Prior to the official release of the April 21st issue of Shonen Sunday, the Lupin forums were buzzing with a leaked announcement of a new Lupin/Detective Conan cross-over that would hit theaters December 2013. The leak eventually was confirmed as accurate marking the first time in seventeen years that the Lupin gang would grace the big screen. My initial reaction was less than enthusiastic.

The first attempt at a cross-over between these two franchises was a TV special in 2009. Here was an opportunity to have a master thief pits his skills against the superior intellect of a master detective. What the special delivered was a variation of The Prince and the Pauper that showcased the Conan characters, had some brief moments with the Lupin gang, but failed to deliver on the "versus" portion of the title. It was nearly an hour before Lupin and Conan even cross paths, and their overall involvement with each other is confined to the end game where they manage to help solve the mystery together. It was a solid and entertaining story, but it just did not come close to satisfying what the title "versus" conjures in the mind.

So, round two of this crossover will be upon us at the end of the year. Will we see more of the same just on a larger screen? Or will they actually pit the two iconic characters against each other? Information is sparse currently, but hopefully details will be revealed over the next few months.

While I have reviewed the individual episodes for FandomPost.com (find them here), I wanted to sit back and reflect on the series as a whole. Lupin fans have for years clamored for the franchise to change, shake up the formula and present something fresh. The Woman Called Mine Fujiko certainly did that, but for many this will be an example of "Be careful what you wish for".

It has style

While there was not much press prior to its release, fans were buzzing when a teaser image was released that resembled the artwork of the manga. This image did indeed signify a shift from the art and character style established over the past decades. What the series provides is a gorgeous array of visuals from start to finish. From the sunny coast of an island nation to an eerie ghost town, the colors and backgrounds provide the perfect compliment to the content. And much like the story, you will be revisiting the visuals and finding subtleties, typically the owl motif used throughout.

But does it have substance?

Prior to its broadcast, the most we knew about the content of the series was a vague statement that "capture the sensuality present in Monkey Punch's original Lupin III manga in its daring interpretation of the franchise." Just how daring would they be? Quite daring, as it turned out. Initially, the series is episodic, introducing the cast and how they first encounter Fujiko. However, a small undercurrent is introduced to the plot; vague memories haunt Fujiko, memories of her childhood and a man in an owl mask. This would soon become a flood that engulfed all the characters and rushed us head long into one of the most formidable foes in the franchise's history.

There is some uncomfortable material along the way; the manga had its share of awkward material. However, it was usually played down with a liberal dose of humor. This series eschews this and remains firmly planted in a world that is dark, gritty, and at times horrific. Still, there is plenty of comedy to be found throughout, and the darker elements are not overblown.

What impressed the most was the uncertainty and doubt the story was able to conjure in the mind's of the viewer. How much of Fujiko's memories can we trust? How much can any of our characters trust what they see or hear? While most of the final twists are somewhat predictable, the seeds of doubt planted early help the ending retain a few "of course, why didn't I think of that" moments.

Our cast (somewhat) reborn

The visuals were not the only elements that returned to their manga roots. With one exception, our gang returns to the balance of ruthless comedy seen in the manga. Fujiko is not just a pretty, manipulative face that loves sparkling treasure. She still loves treasure, is still manipulative, but she is also more than willing and capable of getting her hands, and body if necessary, soiled to get what she wants.

In this series, Lupin is bored and looking for a challenge. Being a master thief has left him with pretty much anything within his reach. Fujiko provides his life with just the spark he was hoping for, and he sets out to steal her away. He's much more cocky but still gadget savvy. Not quite as lustful as the manga but still working towards unlocking Fujiko's intimate locks. He holds his information close to the vest and at times rivals Fujiko in his ability to manipulate others to do what he wants.

Of all the cast, Jigen's back story was my favorite; his soul is weary from being the hired gun to the underworld. Getting involved with Fujiko, Lupin, and thieving provide a new direction for his life. What impressed me the most was the backstory they gave his gun. There is a reason he carries it, a reason that makes his burden heavy. Of all the "origin" stories in this series, this one was by far my favorite.

