Episode 0: First Contact is the fourteenth Lupin the 3rd television special.
Synopsis[]
Lupin is after mafia boss Galvez's single most precious treasure: a treasure within a treasure. Jigen is Galvez's hired gun who fails to kill cat-burglar Lupin in his first attempt on the treasure and seeks revenge. Fujiko is the girlfriend of Lupin's rival, Brad. Zenigata travels from Japan to America to find and arrest Fujiko. Goemon seeks the almighty sword that cuts steel, Zantetsuken. This sword is mysteriously connected to the treasure in Galvez's vault.... After a series of twists and turns, these complete strangers become acquainted in their "First Contact," an epic adventure!
Cast[]
Japanese
| Characters | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Lupin III | Kanichi Kurita |
| Daisuke Jigen | Kiyoshi Kobayashi |
| Goemon Ishikawa XIII | Makio Inoue |
| Fujiko Mine | Eiko Masuyama |
| Inspector Koichi Zenigata | Gorō Naya |
| Galvez | Shuuichirou Moriyama |
| Shade | Shunsuke Sakuya |
| Brad | Jūrōta Kosugi |
| Crawford | Masaru Ikeda |
| George McFly | Ichirō Nagai |
| Hans Dollarhyde | Tamio Oki |
| Elina | Romi Park |
Additional voices:
- Daisuke Egawa
- Daisuke Ono
- Hikari Yono
- Keijin Okuda
- Masayuki Katou
- Yuuji Kishi
Italian ("Episode 0: C'era una volta Lupin" / "Episodio 0")
| Characters | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Lupin III | Roberto Del Giudice |
| Daisuke Jigen | Sandro Pellegrini |
| Goemon Ishikawa XIII | Antonio Palumbo |
| Fujiko Mine | Alessandra Korompay |
| Inspector Koichi Zenigata | Rodolfo Bianchi |
| Galvez | Sandro Sardone |
| Shade | Christian Iansante |
| Brad | Davide Marzi |
| Crawford | Oliviero Dinelli |
| George McFly | Ambrogio Colombo |
| Hans Dollarhyde | Toni Orlandi |
| Elina | Beatrice Margiotti |
French
| Characters | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Lupin III | Philippe Ogouz (as Edgar de la Cambriole) |
| Daisuke Jigen | Philippe Peythieu |
| Goemon Ishikawa XIII | Jean Barney |
| Fujiko Mine | Catherine Lafond (as Magali) |
| Inspector Koichi Zenigata | Patrick Messe (as Inspecteur Lacogne) |
| Galvez | Edgar Givry (as Garvez) |
| Shade | Fabrice Josso |
| Brad | Roland Timsit |
| Crawford | Roland Timsit |
| George McFly | Jean Barney |
| Hans Dollarhyde | Philippe Peythieu (as Hans Delarhyde) |
| Elina | Agnès Gribe |
Additional Voices:
- Agnès Gribe
English
| Characters | Voice Actors |
|---|---|
| Lupin III | Tony Oliver |
| Daisuke Jigen | Richard Epcar |
| Goemon Ishikawa XIII | Lex Lang |
| Fujiko Mine | Michelle Ruff |
| Inspector Koichi Zenigata | Doug Erholtz |
| Galvez | Jamieson Price |
| Brad | Erik Kimerer |
| Erina | Amber Lee Connors |
| Shade | Todd Haberkorn |
| Detective George McFly | Paul St. Peter |
| Commissioner Crawford | Derek Stephen Prince |
| Hans Dolarhyde, Taxi Driver | Kyle Hebert |
| Reporter B | Jose Argumendo |
| Thug | Bill Butts |
| Police Dispatcher | Kai Kennedy |
Additional Voices:
- Ellyn Stern
- Richard Epcar
- Kyle Hebert
- Paul St. Peter
- Erik Kimerer
- Michelle Ruff
Releases[]
Japan[]
- VHS October 23, 2002 (VPVY-68102, VAP)
- DVD October 23, 2002 (VPBY-11611, VAP)
- DVD June 2003 (VPBY-17790 reprint, VAP)
- DVD Alcatraz Connection & Episode 0: First Contact (Futabasha)
- Blu-ray March 17, 2010 Lupin the Third: Lupin the BOX -TV Special BD Collection- (VPXY-71910, VAP)
Italy[]
- DVD 2005 Japan DVD Animation Episodio 0 (1JDA02, Yamato Video/DeAGOSTINI)
- DVD Lupin the 3rd Special DVD Collection - Episode: 0 - C'era una volta Lupin (?LUP??, DeAGOSTINI/Yamato Video)
- DVD Lupin the 3rd Movie DVD Collection - Episode: 0 - C'era una volta Lupin (DeAGOSTINI)
- DVD December 30, 2011 Lupin III Film Collection Episodio: 0 (N.10, Yamato Video/La Gazzetta dello Sport)
USA[]
- DVD March 30, 2010 Episode 0: The First Contact (Discotek Media) [Japanese with English subtitles]
- Blu-Ray April 26, 2022 Episode 0: The First Contact (Discotek Media) [English Dub, Japanese with English subtitles]
Notes[]
- The fight between Goemon and Lupin was similar to their fight in Part 1 Episode 5 in terms that it happened on a freeway and flammable liquid was used.
- During the TMS 55th anniversary, this was voted No.1 TV Special by watchers on Youtube. [1]
- There are references to Lupin the 3rd Part 1 outside of the Goemon duel. When Lupin puts his hand to Goemon in the pond to save him is a reference to Part 1 Episode 7 where he rescues him in a pit to become friends however this does not happen in the special until the ending. When Fujiko says "And I hate liars even more" is a reference to Part 1 Episode 21 where Rie Makita says that to Lupin.
- At the ending, Fujiko dyes her hair blonde. In terms of the Lupin series outside of illustrations by Monkey Punch, only The Castle of Cagliostro, The Secret of Twilight Gemini, and In Memory of the Walther P38 have her blonde.
- This takes place before "Jigen's Gravestone," which took place in 1973 according to the death date on the stone, but the office computers Lupin hacks in this movie are mid-to-late 80s computers. Since this was a story told by Lupin, the TV Special may have not happened at all as it contradicts events that happened in other entries including those from later series.
- It is also likely that the incompatibility between the two backstories given is due to both this special and "Jigen's Gravestone" and its sequels being alternate continuities.
- This TV special is one of three TV specials that have articles on Wikipedia, the others being Bye-Bye Liberty - Close Call! and Lupin III vs. Detective Conan..
Gallery[]
Discotek Media Cover
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