GKIDS Gets The Gang Back Together For 'Lupin III: The First' Dub

One of the things American animation fans can look forward to once cinemas are beginning to operate more normally is GKIDS Film's upcoming release of Lupin III: The First. Understandably, we don't yet have a firm date, but hopefully, once things have settled at least somewhat, we'll be able to find out.

Lupin III: The First is the first CG animated adventure for the iconic gentleman thief, who has starred in numerous movies, TV series and specials over the past half-decade, including Hayao Miyazaki's The Castle Of Cagliostro. Written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the new movie was released in Japan last years and was among the feature selection at this year's Annecy Animation Festival.

Long time Lupin fans had some concerns about the announced English dub. The Lupin franchise has had an established voice cast of veteran actors who first voiced the characters in Geneon's dub of the Lupin III: Part 2 TV series. As this was the version shown on Adult Swim, it's the cast that most US Lupin fans have been familiar with.

Lupin titles have been released in the US via multiple distributors, and dubs by some such as Funimation have recast the roles. However, when the Lupin III: part IV series was licenced by Discotek, they brought the original cast back to reprise their roles- to the delight of many fans.

The good news today is that the dub of the new movie is bringing the original team aboard for one more job. Tony Oliver (who's dubbing credits go back to the Robotech days) will reprise the role of Lupin,  and will be joined by Michelle Ruff playing femme fatale Fujiko Mine,  Richard Epcar as Lupin's right-hand man Jingen and Lex Lang as the noble swordsman Goemon. Doug Erholtz will also be back as the dogged detective Zenigata, the Tom to Lupin's Jerry.

Laurie C. Hymes, J. David Brimmer and Paul Guyet will join the cast in new roles. While there is no release date yet, you can sign up at the film's website to be notified on any updates.

The iconic "gentleman thief" Lupin III returns in an action-packed, continent-spanning adventure, as Lupin III and his colorful underworld companions race to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Bresson Diary, before it falls into the hands of a dark cabal that will stop at nothing to resurrect the Third Reich. The gang undertakes trap-filled tombs, aerial escapades and daring prison escapes with the trademark wit and visual finesse that have made LUPIN THE 3RD one of the most storied animation franchises in the world, in a thrilling new caper that is sure to delight fans old and new.