News Update: Aug. 2016

Post date: Aug 22, 2016 7:45:12 PM

• Lupin the Third: Part II, the second Lupin series, will return to DVD from Discotek Media in December with Episodes 1-40, with 3 other similar box sets arriving throughout 2017. Planned extras for the series include liner notes, select episode commentaries, and select promotional clips from its run on Adult Swim. An interview with the ADR Director, Richard Epcar, is also planned as part of the release. Extra features will be scattered across the volumes.

• Lupin the Third: Voyage to Danger announced and released from Discotek Media on Blu-ray Disc+DVD Combo Pack. I wrote liner notes and further edited the subtitles.

• Lupin the Third: Operation: Return the Treasure!! has been announced for US release in 2016 by Discotek Media. (It was originally announced as a 2017 title, but this was in error.) The announced DVD will include Japanese audio and English subtitles only with bonus translation/liner notes.

• Lupin the Third: Island of Assassins will be re-released in the US as a Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack by Discotek Media.

• Lupin the Third Part IV has reportedly been dubbed(!) using key members of the old Part II voice cast(!!), namely Tony Oliver, Richard Epcar, Michelle Ruff and Lex Lang. Zenigata's old voice, Jake/Dan Martin, was reportedly unavailable. Richard Epcar leaked the news on his Twitter account, but no one seems to know who has licensed it or what the plans are for said dub. The latest update from Epcar is that the dub will debut in November. Part IV has also been licensed by Anime Limited UK (announced back in May 2016) but the Amazon listing for the first half of the series only mention Japanese audio and English subtitles.

• Lupin the Third Part IV has finished airing in both Italy and Japan and has been well-received among Lupin fans. Its commercial success is not quite as clear, though American anime enthusiasts seem to be keen on it. The whole thing is available to stream on Crunchyroll in the US for free.