Goemon receives a more balanced treatment; he is looking to make a name for himself in the underworld but still retains a sense of honor that at times runs contrary to this goal. He is also naive and falls into a major crush on Fujiko. Of all the major cast, he receives the least screen time, but his time is used to build a very lovable character.

And we last land on Zenigata, who definitely swings back from bumbling comedy relief to his more hard-boiled detective persona of the manga. However, there is one twist to his character some fans will find unpalatable. While he was willing to kill Lupin in the manga, there was still a moral compass in him that pointed fairly close to true north. In this incarnation, he is as lecherous, if not more in ways, as Lupin could be. He exchanges Fujiko's freedom for her cooperation in capturing Lupin along with her providing him with sexual favors. And he makes it clear this isn't the first time he's cut such a deal with a criminal. It is not the most endearing portrayal of the character, but it suits the world the series builds. No one's hands are pure white, including our tireless inspector.

And introducing... Oscar

Zenigata had a few partners in the manga, and he receives one in this series. Oscar is his young subordinate, eager to please the Inspector. He places Zenigata on a pedastal and aspires to win his love, even if the ends to that goal means betraying the ideals he prizes in his mentor. His arc is a fascinating one but ends on an abrupt and sour note. It feels like they reached the end game of the series and did not have an solid concept of how to resolve Oscar's thread cleanly.

The series I hoped for?

This series was more than I had hoped it would be, more than just a casual shake-up of the franchise. I fell in love with the cast again; they were not quite their manga incarnations, not quite the anime incarnations of the past few decades. A balance was found between the two and resulted in an even stronger cast. Some of my favorite series in recent memory have managed to balance being episodic but with a overarching plot also playing out. Fujiko manages to do so, though not nearly as well at times. There were spots where the episodes seemed out of rhythm with the rest, but these were few leaving the bulk of the series to weave an intricate story.

And the villain... spectacular; the gang has faced some formidable foes, but this one felt like it held actual danger for them. One wrong move, and they might not survive despite their clever gadgets, marksmanship, or swordsmanship. The villain weaved as an elaborate a plot to achieve his ends, as Lupin would to steal away a world renowned treasure in a spectacular manner.

Everything about Fujiko felt like the right steps to shake the franchise out of its malaise and break away from the formula it has followed for decades. Much like Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns returned the franchise to its noir-ish roots but with a modern twist, Fujiko finds a good balance between rediscovering its manga roots while keeping some of the fun of its animated past. While not a perfect series, it far exceeded my expectations and revitalized my love for the franchise. Here's to hoping they make more like this.

As a sequel of sorts, the series is naturally going to be compared to its predecessor. The original Macross series still holds up as one of my all time favorite shows. Sure, it featured cool, transforming mechas and giant space battles, but at its core, the series was focused on the characters. These were people forced into a situation and trying to make the best of it. Along the way, we learn the most important lesson; all sentient life, even those specifically bred for battle, have deep emotions that can be triggered, the most important one being love.

For Max and Miria, it was the passion of competition that kindled their love; for most others, it was the songs of Lynn Minmei. Where Macross 7 goes off the rails is focusing solely on music. Music will change the universe! Yeah, that was the message of the original right? Let's turn it into a mystical energy!

Yes, we are introduced to "Song Energy", a measurable thing that can be boosted, enhanced, and used as a defense against the Protodevlin. The sole focus of the series is having Basara's song energy save everyone. Beams of song shooting everywhere between endless stock footage. The message of the original series was that music was just one key that could unlock someone's emotions. This series just took it to ludicrous extremes.

With the series off the rails, it plunges off the cliff by not providing decent characters either. Minmei, Hikaru, Fokker, Misa, etc. – you genuinely cared about or detested these characters and enjoyed seeing their relationships play out. Other than the strained marriage of Max and Miria, the series did little to develop the characters and their relationships. Basara and Mylene bickered like little children almost to the last minute; it was tiring to see the same conversations and actions repeated in each episode.

