	....	animator: Studio Live
Toshio Takahashi	....	animator: Studio Mook
Tsukasa Tannai	....	animator: Oh Productions
Kazuhide Tomonaga	....	animator: Oh Productions
Sachiko Uchiyama	....	animator: Studio Meitsu
Junji Uesugi	....	animator: Studio Mook
Hiroshi Watanabe	....	animator: Studio Live
Shôjurô Yamauchi	....	animator: Oh Productions

Music Department
Seiji Suzuki	....	music editor

Other crew
Darlene Waddington	....	script editor (English version)

Production Companies

• Fuse Entertainment (English version)
• Pioneer Entertainment (English version)
• Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS) (as TMS Entertainment Ltd.)

Distributors

• Toho Company (1978) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Pioneer Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Streamline Pictures (1995) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Media Concepts  sound post-production (English version)

Also Known As:

Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo
Lupin the 3rd: The Movie - The Secret of Mamo (USA) (DVD box title)
Secret of Mamo (UK) (video title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

Japan

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (DVD rating)

Company:

Fuse Entertainment

Trivia:

A total of 62,000 cells sheets were used.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the chase in the sewer, the tires of Lupin's Mercedes Benz SSK are seen behind the water. In the next shot they are in front of the water. Note: This goof was corrected in both the Vap and Pioneer DVD releases.

Quotes:

Inspector Koichi Zenigata: Lupin you should get arrested in the country Arsene Lupin it would promote friendly relations between France and Japan!

Movie Connections:

References The Italian Job (1969)

Proper animation at its finest

The first film version of the long-running successful manga series 'Lupin III', 'The Mystery Of Mamo' is non-stop action, adventure, and humour, brought to life with some brilliant animation, an excellent script, and some very good voice acting.

Lupin is the greatest thief since his grandfather Arsene Lupin, but his lifestyle never affords him a moment's peace, especially with maniacally-determined Interpol Inspector Zenigata pursuing him anywhere and everywhere across the globe. Aided by his two friends, Jigen, who prefers a quiet life, sombre samurai warrior Goemon, and on-again-off again girlfriend and equally-skilled thief Fujiko, Lupin finds himself drawn into the world of Mamo, a mysterious billionaire, intent on achieving immortality. But is Mamo exactly what he appears? And how does the fabled Philosopher's Stone fit in?

Now *this* is what animation is *really* about. It's about as far removed from the billion dollar cgi rubbish one usually sees in cinemas as it's possible to be. Every frame in 'Mamo' exudes genuine artistry, whether it's a peaceful Parisian cafe scene, or frenetic car chase through a sewer - yes, a sewer. Every musical motif creates genuine atmosphere, and every line of dialogue is there because it should be - it's not just a collection of lame one-liners for a cynical audience. If you find yourself on the edge of your seat, it's not because you're trying to fend off sleep from Disney-drawn dreck, but because you really find yourself wanting to see what happens next.

There are imperfections within the story - certain plot points that are not entirely followed up, but nothing that ruins the central story. There is also a certain trade-off between characterisation and action, but Lupin III stories are not meant to be deeply introspective character pieces, just a lot of first class fun. They are also an ongoing series, so further revelations are to be had elsewhere.

Probably the most well-known Lupin outing is 'The Castle Of Cagliostro', in many ways a more straightforward adventure with a more traditional action film-type ending. I think they're both excellent, but they're different beasts in temperament. 'The Mystery Of Mamo' takes a left-turn into the surreal, but it's still a cracking film that shouldn't disappoint - and definitely accessible to a Lupin novice.