Within the first minute into The Secret of Mamo (Pioneer's full title being Lupin the Third The Movie: The Secret of Mamo.... ugh), Lupin, master thief, dies by being hanged. What a wonderful way to to start off Lupin the Third's first animated movie! It doesn't stay that way for long, as Inspector Zenigata quickly debunks that by actually finding the real Lupin minutes later. Turns out the other one was a clone..... or was it? Afterwards, you'll get your typical Lupin the 3rd entertainment as you watch Lupin, along with Jigen (professional gunman) and Goemon (skilled samurai), attempt to steal something valuable with Zenigata hot on their trail. Then there's your usual Fujiko fanservice thrown about (I find it funny the three instances of fanservice is placed at the beginning, middle, and end of the movie).
It'll seem like an extended episode of the second TV series, but that thought quickly gets thrown out the window when a bunch of freaky stuff happens when Lupin gets captured by Mamo, the villain of the film. This menace is so threatening, that the U.N. is even on his case, attempting to take him out every chance they get. Mamo also happens to be a blue-skinned, long-haired midget that has a major boner for Fujiko.... just in case you were wondering. He also has an island that Hitler hangs out on. Hey, I told you it gets freaky at times. The movie jumps around between usual Lupin fare and the bizarre, Twilight Zone-esque moments, which isn't bad, actually. It kinda makes things unpredictable at times (one of the biggest "What the fuck?" moments happens at the end). The whole time, the action will be accompanied by the nicely composed music. The intensely-upbeat Lupin the Third theme being one of the better pieces.
While the vibe of uncertainty was a nice addition, the thing I liked the most about this movie was that it felt like I was really watching an actual theatrical feature. At times, it felt ambiguous and epic, while at the same time maintaining the same enjoyment you'd expect from Lupin the 3rd. There were times, however, that the movie felt like it was dragging on, especially once it hits the one hour mark. At that moment, it looked like the movie was coming to a close..... until you realize there's 40 more minutes left. It quickly snaps out of it, though, and you'll once again be engaged with what's going on. But, overall, The Secret of Mamo is an entertaining movie to watch, (I'd say it's as good as, and likely better than, the second animated movie: The Castle of Cagliostro), and pretty damn impressive for a first (animated) Lupin movie.
Film Rating: 8/10
-Langauges: English dialogue in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and the original Japanese dialogue in Dolby Digital (with option of English subtitles)
-Anamorphic 16:9 widescreen
-Digitally remastered picture
-Scene Selection
-Original Japanese movie program featured in the extras menu. An English translation is inside the DVD's booklet.
-Concept art
-Original Japanese Coroner's Report in extras menu (the one in the film was changed to English).
-Collectible reversible cover
-Keychain (limited)