One of the plots adapted from the original manga into the anime. Fujiko has stolen something from a man named Pycal, and he wants it back. Pycal is a magician who is able to shoot flames from his hands, walk on air, and deflect bullets with ease. Lupin goes up against Pycal in hopes of saving Fujiko.
Tropes
- Adaptation Distillation: The scientist character from the manga is removed. In the episode, Lupin makes the discoveries instead, which establishes the character's intelligence.
- Adaptation Expansion: This episode includes a bigger role for Jigen, and a Love Triangle between Lupin, Fujiko, and Pycal.
- Dreaming the Truth: Happens to Lupin, sort of. When he fell out of the window and was knocked unconscious, he dreamt of Pycal's negatives overlapping each other, showing what looks like a chemical formula.
- Face Your Fears: Early on in the episode, it's revealed that Lupin has a fear of octopus. This becomes a crucial plot point before the final showdown with Pycal.
- Identical Stranger: It's implied that this Fujiko is a different one from the previous episode, keeping in line with the original manga, which featured multiple Fujiko Mines. This is probably the only time the anime does this.
- MacGuffin: the slides.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: While Lupin figures out how to duplicate Pycal's tricks through glass panes and miniature flamethrowers, Pycal's never explicitly shown pulling off the tricks in this way.
- No Plans, No Prototype, No Backup: The only copy of Pycal's invincibility formula was on the slides, which get destroyed during the final fight against Pycal. When Fujiko questions Lupin about it later, he ends up revealing that he hadn't thought to memorize it before placing the slides in danger of destruction, making it lost forever.
- Punny Name: Pycal's name can be spelled as 'Paikaru', which is also the name of a Chinese alcoholic beverage. Upon learning his name, Lupin remarks that that name makes him drunk.
- Running Gag: Lupin and Jigen pulling out a larger weapon each time they meet Pycal.
- Spell My Name With An S: Most English translations of the episode either spell his name as "Pycal" or "Piker".
- The English version of the manga chapter calls him Paikaru, while a later chapter calls him Vical.