Bland story, flat characters, and an ending that felt rushed... The only reason I can think of to sit through Macross 7 are the Max and Miria scenes. We never learn what went wrong with their relationship, but watching it slowly come back around was the only fun I had. I'll likely watch the OVAs and film, but I doubt I'll find anything new to comment on. My recommendation... Skip this series and go straight to Macross Frontier.

Not sure how I missed posting this back in December when I posted it to the main Encyclopedia page, but here we are... My review of last year's TV special; click through for the image gallery.

Synopsis:
A pair of jewels hold the secret to an even greater treasure, but there are so many obstacles in Lupin's way. The smallest one is Maki, a precocious fourteen year old girl who wants Lupin to teach her to be a thief. But what is her tie to the treasure and the mysterious girl Misa, a girl who cannot die? The secrets behind the treasure reach back even into Lupin's past; will the Blood Seal be opened?!

Review:
Despite much fanfare about a new TV series this year, we instead receive the annual TV special; however, this one truly is special, as it features the first cast change since Yamada Yasuo was taken from us far too soon. Really, this is the only talking point of the special, so let's just dive into the subject. First, I had no qualms about shaking up the cast; it never bothered me that Fuma Clan featured an entirely different cast. If the actors can capture the spirit, the essence of the characters, that is sufficient to immerse me in the story.

When the new cast was announced, I had hoped they would be given some leeway to find their own take on the characters. Let them create their own interpretation of the character and breathe new life into them. Unfortunately, it feels like the mandate was the opposite. When Fujiko first spoke, she sounded younger but still sounded like the same voice actress from years past. If I had not known it was a new actress, I doubt I would have realized it from the performance alone.

Zenigata and Goemon fare a bit better but still sound too close to the previous actors. Zenigata is still his gruff and grumpy self, but he now sounds more like a slightly older contemporary of Lupin rather than someone ready for the gold watch of retirement. There are flashes of young steel in Goemon's voice, a tone and manner that works well for the character. Pity he was not allowed to explore that more.

But what about the plot, Hemingway? Well, it is another bog standard special that suffers from just a touch too much exposition. Once again, the original thefts are simply MacGuffins that point to a larger treasure that no one can truly obtain. There is nothing remotely new or fresh outside of the voices in this special, and that angle was hobbled by trying too hard to recreate the past. If the TV series does come to fruition, let's hope they finally decide to reinvent the franchise rather than endlessly recycling the past.

Twelve months later, and this is what happens...

Happy First Birthday, Alyssa!

For those unfamiliar with the story (for shame!), the Earth has come under attack by the Gamilas, a mysterious alien race. They bombard the surface, scorching it with radiation and driving humanity underground. The last hope to save Earth is a mysterious message from Iscandar promising a decontamination device and including plans for a warp engine and wave motion gun. The battleship Yamato and its crew launches for one final, desperate mission. The film does an excellent job of setting this premise up while introducing us to the crew of the Yamato.

Once the formalities of introduction are over, the focus is on the battle to get to Iscandar and back in time. There is little room for significant character development, but there are some decent but predictable moments where the characters can assert a unique personality. The special effects for the space battles were better than expected and felt close to recent US television productions. The interior sets though felt too sparse and lifeless; they reminded me of the early '70s British sci-fi shows rather than a modern production.

Yamato is an entertaining encapsulation of the original story. The space battles are mesmerizing, but there is not much beyond that eye candy that merits a repeat view.

Macross 7 picks up decades after the original war with the Zentradi ended; the two races are now hurtling through space in city ships that make the original Macross cruiser look diminutive. City 7 boasts two heroes from the original story; Max is the commander of the military, while Miria is the mayor. However, the focus is on their daughter Mylene and the members of the band Fire Bomber.

The mysterious threat this time is a group of aliens after "Spiritia". This is extracted from life forms via green lasers and leaves the victim alive but unmoving. Combating this threat is Nekki Basara, lead singer of Fire Bomber. He pilots an unusual Valkyrie that shoots speakers into enemy ships. He is looking to harness the power of song to stop all fighting.

