Lupin III: Travels of Marco Polo - Another Page note (released in English as The Secret Page of Marco Polo) is the twenty-third Made-for-TV Movie in the Lupin III franchise. Directed by Hajime Kamegaki, who previously did Seven Days Rhapsody and Lupin III vs. Detective Conan, it debuted on November 2, 2012, with a western Blu-Ray release by Discotek Media set for release in July 2024.
The Lupin franchise again goes through an Art Shift, this time back to the mid-1990's character designs found in The Pursuit Of Harimao's Treasure and Dragon Of Doom. There's also some design influence from the 2009 Lupin III vs. Detective Conan special, likely thanks to Kamegaki's involvement.
It seems Lupin has gone too far this time. In trying to get hold of "Another Page", a lost entry in Marco Polo’s legendary journal of travels, did the master thief really kill an innocent archaeologist? The victim’s granddaughter Lisa thinks so, which makes things all the more complicated when Lupin and Jigen pose as ICPO officers and take her into their care. They're protecting her from Lombardo Heavy Industries and its ruthless "salesman" Bernardo, merchants of war who are also after Another Page for their own dark, profit-making purposes. Throw in an imprisoned Chinese mafia boss, a mysterious monk training Goemon, and, as usual, the persistent Inspector Zenigata, and things get really complicated as all parties converge to find out the true nature of Another Page.
Complete spoilers below — don't read further if you don't want to know how this caper turns out!
This TV movie features examples of:
- Absurdly Sharp Blade: Goemon, as usual. In the last scene of the movie he cuts Bernardo’s satellite-based laser weapon. While it's still in space. And he on earth.
- Affectionate Nickname: Ami starts calling Goemon "Goe-Goe," much to the samurai’s irritation. Even Grandpa eventually starts addressing him as Goe-Goe.
- All Asians Know Martial Arts: Invoked and lampshaded by Bernardo, who after having seen his men attacked by Hiromi and her sisters wonders aloud if all Japanese know karate.
- All That Glitters: The golden treasure isn’t important in the end; it’s the message that’s on it.
- Antagonist in Mourning: Zenigata is heartbroken when Lupin simply gives up without a fight in Beijing. When his eternal foe later busts out of prison, Zenigata rejoices and shouts he told them so; there’s the Lupin he knows and hates!
- Big Bad: Bernardo, a "salesman" for Lombardo Heavy Industries does all of the dirty work, manipulation, and death dealing in the story.
- Bishie Sparkle: When Goemon enters the ship to rescue Hiromi. Then, promptly Discussed:Fujiko: (confused) "What’s with all these sparkles?"Lupin: (as the ship crashes) "I think those are sparks..."
- Censor Steam: On Hiromi’s bustline during the Furo Scene. The lower half is covered by a Modesty Towel.
- The Clan: The Benkei clan, dedicated to protecting their ancestor's Seven Weapons, as well as locating the lost eighth one.
- Cleavage Window: Played with; Bernardo gloatingly tells Lupin to have a look at the monitor, but instead of the thug holding the ladies hostage, Fujiko’s boobs are nicely framed instead.
- Continuity Nod: Lupin implies that Lombardo once helped sell the destructive robots from the final episode of Shin Lupin III.
- Continuity Snarl: Really, should be taken lightly given the complexity of the Lupin universe, but there are two notable instances:
- Part of the mystery revolves around the question of Kublai Khan being the same person as Minamoto no Yoshitsune. This special claims he isn't, which directly contradicts the second series episode "Khan Job" which claims he is.
- During one scene, Goemon claims he's never pondered marriage before. Guess he’s already forgotten about almost marrying Murasaki in The Fuma Conspiracy. That's harsh, Goe-Goe.
- Convection, Schmonvection: Zeal during the Peking escape sequence is used to target a bridge in order to block Lupin's escape route. However, while the heat is enough to melt the concrete, the water under and around the bridge doesn't even steam and Lupin and co aren't burnt even when they're just inches from the area of effect.
- Death from Above: A Kill Sat example; Zeal, Bernardo’s satellite-based laser weapon which incinerates everything it touches.
- Delayed Reaction: A side effect of Grandpa Benkei's ki attacks: he apparently mimes a judo-throw on Lupin, and Lupin is suddenly slammed into the ground by himself a second later.
- Depending on the Writer:
- Zenigata gets major intellectual and physical upgrades for this special. He effortlessly takes down Lombardo thugs, snatches a gun away from a would-be shooter (which he deduced would be loaded with blanks), easily plants a bug on a person who he suspects of being a mole, and directly challenges the Secretary-General of ICPO over Lupin getting blamed for murder.
- Fujiko has Action Girl levels of kick-ass, instead of relying on her charms as a Femme Fatale; Bernardo starts threatening the ladies he’s holding hostage, only to find out that Fujiko has already taken out his thug, leaving the poor mook in a twitching, groaning heap on the floor. And whatever she did left Claudio cowering in the corner to boot!
- Didn't Think This Through: Lampshaded by Lombardo when Jigen, with Grandpa's help, destroys the plane's only machinegun. He angrily asks who thougth to equip a war plane with just one machinegun.
- Dirty Old Man: Grandpa, who snuck into the bathroom before Hiromi and Goemon.
