New Lupin III OAV Announced

In commemoration of Lupin III’s 30th anniversary (actually in October of 2001), a new Lupin III OAV will debut in Japan on April 3rd. Lupin III: Ikiteita Majutsushi (Lupin III: The Living Magician) will be a return to the more serious, hardboiled tone of the original TV series- with an emphasis on wit and thievery instead of slapstick comedy. In fact, the plot of this 50 minute OAV has the magician Pycal, first introduced in the original 1971 TV series episode 2, returning to seek revenge for his defeat by Lupin.

The DVD release will be a deluxe, 3 disc special edition making full use of the capability of the DVD format. The OAV will include 3 alternate endings only accessible after the OAV has been watched once in its entirety; the dialogue for each main character will be a separate track allowing viewers to choose to turn off particular character’s dialogue; audio interviews with the cast and creator.

The second and third discs included in the 8,500 yen DVD set are a CD soundtrack and a CD-ROM with interactive game and desktop wallpapers. The OAV will also be released on VHS for 9,800 yen.

Source: Anime News Service