Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)

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Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Writers: Hayao Miyazaki & Haruya Yamazaki, based on the manga by Monkey Punch, characters by Maurice Leblanc

Stars: Yasuo Yamada, Eiko Masuyama, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Makio Inoue, Goro Naya, Sumi Shimamoto, Taro Ishida, Kohei Miyauchi, Ichiro Nagai



A master thief and his allies travel to a mythical European kingdom to rescue a princess from an evil counterfeiter.

 


This celebrated anime was the feature film directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki, who would go on to create timeless classics with the creation of Studio Ghibli.

 


It is much beloved among anime devotees, but I wonder how much of this regard is colored by appreciation of his later output.

 


It is quite entertaining but can’t hold a candle to such classics as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, or Spirited Away. 



It is a bit too long and filled with manic action, but the characters failed to engage me, and the animation, produced on a tight deadline, is not of the same quality that we would come to expect from Miyazaki.


















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