- The Don: Bao Long; he's a mobster, but he's a cultured one, and more or less honorable, offering information to Lupin in exchange for his prison bust, helping Lupin’s gang escape and fulfilling (most) of a favor for Lupin in exchange for a shot at revenge.
- Double Agent: Claudio, who is both a peer of Professor Argento, and is part of the upper echelon at Lombardo Industries.
- Famous Ancestor: Grandpa is actually Musashibo Benkei the 22nd. This creates a dilemma for Goemon; if he goes after Hiromi, he'll be forced to give up the Ishikawa name to become the 23rd!
- Frame-Up: Lupin accidentally arrives at the university just after Professor Argento is killed, and just in time for the security guards to spot him over the body. Zenigata doesn't buy it for a second, but everyone else is convinced of Lupin's guilt, including Lisa.
- Freeze Sneeze: Lupin, after he falls into the cold river faking his death.
- Furo Scene: Of a comedic nature, involving Goemon, Hiromi, and two scheming little sisters wanting them to fall in love.
- Gold Fever: Gold is mentioned as part of the Another Page treasure. Fujiko is naturally very interested, as are Lupin and Jigen.
- Gratuitous Italian: And overall good enough, though there are some mistakes (Heavy is "Pesante", not "Pasante"). Also the words written on the golden sword are mostly correct, though the stress on "passato" is not.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Bernardo, who tries to use Zeal to kill Lupin's gang, and instead ends up right in the center of the shot. That's why you don't try to screw over Lupin, especially when a Chinese triad boss with connections to your weapons company owes him a favor.
- Implausible Fencing Powers: Played with; Goemon is actually trying to avoid using his sword as much as possible in this special. In his moments of weakness, logs and airplanes still fall to pieces, though. But in perhaps the greatest example of his prowess yet, he takes down a satellite. In orbit. From Earth. Scarily justified, as he has learned Grandpa’s projection powers.
- The Ingenue: Lisa, big time. She spends most of the movie unaware of what's actually happening around her and wholeheartedly trusts people who are telling her lies (though Lupin and Jigen were doing it for a nobler reason than Claudio). She also blushes wildly when Fujiko hugs and push her cheek to cheek to herself.
- Ki Manipulation: Grandpa specializes in these, able to attack foes from a distance while motioning as if they were close up. He imparts the knowledge to Goemon, who also gets quite accomplished at it and helps Jigen by empowering his pistol shots.
- Latex Perfection: Lupin disguises Zenigata in a Lupin mask to throw Lombardo off his tail. And then Zenigata turns out to be Lupin in a Zenigata-mask anyway.
- Line-of-Sight Alias: As Lupin and Jigen escape with Lisa, claiming to be with ICPO, they pass a KFC with a statue of its famous founder up front. Quickly, Lupin dubs himself "Inspector Colonel" and Jigen becomes "Detective Sanders".
- Look What I Can Do Now!: Goemon eventually picks up on Grandpa's attack skills. Jigen and Lupin are aghast when declares he will not draw his sword.
- Luminescent Blush: Pretty much permenant on Goemon whenver Hiromi is concerned. Especially during the Furo Scene.
- The Matchmaker: Grandpa wants Hiromi and Goemon to marry so Hiromi has a chance at a happy life, instead of dying while fulfilling her duty as her parents did.
- Mr. Fanservice: A rare case for Lupin; most of the Fanservice goes to Goemon. Fujiko actually keeps her clothes on for the entire special.
- Musashibo Benkei: It's revealed that the Grandpa is actually Benkei the 32nd, and that Benkei's clan has sworn to retrieve and collect the Seven Weapons the historical one possessed, here pictured as a Naginata, an axe, a saw, a rice sickle, a wooden mallet, a Sasumata and a Sodegarami (two Japanese mancatcher weapons). However, the clan cannot rest until the secret eighth weapon, the Sword, is recovered.
- No Body Left Behind: People targeted by Zeal pretty much vanish in a puff of smoke and perhaps a flash of flame, if they're lucky. The same happens to Bernardo.
- Shout-Out: Hiromi and her sisters are Expies of the Cat's Eye protagonists. This even extends to their names, with each one being a play on the name of one of the Kisugi sisters (Hiromi/Hitomi, Rumi/Rui and Ami/Ai).
- The Stoic: Bao Long, who remains completely blank-faced and calm, until the very last scene where he gloats over his control of Zeal.
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Translation Correction: In the Italian dub, the staff went a step further and bothered to correct the errors in the original movie, changing the words on the tablet, pc screens and Golden Sword accordingly. - The Triads and the Tongs: Bao Long runs several illegal operations, including casinos and weapons smuggling. The latter has lead him to run afoul of Lombardo, which put him in jail.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: Plot A: Lupin and Jigen figuring out where Marco Polo’s treasure is. Plot B: Goemon trains with a mysterious monk. The two converge when Polo’s treasure turns out to be located where Goemon is training.
- War for Fun and Profit: The goal of Lombardo Heavy Industries, and why it wants the secret of Another Page.
- Worthless Treasure Twist: The Golden Sword is indeed gold! It’s also only three inches long!Everyone: So small!Fujiko: (disgusted) I’m going home.
