Lupin III: La leggenda dell'oro di Babilonia

The third theatrical animated feature sees Lupin III going after the gold of Babylon with the New York mafia led by a fly-swatting Polish criminal boss, a mysterious old bag-lady and five beauty contestant policewomen under the control of Lupin's long-suffering foe Interpol inspector Zenigata also on the trail. Interesting to see Lupin III not in the recognizable green or red jacket, but decked out pink. Nice touch. This treasure hunting adventure is fairly screwball (motorbike pursuit) and ridiculously out-there (aliens/gods), where it's the unfocused plot that takes it down a notch. At least something is always going on, despite not knowing completely what. Once it hits Babylon the pace and thrills do pick up with those police women coming into their own. However the New York scenes can plod. That's mainly in the second half. Still the chase element is alluring, because of the familiar actions (playful double-crossing) and strong characters (Lupin & Co) involved. Animation looks basic, if scratchy, as the details are minor. For me it's one of Lupin's lesser outings, yet nevertheless, this caper is enjoyable enough.