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Return of the Magician (生きていた魔術師 Ikiteita Majutsushi?) is the second Lupin the 3rd OVA released on April 3, 2002.

Synopsis[]

Lupin and his partners in crime gather in Greece to acquire the seven mysterious "Celestial Crystals." He targets one being kept in a Mediterranean mansion and finds himself up against not just his rival Inspector Zenigata, but a second one as well! And one of them is far more violent than usual... This vicious version of Zenigata sheds his disguise to reveal himself: Pycal, the man once called "The Magician." He has somehow escaped his deadly fate and has a new goal: to collect the Celestial Crystals for himself. When gathered, the crystals give the bearer a unique and immense power over others. Can Lupin and the others stop Pycal and save the world from his control?

Long Summary[]

Jigen surprised
"This is it? ... but it's an empty ruin!"
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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
Pycal Nachi Nozawa

Additional voices:

  • Takeshi Aono as Mysterious Old Man
  • Junpei Takiguchi as Millionaire
  • Kōji Ochiai as Sommelier
  • Taitem Kusunoki as Customer
  • Daisuke Egawa as Guardsman
  • Keijin Okuda as Announcement
  • Akiko Koike as Female Announcer
  • Miho Yamada as Daughter A
  • Sachiko Sugawara as Daughter B
  • Nao Takamori as Daughter C
Italian ("Le avventure di Lupin III - Il Ritorno del Mago" [Mediaset] / "il Ritorno de Pycal")
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
Pycal Gaetano Varcasia

Mistakes[]

  • When the bottle of wine is first shown it says U.N.C.L however when Lupin pedals away and a later scene with the bottle, it is corrected to U.N.C.L.E.
  • On the camera, it says RROGRAMAE rather than Programme. Soly however is not a mistake but rather changed due to copyright reasons.

Releases[]

Japan[]

  • VHS April 3, 2002 (VAP, VPVV-66893)
  • DVD April 23, 2003 (VAP, VPBV-11722)
  • Blu-ray September 15, 2010 (VAP, VPXV-71095)

Italy[]

  • DVD 2005 (Yamato Video)
  • DVD 2008 Lupin the 3rd: Movie DVD Collection - il Ritorno de Pycal (DeAGOSTINI/Yamato Video, 1LM02)
  • DVD 2011 Lupin III: Film DVD Collection - il Ritorno de Pycal (N.7, Yamato Video/La Gazzetta dello Sport)

USA[]

  • Blu-ray July 27, 2021 Return of Pycal (Discotek) [Japanese with English subtitles]

Notes[]

  • This was the first Lupin anime that used CGI and digital effects throughout.
    • Some sources say that this was the first digitally animated Lupin. however, that title goes to Alcatraz Connection.
  • Despite most of the OVA being in 16:9, the opening and closing credits however are animated at a 4:3 ratio. A scene where Fujiko is laid naked on bed is played with going from 4:3 to portrait view.
  • According to Discotek, the masters were at a "super rough state". [2] One of the issues was interlacing that was featured as an animation shortcut to speed up footage. [1] Brady Hartel had to fix the issues for the Discotek Blu-ray.
  • A recording of WinAmp was featured in the OVA. [3]
  • Originally the OVA only featured the main feature on VHS. When the OVA was later released on DVD, three hidden endings were produced and are included in the Discotek Blu-ray. The 2008 Italian DVD release also featured the endings.
  • The voice of Pycal in this OVA was done by Nachi Nozawa who voiced Lupin in the pilot film.
  • The bottle of wine that appears at beginning says Lu.Pin. As well as a reference to Lupin, there is also spy related references such as No. 007 being James Bond and U.N.C.L(.E) from The Man from UNCLE. While the bottle of wine says 1970, there is no significant date in terms of the series since the manga was from 1967, the pilot film was 1969 and Part 1 was 1971.
  • The sailor suit that Jigen wears is a reference to Part 1 Episode 11 however the color is changed to blue instead of purple.
  • The character designs are inspired by Lupin the 3rd Part 1 in terms of Lupin's Green Jacket, the hairlines on Fujiko's and Goemon's hair, however Lupin and Goemon are more closer to the TV Specials at the time of production. Jigen's character design is different than both as it is a mixture of Part 1, Part 2 and the TV Specials. While Zenigata's poses are based off Green Jacket with his hunched back, his hat color is from Part 3 and his jacket color is from Part 2.
  • This was the first Green Jacket focused Lupin animation that did not have Yasuo Otsuka involved with the production.
  • When Fujiko is having a shower, a long black censor bar appears where her breasts are. It is unknown whether it was an intentional decision or a sign of censorship as the OVA was not aired on TV despite being partly produced by Nippon Television.
  • After Fujiko says "the one who is a magician" during a conversation with Lupin, it features Lupin III Chapter 14 as a visual effect. It is currently the only Lupin animation that not only references the manga but features the panels drawn by Monkey Punch.
  • The end credits is a reference to the end credits of Part 1 where Fujiko is driving on her motorbike.
  • The Italian dub has changed the opening and the end credits for the TV airings. The opening places at the beginning rather than when Lupin steals the bottle of wine of his name sake. It was changed to show various clips of TV Specials with Hallo Lupin playing. The ending was replaced by the first Opening of Lupin the 3rd Part 2 inside a window as the credits are listed on the right. Originally it was aired as a two parter however current airings show the OVA in full outside the credits where they get cut after Monkey Punch's name shows up.

Gallery[]

Navigation[]

v  e
Lupin the 3rd Anime Media
Series
Part 1Part 2Part IIITWCFMPart 4Part 5Part 6Lupin Zero
Movies
1.Lupin VS the Clone • 2.The Castle of Cagliostro • 3.The Legend of the Gold of Babylon • 4.Farewell to Nostradamus • 5.Dead or AliveDaisuke Jigen's GravestoneThe Blood Spray of Goemon IshikawaFujiko Mine's Lie • 6.The First
OVAs
Pilot FilmLupin VIII • 1.The Plot of the Fuma Clan • 2.Return of the Magician • 3.Green vs. RedLupin Family Line-upLupin III 3DCGLupin ShansheiIs Lupin Still Burning?
TV Specials
1.Bye-Bye Liberty - Close Call! • 2.Mystery of the Hemingway Papers • 3.Steal Napoleon's Dictionary! • 4.From Russia With Love • 5.Orders to Assassinate Lupin • 6.Burn, Zantetsuken! • 7.Pursue Harimao's Treasure!! • 8.The Secret of Twilight Gemini • 9.Walther P38 • 10.Tokyo Crisis • 11.Fujiko's Unlucky Days • 12.$1 Money Wars • 13.Alcatraz Connection • 14.Episode 0: First Contact • 15.Operation Return the Treasure • 16.Stolen Lupin • 17.Angel Tactics • 18.Seven Days Rhapsody • 19.Elusiveness of the Fog • 20.Sweet Lost Night • 21.The Last Job • 22.Blood Seal - Eternal Mermaid • 23.Another Page • 24.Princess of the Breeze • 25.Italian Game • 26.Goodbye Partner • 27.Prison of the Past
Crossovers
Lupin III vs. Detective ConanLupin III vs. Detective Conan: The MovieLupin the 3rd VS Cat's Eye


References[]

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