Thursday 24 May 2012

Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna - Episode 8

Fujiko Mine is at it again, but this time around the subject of light fingers is a decidedly interesting one, belonging as it does to a fortune-teller proclaiming to have a rather unique ability - the ability to predict the day of someone's death.

Unlikely though it seems, the abilities of the man in question - Shitoto Chandler - seem to match with the cold, hard facts of the corpses left in his wake.  What is perhaps even more interesting is that all of these individuals are former victims of Lupin himself, creating interest from numerous angles from those simply interested in the lithograph that is the basis of Chandler's predictions through to the police in their continues attempts to track down and capture Lupin himself.


With Daisuke Jigen dragged into the mix to boot, we're once again served up twists and turns aplenty as Jigen runs straight into a trap meant for Lupin, before the man himself helps to bust Daisuke out of police shackles.  Ultimately, the truth behind Chandler's ability remains a little uncertain, but what we do know is that he has links to Fujiko's past, which is becoming an ever-more integral part of the series above and beyond her proclivity for stealing shiny things.

Having suffered arguably its first misfire last week, this feels like Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna getting back to what its best at - a simple but tightly written story with twists and turns aplenty and a smart premise at its core, further bolstered by the increasing focus upon Fujiko's childhood as we progress through the series.  It's this broader storyline that's actually becoming the most intriguing facet of the show at the moment thanks to its enigmatic handling, and I really hope it's all leading somewhere that isn't a dead end.  Even without that, the blend of art style, setting and premise remains deliciously compelling for the most part, and now we've steered away from faux history back towards the franchise's roots this is once again a great little viewing experience that succeeds in standing out from the crowd.

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