Is Lupin Still Burning? is an 2018 OVA made to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Lupin III. It was included as a bonus episode with the first Japanese DVD/Blu-Ray release of Lupin III: Part 5; the English language version was shown on Toonami after they finished Part 5. The title and setup of the special are direct nods to the first episode of the original series, and feature several nods to past faces and events throughout the franchise.
Lupin is about to embark on a dangerous race, but then things take a sudden turn when both he and a pursuing Zenigata are sent hurtling through time to important moments from Lupin's past. Two old foes have returned and are trying to ruin Lupin for good, forcing the thief to examine previous events and figure out how to stop his foes from destroying his life.
Complete spoilers below — don't read further if you don't want to know how this caper turns out!
- Bad Future: Kyosuke Mamo intends to create one where Lupin doesn't have Jigen, Goemon and Fujiko by his side, resulting in alternate versions. After his meddling with the timeline, Jigen has been reduced to panhandling after being shot in his arm by Stoneman, Goemon is an assassin for hire and Fujiko is now the samurai's partner. It even affects Zenigata, who instead of being obsessed with Lupin has now dedicated his life to hunting down Goemon, the "Samurai Assassin."
- Call-Back: Being a Time Travel Episode, Lupin travels throughout moments in his life where he either met his friends or fought powerful adversaries and accidentally interferes with them, changing the outcome. Specifically:
- An encounter with Pycal from episode 2 of Green Jacket.
- Accidentally allowing Jigen to make his duel with Stoneman, from episode 99 of Red Jacket.
- Causing Goemon to side with his assassin mentor Momochi over Lupin from episode 5 of Green Jacket.
- Interfering between Fujiko and Poon from episode 9 of Green Jacket.
- Continuity Cameo: The racers from the opening scene are all one-off characters from past Lupin productions, including Poon and Stern from Green Jacket, Nightlight Mask from Red Jacket, Lucky and Ron from Pink Jacket and Isabel from Bye-Bye Liberty Crisis.
- Dirty Old Man: Mister X isn't using Tickle Torture on Fujiko this time to get information, but just because he wants to, and thinks the audience does as well.
- Exit, Pursued by a Bear: the OVA ends with Mamo and Mister X stuck in the Mesozoic being chased by a tyrannosaurus
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Mister X leans on it when he captures Fujiko and straps her into his Tickle Torture machine again.Fujiko: Not this again. Unfortunately for you, I have absolutely nothing to hide. If you think you'll get any information out of me with this contraption, you're mistaken.Mister X: Ah, but I have no need for information this time! They're all looking forward to this, everyone is!Fujiko: What do you mean "everyone"!?
- Not Quite Dead: Mister X returns again after appearing to have died several times before. Goemon points out that he should be dead, but Lupin says he's not the type of person to die so easily.
- Past-Life Memories: A split timeline variant. Lupin's friends, even after being cut out of his life by past events, still feel an odd inclination to help him. Also, when Lupin steals Zenigata's car, he shouts Lupin's name, and immediately questions how he knows that name and why he shouted it.
- Tickle Torture: Fujiko is subjected to this by Mister X again, just as she was in the first episode.
- Time Travel Episode: Kyosuke Mamo is back with his time machine, and he uses it to transport Lupin throughout different moments in his life and make sure he never gains any allies.
- Trapped in the Past: Lupin gets forcibly transported into past moments of his life until Kyosuke Mamo can eliminate all of Lupin's allies and make eliminating him easier. In the end, Lupin still comes out on top, and ends up using Mamo's time machine against him to trap both him and Mister X in the age of dinosaurs.
