This review took quite some time to complete, and I’m finally ready to move on. I really want to experience the TV Specials and especially the media from the 2010s, but I wasn’t there yet, though I know I will get to those eventually. Watching *Lupin the Third: Part 2* became almost a daily routine for nearly two months, which is no joke! From March 8th until April 30th, I dedicated myself to watching this show extensively. I put it off for so long because I knew that delaying it would only prolong the time before I could move on, so I just dove in and felt impatient to finish it. It might sound like I disliked the series, but that’s not the case; it's a very entertaining show—just mildly frustrating from a binge-watching perspective, rather than due to any flaws in its quality. What’s remarkable is how consistently good it is across more than 150 episodes. Certainly, there were some I didn't enjoy as much, but that’s the key word: *"few"*. The worst episode isn’t genuinely bad; it just has jokes that fall flat and aren't charming or funny—they’re simply disappointing. That’s quite an accomplishment considering its length, especially compared to shows like *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (1987) and *Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (2003), which I’ve also watched entirely. The tonal issues present in Part 1 are absent here, and the show maintains a similar tone throughout, with the only exceptions being the two Miyazaki episodes, which I discussed at length on Letterboxd under "Lupin the Third: Greatest Capers" if you're interested. It’s much lighter and more fun than Part 1, which had more thoughtful and complex storylines. Part 2 reduces the amount of gun violence and killing, though it still appears; just not as often as in Part 1. What *is* present is an excessive number of exposed breasts, a preoccupation that feels purely for fan service and doesn’t add anything meaningful. Lupin is far more perverted here than he was in Part 1, even if the original manga had darker themes and nudity that fit its mature tone. With this show's lighter nature, it comes off as immature, reminding me of middle school days when that kind of content seemed cool—which it really wasn’t. It can ruin potentially good episodes, but I eventually stopped caring. The characters are different *enough* for me to reiterate my thoughts on them. Lupin is a fun and energetic lead whose playful nature is more prominent than in Part 1 due to the less serious tone. Fujiko remains largely unchanged from Part 1, but she’s frequently paired with the Lupin Gang despite Jigen and Goemon's objections; Lupin is too easily swayed to listen, leading to episodes that typically end one of four ways: Lupin wins, Fujiko wins, everyone wins, or no one wins—with Lupin being the most common outcome and Fujiko winning the least. Goemon’s character remains similar to Part 1, but his swordplay is more restricted, and you'd be hard-pressed to find him cutting anyone in half. Jigen is much cooler than he was in Part 1; his sharpshooting skills are used far more often, and he even has episodes from his perspective, which I’d argue are among the most compelling, followed by Goemon’s. Zenigata is at his best in this show. The lighter tone actually works to his advantage, making him very enjoyable. The animation is noticeably better than in Part 1, and it's impressive given that it was released weekly. I prefer the more timeless jazzy soundtrack of Part 2 compared to Part 1’s more 70s feel, though both suit their respective styles. Most episodes fall within a 7/10 range; unlike Part 1, where good and great episodes were equally balanced with very few truly bad ones, Part 2 is more hit or miss. A handful of episodes are excellent, many are simply good without much to discuss, some are just okay, and a few feel mediocre—but as I mentioned at the beginning, it’s impressive how consistent the quality is despite occasional setbacks. I expected to have more to say about the show after 155 episodes, but there's not usually much to analyze in episodic series because they aren’t story-driven; it’s mostly a "heist of the week" kind of thing, which is perfectly acceptable. However, I’ll mention the dub. The English dub for *half* of this show might be even better than the original. Tony Oliver perfectly embodies Lupin's goofy charm and can become serious when the story requires it. Richard Epcar also nails Jigen’s performance, capturing Kiyoshi Kobayashi’s original essence with his own flair. Lex Lang is my definitive English Goemon, while Michelle Ruff is my definitive Fujiko *period*. I'm noticing a pattern with this voice cast. Dan Lorge is an oddity; while he’s great as Zenigata, this and the Geneon dub of *Mystery of Mamo* are the only Lupin projects he was involved in—I might actually prefer Doug Erholtz’s performance, making him my favorite English Zenigata. But this dub gets hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube not just because of the talented cast, but also because of the script tweaks that add a modern touch and pop culture references. This is an unusual case where these changes genuinely work—they add charm and memorability to the original material. They could have simply adapted the scripts as they were, but it wouldn't be the same. If you’re watching the show, watch the dub because you’ll be missing out if you don't. It's hilarious with a great voice cast, and knows when to deliver more dramatic moments. I’m disappointed that only half of the show was dubbed because Geneon lost the rights, but I’m glad we at least have that much. That’s about it; I have thoughts on individual episodes, but I don't want to make this review any longer than necessary, as I plan to watch *Lupin: Part 3* tomorrow. See you then for my review of *Lupin: Part 3*. Best Episode: Episode 155 "Farewell, My Beloved Lupin" Worst

Source on TMDB