I generally gauge how well a series is engaging me by the questions I have between episodes. A good series has me wondering what is around the next turn. Macross 7 has my wondering two things. Will Veffidas ever speak? (Yes, briefly) And will the flower girl ever give her bouquet to Basara? (Not yet, and I'm not ruling out tha the flowers are for someone else in Fire Bomber). There is currently too much repetition in the episodes to really grab my interest.

The enemy appears; Basara flies out and sings the same three songs over and over. Mylene gets annoyed with Basara and his antics. Veffidas drums over everything. What made the original Macross enjoyable was the human story it told in between the battles. They were people trying to live a normal life under highly abnormal circumstances. Macross 7 lacks that touch; they are people waiting for the latest plot device to fly and sing.

There is one interesting plot point that comes close though. Max and Miria's marriage has come undone. While it is not public yet, they are separated and heading to a divorce. It is intriguing to see this play out, as their jobs require them to work together to protect the people.

There is still plenty of show to watch, and episode twelve did take an interesting turn. We will see if the derides can pick up steam and make me care about something other than a taciturn drummer and a bouquet of flowers.

In Summary:

The first season of Kaleido Star is a captivating story about pursuing one's dream. While predictable, it distinguished itself by avoiding most of the stereotypes and clichés seen in similar titles. It took a great cast of characters and built them into a close knit family of performers that you simply just had to watch and cheer for. The "Legendary Great Maneuver" finalé provides an amazing yet bittersweet ending that will have you transfixed with anticipation. Funimation gives you one more chance to pick up this modern classic; don't miss it. One of my very favorite and highly recommended titles.

In Summary:

The second season of Kaleido Star equals its initial season and continues weaving a captivating story about pursuing one's dream. Where the first season built the cast into a family, the second season builds Sora into a strong, independent woman who knows what she wants to be on stage. Watching her take this journey is worth every minute. Funimation gives you one more chance to pick up this modern classic; don't miss it. One of my very favorite and highly recommended titles.

Spot on Thematically

The one musician I was excited to see was Mari Iijima; most older fans know her as the voice of Lynn Minmay, one of the most iconic figures in anime. Despite a role that rocketed her to stardom, she focused on her music after that and produces her own albums in LA now. Having followed her YouTube channel, I had seen clips of her live performances and was eager to hear her live.

One day only

Friday arrived, and the T gods blessed me with immediate and swift trains allowing me to get into town and pick up my badge with plenty of time before Mari's panel at noon. Wandered the halls a bit checking out the cosplay and seeing what would be the popular trend. Remarkably, there seemed to be no noticeable trend; people were decked out in a wide variety of costumes from shows new and old. There was even someone dressed as Darkwing Duck. Why? I have no earthly idea...

Hello, I'm Mari Iijima

However, she did express that it is frustrating for her at times; she is musician and has been since she began playing piano at three. She feels like she is always introducing herself; "Hello, I'm Mari Iijima... Please listen to my music". The questions were a good mix of what it was like working on Macross and what motivates her music. Charming, funny, and forthright... She was a fantastic guest; my favorite line from the whole panel: "That guy they were chasing [Ichijyo Hikaru] was an asshole."

Despite having a hectic schedule, she, in what would become a pattern for the day, went out of her way after the panel to pose for photos with those that wanted them. Mine is seen below; yes, I know what you are thinking. Why do I look like a complete doofus? I don't know, but this is why I shy away from cameras.

Hello again...

After that, there was time enough to kill until her concert. Wandered the dealer's room, grabbed a bite to eat, and talked to Jm on the phone for an hour or so. Nothing really struck my eye in the dealer's room other than the markup on items common across most booths. Things I could get on the net for $25 were on the order of $40; yikes...

A perfect end to the evening

Her concert was much like her panel; she talked and engaged the audience between songs. The same candidness in her speech comes through in her music; her songs are all personal reflections of her mood, dreams, hopes, and fears. She even belted out a cover of a Kate Bush and Oasis song. The hour was over too quickly, but seeing her live, even for a brief moment, was worth the wait. A merchandise table was setup after the concert, and I picked up her latest CD Echo and her previous one Uncompromising Innocence. She was planning to have another autograph session after the sales, but once again, she was gracious enough to sign one of the CDs right there. I could have probably gotten her to sign both, but she had already accommodated me far too much, and I did not wish to hold up the line further. And with that, it was back home, another Anime Boston adventure concluded for the year.

