Hooder
- Pronouns
- he/him
- Apr 13, 2023
- #1
One thing I've been seeing around (mainly on youtube) is that some fans think Part 7 should go back to the classic roots of having no arcs after all, we've had nothing but arcs in the recent years
do you agree, or disagree?
or perhaps the odd two parter to mix things up?
chiK
- Pronouns
- She/Her
- Apr 13, 2023
- #2
To me, the problem isn't the arcs but the semi-regular characters they put in to keep the arcs going. I just want them to remember that Lupin III is basically the story of the Tom and Jerry style chase between Lupin and Pops, and to focus on the regular 5 characters.
Tsushi
Matcha-Coated Tanuki Mod
Admin
- Pronouns
- He/They
- Apr 14, 2023
- #3
I would love for them to be doing more standalone stories, mainly because I think it encourages a more dense and interesting episode. Many times, especially in Part 6, an episode will be very slow and not much will happen because they are only setting up a thing for a larger arc. I think having to make episodes that stand by themselves they pack in more action and information.
And even better, if the characters or story for that one episode isn't very good, then we'll be on to a new one in the next episode! I don't mind the idea of having a few 2 part episodes, or putting hints building up something in a few of the standalone episodes to get to a larger end story but I want more fun and adventure getting done in a single episode.
I think Part 4, TWCFM and Zero have a pretty good balance between a larger plot arc and also having standalone episodes. Not that the balance was perfect in all of them but they are a LOT better than Part 6 in that storytelling sense.
I think Zenigata needs to be allowed to be more actively chasing and engaging, he seems to have lost his role and involvement in a lot of the newer stuff.
pago
- Pronouns
- she/her
- Apr 14, 2023
- #4
Tsushi said:
I would love for them to be doing more standalone stories, mainly because I think it encourages a more dense and interesting episode. Many times, especially in Part 6, an episode will be very slow and not much will happen because they are only setting up a thing for a larger arc. I think having to make episodes that stand by themselves they pack in more action and information.
And even better, if the characters or story for that one episode isn't very good, then we'll be on to a new one in the next episode! I don't mind the idea of having a few 2 part episodes, or putting hints building up something in a few of the standalone episodes to get to a larger end story but I want more fun and adventure getting done in a single episode.
I think Part 4, TWCFM and Zero have a pretty good balance between a larger plot arc and also having standalone episodes. Not that the balance was perfect in all of them but they are a LOT better than Part 6 in that storytelling sense.
I think Zenigata needs to be allowed to be more actively chasing and engaging, he seems to have lost his role and involvement in a lot of the newer stuff.
I think you've hit the nail on the head standalone episodes being able to move on from characters and stories that aren't that good. I also think arcs in Lupin exemplifies a lot of the writing problems of modern Lupin. The longer the arcs go on, the longer you have time to sit with the plot and poke holes with it.
VampireNaomi
- Pronouns
- She/they
- Apr 14, 2023
- #5
It was really hard for me to decide what to pick. I loved the way the arcs were done in Part 5, even if I didn't like the last two arcs very much, but the arcs in Part 6 were incredibly frustrating. If they do arcs again, I'd like them to be even more self-contained than in Part 5 so that they don't all build up towards a grand finale but are just longer stories that can stand on their own and be watched in any order. @Tsushi said it perfectly that the pacing of the arcs can lead to a lot of padding and build-up but not enough reward if you have to watch 1-3 quieter episodes before you get to the big finale. And if you also separate the plot episodes from each other like in Part 6, that's just annoying to watch weekly.
On the other hand, I've enjoyed the potential for larger stories and character development that the arcs provide. Even Part 6 had me excited for the Holmes story in the beginning. I also like having side characters who show up in multiple episodes and contribute to the story in meaningful ways. If written well, side characters can be used to show new and interesting sides of the main characters, too, since the dynamic within the main five doesn't leave all that much room to try out new things. New characters can die, change their ways, fall in love, have shocking revelations in their backstories etc. so I need them in a serious Lupin story in order to feel invested. The main five can carry a more comedy/action-focused story on their own, but for plottier stuff I need new characters to have a sense of stakes.
I would like to have another series like Part 4 where there were interesting one-off episodes that still featured the side characters occasionally, like the episode with Nyx's daughter being kidnapped. That's the best of both worlds for me. Also, just because there's a continuous story and regular side characters, it doesn't mean the plot has to be the kind of epic adventure that the recent series have done. Let's just have regular heist episodes, and here and there you learn something meaningful about one of the main characters, or one of the side characters gets to be part of the plot. We could have Rebecca as a guest star in one episode without it being part of anything bigger etc. Or an episode where Goemon and Yata are separated from everyone else in a dangerous situation, and it's just a survival adventure featuring them, then credits roll and something new happens next week.
And I completely agree with the opinions pointing out that Zenigata suffers from the arc structure because he's often left with nothing to do but comment on the events from the sidelines and provide exposition.
Jonnie
weird middle aged man connoisseur
- Pronouns
- they/them
- Apr 14, 2023
- #6
See, I want to say that I would love more arcs in Lupin, but time and time again it seems that no writer knows how to really properly execute them. I think maybe the most solid over-arching plot we've seen in a series thus far is that of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine-- while it's not to my taste, I think it executes pretty competently on the story it did try to tell.
That said, I think some of the strongest entries in the Lupin III franchise have been standalone stories, be they individual episodes such as "Wings of Death: Albatross" or a majority of the movies and specials. I wouldn't mind if they just took the time to focus on fun, one-off plots with little to no consequence on a wider narrative, given that someone or other over at TMS seems opposed to letting the stories they tell either say something about the main cast, or impact their lives in some meaningful way. There are plenty of ideas I like in parts 4, 5, and 6 that I think just weren't carried to their fullest potential for whatever reason... And if they're unable to go all the way, then I'd rather they not try at all.
lupincentral
(dot)com
- Pronouns
- He / Him
- Apr 17, 2023
- #7
My personal preference has always been to have a series filled with standalone episodes, with a couple of two-parters peppered in along the way. I feel like Part 5 is the only main Lupin series to date that does a decent job of nailing the over-arcing plot formula (aside from Fujiko Mine and ZERO, of course). The central storylines, despite not being perfect, told decent, compelling tales. As much as I adore Part 4, I felt the show faltered here, mostly because of the plot itself, and not the show structure. The one-shot episodes are by far the highlight of that series, for me. Part 6 was a mess that I hope we can move away from, in future!
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