Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine

Viewers who are familiar with the long-running Lupin the Third series—centering on a rascally master thief and his crew—from edited Cartoon Network airings and earlier video releases will be surprised by the hyper-sexualized, darker tone of this prequel set. The Woman Called Fujiko Mine uncovers (“undresses” might be the more apt word) the earlier antics of Lupin's crew before they teamed up, with the most prominent outlaw being the titular mystery woman Fujiko Mine, who is frequently seen semi- or fully nude. The 13 episodes from 2012 compiled here gradually reveal Fujiko's origin story, which involves cruel pharmaceutical human experimentation that unleashed mind-control drugs on the world. The seduction and obsession (straight and gay), violence, and hallucinatory imagery here are reminiscent of Barbarella and European comix artists such as Guido Crepax (the plot is set in a mod-ish 1960s/70s time period). Presented in a dual-language Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, rated TV-MA, extras include episode commentaries, a cast reunion featurette, and a segment on the recording studio where the English dub was created. A stylish adult anime series, this is recommended. (C. Cassady)