Picture, 1000 words... Hopefully, you now understand why this blog has been fairly silent the past few months. Fear not... This will not turn into a "Look at the cute" vanity page. Updates will be worked around my bundle's schedule.

This mission almost failed due to another utter failure of policy and procedure by the AB staff (more on this later). However, fortune smiled upon me, and I managed to get into the autograph room and bask in the glory of this icon. I handed him my box, and the translator, a man who I believe has worked every Anime Boston, asked who had previously signed it. I told him who and when, and we spent a few moments reminiscing about that particular guest. He mentioned this to Uematsu, and Uematsu took a minute to look at the signature. I wondered if he was getting nostalgic about those days and that title. He signed that and my copy of Final Fantasy 6 for the Super Famicom (best FF game ever!); I thanked him and walked out of the room a very happy man.

Uematsu is as impressive in person as he is through his prolific body of music. First, the man is a demon when it comes to autographs. The whole reason I managed to get in was due to the AB staff recognizing the pace he was keeping would manage to get in more people than they thought they could fit in the allotted time. And he just seems like a laid back, cool guy you could hang out and talk about anything with. He had a smile for everyone and seemed genuinely happy to be there.

The bright spot in the dealers room was managing to pick up more volumes of the Gyakuten Saiban manga (that's Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney to you US game players) for Jm from Sasuga Books. We didn't know at the time that it would be our last purchase from them; they closed their doors a few months later.

Rounding out the good was having lunch with Chris of AnimeOnDVD.com and others at the California Pizza Kitchen. The iPad had just come out, so there was plenty of discussion around it, the tech industry, anime, and more.

The Bad

That last thought is the core of my Anime Boston 2010 experience; I was just killing time instead of enjoying the convention activities. Most of the showings was material I had seen before or owned; none of the panels piqued my interest. You can see the best cosplay within an hour of wandering the halls. So why was I there outside of meeting Uematsu Nobuo? I was hard pressed to come up with an answer.

My one major regret was missing the Video Game Orchestra concert. Following the forum threads after the Uematsu announcement, the con reps indicated that his contract would prevent him from performing in the concert or solo. I never saw any information that contradicted this and went under the assumption this was true. However, my gut said that he would play regardless, and I should have listened to it. He did indeed perform at the concert, but again, I would have spent hours killing time. Odds were that I could see the concert on YouTube shortly after. True, it is not the same as being there live, but it would suffice.

A minor regret is missing out on Uematsu's panel; Jm and I went for a snack and a walk outside. I thought we would make it back with time enough to get in the back of the line; wrong... we just missed the cut off for the room capacity. It was surprising to see there were no overflow measures in place. The man is an icon, a legend, a rock star of the anime and video game industry. If you couldn't have his panel in the main hall, there could have been overflow rooms with TVs simulcasting the panel. Still, I had his autograph and was able to engage him directly. That more than made up for this.

Flogging the dead horse one last time, one vendor in the dealers room was another sad reminder of the state of the industry. Every year, they would have a long, sprawling section of merchandise with two or three people running back and forth helping out customers. This year, their section was two, maybe three tables long and staffed by only one man, and the merchandise was not as diverse. I silently hoped that their on-line business was still flourishing. Then I remembered there were figures I needed to pre-order from Hobby Link Japan. Direct (kind of) purchasing killed the dealers room star.

The Ugly

It took a bit of prodding from those of us in line, but the staff decided on the spot that the best course of action was to give those of us already there a ticket. When the line for the new time started up, we were then arranged in our original order due to the sequential numbers on our tickets. Brilliant customer service there; it defused any potential resentment around the time change and held to the spirit of the rules they had set up.

Sadly, this ticket system never caught on for all the lines for major events over the years, and no policies or procedures for wrangling lines have developed. The convention has been at the Hynes long enough to plan accordingly, but this never seems to happen. Lack of planning and preparation were evident once again for the Uemastu autograph line. It started with the messaging, or rather, the lack thereof.

