The Castle of Cagliostro

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Tetsuo Katayama
Screen Play by: Hayao Miyazaki, Haruya Yamazaki
Based on: Lupin III by Monkey Punch
Cast: Yasuo Yamada, Eiko Masuyama, Kiyoshi Kobayash,i Makio Inoue, Goro Naya, Sumi Shimamoto, Taro Ishida
Music by: Yuji Ohno
Released: 1997

Plot: Master thief Arsène Lupin III and his colleague, Daisuke Jigen, flee the Monte Carlo Casino with huge quantities of stolen money, but as they celebrate their latest heist, Lupin recognizes the bills as distinctively high-quality counterfeits.[a] Deciding to seek out the source, they head to the Grand Duchy of Cagliostro, the alleged wellspring of the counterfeits.

Shortly after arriving, the two get passed by a young woman being chased by a group of armed thugs. They rescue the young woman, but in the ensuing mayhem Lupin is knocked unconscious and the woman gets captured, but she leaves him a signet ring. After seeing the ring, Lupin recognizes the woman as Clarisse, the princess of Cagliostro, who will soon be married to Count Cagliostro, the country's regent. The Count's arranged marriage will cement his power and recover the fabled ancient treasure of Cagliostro, for which he needs both his and Clarisse's ancestral rings.

The next night, a squad of assassins attack Lupin and Jigen at their inn, but they escape. Lupin leaves his calling card on the back of Jodot, the Count's butler and chief assassin, announcing he is going to steal Clarisse. Lupin summons Goemon Ishikawa XIII and tips off his longtime pursuer, Inspector Koichi Zenigata, to his whereabouts to provide a distraction. Lupin disguises himself as Zenigata and makes his way into the castle, while the real Zenigata ends up trapped in the castle's catacombs. After meeting his on-off lover Fujiko Mine posing as Clarisse's lady-in-waiting, Lupin makes his way to Clarisse and returns her ring, vowing to help her to escape. Before he can act, the Count drops Lupin down a trapdoor into the catacombs. Lupin mocks the Count through the ring he gave to Clarisse – a fake containing a transmitter – and the Count sends three assassins to retrieve the real ring.

Review: This is a masterfully crafted anime based on Lupin III by Monkey Punch. The plot centres on Luupin who discovers the money he had stolen was counrefeit. Not happy being decieved and wanting to get something for his efforts, Lupin heads to Cagliostro. He has heard this was the place all the countefeit money was being printed.

There he discovers a charming and beautiful princess who is being forced to mary the Count. Apparently the Count has is eyes on the fabled Cagliostro treasure. To be able to foil the Count and at the same time liberate the princess, Lupin teams up with a rogues gallory of friends. Which oddly includes his adversary, Inspector Zenigata.

The story has a fun fast paced feel and can be enjoyed by the whole famiy.

M J Flack