Lupin The 3rd Season 1 Episode 3 Gold Smuggling 101

Lupin The 3rd is an animated series that follows the adventures of master thief Arsène Lupin III and his band of misfit accomplices as they plan and execute heists all over the world. In season 1, episode 3, titled "Gold Smuggling 101," Lupin and his team set their sights on a massive fortune in gold that is being smuggled across international waters.

The episode opens with Lupin and his longtime rival, Inspector Zenigata, engaging in a high-speed car chase through the streets of Paris. While Zenigata is focused on capturing Lupin, our hero is preoccupied with a different target: a rusted old fishing trawler that is making its way up the Seine river. Lupin and his team, which consists of his trusted right-hand man Jigen, his love interest, Fujiko Mine, and his bumbling sidekick, Goemon, decide to use the trawler as a cover to smuggle the gold out of the country.

Their plan involves intercepting the trawler in the middle of the night and convincing the crew that they are members of a rival smuggling operation who have been sent to take the gold for themselves. Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon don wetsuits and dive into the water, swimming their way to the trawler's hull. Once they make their way aboard, they quickly dispatch the crew and take control of the boat.

Meanwhile, Fujiko poses as a wealthy businesswoman who has arranged to buy the gold from the smugglers. She meets with the head of the operation and, after some initial skepticism, manages to convince him that she is serious about purchasing the entire shipment. However, things don't go according to plan when Zenigata shows up at the meeting and begins to question everyone's motives.

The remainder of the episode is a tense game of cat-and-mouse between Lupin and Zenigata, with the added complication of the smugglers trying to reclaim their stolen gold. Lupin and his team are forced to use all their cunning and skill to outwit their opponents and escape with the loot.

The animation in "Gold Smuggling 101" is top-notch, with fluid movements, vibrant color palettes, and a cinematic sense of scale. The characters are all highly stylized and distinct, with Lupin's lanky frame and rakish grin being particularly striking. The episode also incorporates some impressive action setpieces, like a high-speed boat chase and a harrowing underwater escape.

Overall, "Gold Smuggling 101" is a fun, action-packed episode that showcases the series' signature blend of comedy, adventure, and suspense. While the plot may be familiar territory for fans of heist films and crime capers, the wit and charm of Lupin and his crew make it an enjoyable ride from start to finish.