Lupin The 3rd: The Secret of Mamo DVD

Lupin III is dead! Or so the world believes until a skeptical Inspector Zenigata discovers the master thief is very much alive and pilfering treasures in Egypt. While Lupin and his loyal crew, Jigen and Goemon, seek an ancient stone artifact from a pyramid, the enigmatic Fujiko Mine betrays them—lured by a promise of eternal youth from the sinister scientist known as Mamo. As the team fractures, Lupin must track down Mamo’s secret island hideaway to uncover a dark, 10,000-year-old scheme that threatens the fate of the entire planet.

Lupin The 3rd: The Secret of Mamo (also known as Mystery of Mamo) is the first animated feature film in the iconic franchise. Released in 1978, it serves as a high-stakes, surreal bridge between the gritty, adult tone of the original manga and the pop-art energy of the later television series. Directed by Sōji Yoshikawa, the film is celebrated for its bizarre philosophical themes, creative visual scale, and for setting the blueprint for all future Lupin cinematic adventures.

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Sōji Yoshikawa (Tensai Bakabon, Kirby: Right Back At Ya!)
Original Creator: Monkey Punch
Studio: Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS Entertainment)

Cast:
• Yasuo Yamada as Arsène Lupin III
• Kiyoshi Kobayashi as Daisuke Jigen
• Eiko Masuyama as Fujiko Mine
• Makio Inoue as Goemon Ishikawa XIII
• Tony Oliver as Arsène Lupin III (Pioneer English dub)
• Richard Epcar as Daisuke Jigen (Pioneer English dub)

DVD Features

• Conceptual Art Gallery and Promo Posters
• Excerpts from the Original Japanese Movie Program
• Geneon Previews and Trailers

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: ルパン三世 (Rupan Sansei)
Runtime: ~102 Minutes
Director: Sōji Yoshikawa
DVD Release Year: 2003 (U.S. Release, Geneon/Pioneer)
Original Release Date (Japan): December 16, 1978
Publisher: Pioneer / Geneon Entertainment
Rating: NR (TV-14 / PG-13 equivalent)
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action-Adventure, Surreal Comedy
Themes: Immortality, Cloning, Grand Heists, Existentialism

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.