Dec. 15, 1979|Japan|102 Min.|n/A
Genre: Adventure;Animation;Comedy;Crime;Family
Description: In 1968, master thief Arsène Lupin III and his partner, Daisuke Jigen, successfully steal a large sum of money from the Monte Carlo Casino. However, during their celebration, Lupin realizes the money is made up of exceptionally high-quality counterfeit bills. Determined to uncover the source, they travel to the Grand Duchy of Cagliostro, believed to be the origin of the counterfeit operation.
Upon arrival, Lupin and Jigen witness a young woman being pursued by armed thugs. They manage to rescue her, but in the chaos, Lupin is knocked unconscious, and the woman is captured. Before being taken, she leaves Lupin a signet ring. Recognizing the ring, Lupin identifies the woman as Clarisse, the princess of Cagliostro, who is set to marry Count Cagliostro, the country’s regent. This marriage is part of the Count’s plan to secure his power and discover the fabled ancient treasure of Cagliostro, which requires both his and Clarisse’s ancestral rings.
The next night, assassins attack Lupin and Jigen at their inn but fail to kill them or retrieve the ring. Lupin leaves a calling card on Jodot, the Count’s butler and chief assassin, declaring his intention to rescue Clarisse. To create a diversion, Lupin calls for his ally Goemon and alerts Inspector Koichi Zenigata, his longtime pursuer, of his location. Disguised as Zenigata, Lupin infiltrates the castle, while the real Zenigata becomes trapped in the castle’s catacombs. Inside, Lupin reunites with Fujiko Mine, who is posing as Clarisse’s lady-in-waiting, and promises to help Clarisse escape. However, the Count tricks Lupin into a trapdoor, sending him into the catacombs.
Using a fake ring with a transmitter, Lupin taunts the Count, who sends assassins to retrieve the real ring. In the catacombs, Lupin encounters Zenigata, and the two agree to work together to escape. After overpowering the assassins, they discover a hidden room filled with printing presses—the source of the counterfeit money that has fueled Cagliostro’s global shadow empire. While Zenigata wants to collect evidence, Lupin insists they focus on escaping first. They start a fire as a distraction and steal the Count’s autogyro, but during their attempt to rescue Clarisse, Lupin is shot and severely wounded.
Cast director: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast actor: Yasuo Yamada, Eiko Masuyama, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Gorō Naya, Sumi Shimamoto, Taro Ishida, Akio Nojima, Eken Mine, Ichirō Nagai, Junkichi Yarita
Original name: ルパン三世 カリオストロの城