Zenigata finally gets his due as something more than comic relief, a cop with a real stake in the game instead of just a punchline chasing a phantom. The heist clicks with the precision you want from Lupin, but the real pull is watching the ensemble friction when Goemon and Jigen stop performing at full capacity, turning a simple theft into a thing that requires actual problem-solving. A one-off that remembers Lupin works best when everyone on screen matters.

Lupin the Third's latest heist targets two antique glass plates bound for a shadowy art dealer named Suzuki. The legendary thief sets out to intercept them, but his plan goes wrong, and Goemon and Jigen are not working at their usual level of efficiency. Meanwhile, Inspector Zenigata remains hot on Lupin's trail, this time with a young reporter named Maria in tow. The etched plates are portraits of Japan's last shogun and are said to hint at the location of a hidden treasure worth $20 billion. Lupin's crew and a pairing of Goemon and Fujiko both chase the prize. Maria, who seems able to glimpse the future, becomes central to the hunt, and her link to Suzuki is one of the mysteries in this action comedy special.