Castle of Cagliostro [DVD]

The character of Lupin III, created by manga artist Monkey Punch, was already a pop culture icon in Japan when this film was released in 1980. Based on an earlier character—Maurice Leblanc’s dashing, turn-of-the-century gentleman thief, Arsene Lupin—the gadget wielding trickster Lupin III had appeared in comics, a television series and a previous feature film. In ‘The Castle of Cagliostro’ Miyazaki remains reasonably true to the original characters—he had written and directed some of the TV episodes himself—but his film also has the mark of a Miyazaki original. After performing a daring casino heist, Lupin and his sidekick discover the money they have stolen is counterfeit. Tracing the bills to the tiny European duchy of Cagliostro, Lupin immediately sets off with his partners in crime, a retired gangster, a modern-day samurai, and a beautiful female thief. Upon arrival they find themselves caught up in a fiendish plot involving counterfeit money, a hidden treasure, a princess locked away in the highest tower of a castle, and the evil Count Cagliostro. Flawlessly combining high action, broad comedy, romance, and mystery, with beautiful detailed animation, the film is considered a milestone in the anime genre. In Japanese with English subtitles.