Apparently, there was supposed to be a sign in front of the autograph room indicating that early lines were prohibited. However, this sign was located behind the closed doors of the room itself; that should be some staff member's checklist item one for the day. Ensure signs are properly setup. The second failure was lack of quality assurance on documents printed in advance of the convention. The unfortunate staffer that had to walk the line of disgruntled (puts it mildly) attendees commented to many that the policy was outlined in the program.

Bollocks; I had read the program and its policies the previous day to ensure that coming early and camping the line was an option. Nothing was outlined in the program with the policy the staffers were citing. When the staffer reached me, I politely pointed this out to her. She asked to see my program, thumbed through it, and let out a long sigh. She had told the writer to include it and was disappointed that it was left out. Yet, why had she not checked the policy text before the program was sent to the printer? This isn't your first time at the rodeo Anime Boston; policy documents should be boilerplate at this point with alterations only coming due to special contractual issues of the guests.

You might be wondering at this point "Luis, if you were there early, how did you end up at position in the line that could have been cut off?" That's an excellent question; thank you for bringing that point up. Many of us had camped early and were brusquely shooed away, told to congregate "over there without forming a line". We did as we were told and patiently waited to try to queue up again. However, another group had formed around the corner and further down the hall. They were not there as early as our group but were closer to the start of the new queue when the staffers opened things up. Many expletives were hurled by those around me when we rounded the corner to see a line already formed.

In a small sense, we were potentially going to be punished for the mistakes of others -- a missing sign, missing policy text. And having our group not be allowed to queue up first just heaped a huge dose of poor customer service on top. Though others raged, all I could do was shrug my shoulders and hope for the best; it certainly wasn't the first line I've been in that Anime Boston has mishandled. And given their track record over the years, it certainly won't be the last. Fortunately, Uematsu's speed allowed me in and salvaged my convention experience for the year.

And finally... Hope for the future?

Synopsis:
A Japanese cultural treasure has recently been discovered in a former Nazi sanatorium. While it is quite valuable, Lupin knows its true worth lies in being part of a key to lead to an even greater treasure. With Zenigata hot on his heels, a mysterious masked man named Morgana and his band of ninjas steal it, also killing Zenigata in the process. The race to the treasure is on; will Morgana and his ninjas reach it before Lupin? And why is this mysterious female ninja and her trusty dog interested in the treasure? Avenge the Old Man, Lupin!

Review:
It is nearly a year since The Last Job aired on Japanese TV; since that time, I have had the original TV broadcast, a fansub of said broadcast, and finally the actual DVD sitting on my desk gathering dust. The Detective Conan cross-over the previous year was a huge disappointment, and both the title for the 2010 special and the revelation that Zenigata was going to "die" left me dreading sitting down to watch another lackluster special. I finally worked up the desire to pop the DVD in, sat back, and let the ninety minutes pass by.

Remarkably, the special was not as big a disappointment as I feared. The plot cribs from The Fuma Clan; a Japanese treasure is the key, this time only one piece of the key, to an even greater treasure. Two ninja clans are battling for the treasure – one to steal its secrets led by the masked man Morgana, and the other to protect its secrets. To add to the fun, the writers toss in a connection to da Vinci, a female ninja and her trusty dog, a deadly yo-yo toting rival from Jigen's past, and a ninja dressed like a bird. Lately, the specials tend to bog down in the middle with exposition on what the treasure is or might lead to. However, this special weaves the explanations in between the action nicely, making the ninety minutes fly by rather than drag on.

I still do not understand why the writers continue to pull the gimmick of having a major character "die". Zenigata's death barely factored into the plot, and I would wager no one in the audience actually believed he was going to stay dead. If you want to take a character off the board for most of the special, just whack them over the head and leave them in a coma. At least, that is going to be more believable. Overall, the action was decent, and there were a few genuine laughs to be had; it may not have been a fantastic special, but it helped wash out a bit of the bad taste of the 2009 entry.

Screenshots coming soon...