rhyshurst Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut is wonderfully joyous romp, and is well worth a watch.It's a much lighter take on the classic 'Lupin the 3rd' manga, which may be alienating to long time fans of the series.But replacement of the raunchier humour of the manga with the wonder and energy of Miyazaki is well worth it.It follows Lupin and his friend Jigen's Investigation into a large counterfeiting operation in the small European country of Cagliostro, and their discovery of an evil plot by the country's ruler to steal an ancient treasure from it's rightful owner.The plot isn't particularly complex, the likeable and iconic characters of the Lupin franchise carry it for the 1hr 40min run time.The animation is very simply drawn, but this helps it to be extremely fluid and bouncy.The simple characters aren't much of a problem anyway, they are all iconic and charming enough to the point were it doesn't even matter.The backgrounds and are beautifully detailed, especially the titular castle which is gloriously cliched in a good way.It's many traps, stairwells and towers set the scene for several exciting action sequences, especially the final chase scene (a signature of Miyazaki's works).To conclude, this film is well worth a watch even if its not the most substantial of Miyazaki's films.It's certainly extremely enjoyable and well executed,definitely has my recommendation.

Anssi Vartiainen Famed Hayao Miyazaki's feature-length directorial debut and definitely a proof that he knew what he was doing from the very beginning. The story and especially the tone take considerable liberties with the source material, written by Monkey Punch, turning Lupin from a jade anti-hero into a relaxed gentleman thief, but that's pretty much expected with Miyazaki. Most of his films would end up being a bit scary and even dark from time to, but never jaded or mean-spirited.And it's simply a smashing adventure film in its own right. Lupin and his partner in crime Daisuke Jigen are two master thieves investigating the source of extremely high-quality counterfeit bills, which are circulating in the underworld, when they meet and rescue a young woman, who ends up being tied to their quest more deeply than they would have expected. In the process of procuring their livelihood they end up fighting for the future of an entire kingdom.It also looks great. Studio Ghibli didn't exist yet, but you can definitely see Miyazaki's fingerprints all over the style, the colours, the camera angles and the whole feel of it. It's almost like a trial run for what would end up being Castle in the Sky, while still being absolutely its own creation. Sure, it's a bit rough around the edges and the tone is more... slapsticky than usual, but I actually like that about this film. It has a sense of fun over everything else, which other Miyazaki films lack. They're more mystical and whimsical than purely comedic. Which makes them so great, but it's nice to have this single film in this style.If you're a fan of Miyazaki, you might have heard about this film already, but I don't think all that many people have actually seen it. Which is you doing yourself a tremendous disfavour. Go fix this.

CinemaClown Hayao Miyazaki's feature film debut may not be as polished as his best works but it's still an impressive start to what would later become one of the most celebrated film careers in motion picture history and wonderfully captures the legendary filmmaker planting the seeds of what he would portray so flawlessly in his later films.The Castle of Cagliostro (also known as Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro) tells the story of a flamboyant thief who along with his partner-in-crime robs a casino only to later discover that the money is counterfeit. The plot covers his adventures in the land of Cagliostro; the rumoured source of forged bills, where he tries to save the princess from a corrupt Count.Co-written & directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the film is an incredibly light-hearted & endlessly fun adventure that contains many elements which later became Miyazaki's own trademarks, most notable being his fascination with European architecture. The hand-drawn animation has a very different tone n feel when compared to the rest of his filmography & same goes for its narrative.Bearing more resemblance to stories one might associate with the character of Tintin, The Castle of Caglostrio is full of action & plays out like a mystery for the most part. Humour is used to great effect, characters aren't mere caricatures plus are brilliantly supported by the voice cast, the plot does get a bit cumbersome during the middle act but it still does well in retaining its sense of fun for the most part.On an overall scale, The Castle of Cagliostro is an influential example of the anime genre that has garnered a devoted fan base over the years & remains one of the only two films directed by Miyazaki that doesn't feature in Studio Ghibli's repertoire. The animation may be crude & unrefined but the quality of storytelling isn't. An enjoyable, entertaining & fun ride, if not a memorable one, The Castle of Cagliostro is definitely worth a shot.

NowhereMan64 The Castle of Cagliostro is the epitome and shining example of adventure cinema. I would introduce any newcomer to the genre with this work of art, before any of the Indiana Jones films. It is a shame that the rest of Lupin the Third's catalog is nowhere near as good as this and that Miyazaki never returned to the series. It gets everything thing right and then some.For starters, it successfully introduces you to the world of our protagonists and makes you wish you were off on their adventures with them. You know you're in for a treat when a film manages to get such a reaction from you. Like any self aware well made film in this genre, it starts off with the tail end of Lupin's previous adventure, only setting up the context of the situation with most of it taking place off screen and leaving the viewer drooling for more. And right after, we're introduced to the crux of the film as the gang heads out to Cagliostro.At it's core, the film is the archetypal story of a brash, young hero rescuing a princess from an evil king who has hidden her in his lair. You get tied up in the story as you root for Lupin and his misadventures which involve teaming up with his foe Zenigata to save the day. Also important to mention is that Miyazaki's feminist themes are not missing here as he spares us of the Fujiko Mine fan service and establishes her as a powerful female character.And brilliantly, as the film ends, we are reminded that this tale is only one of many adventures Lupin will find himself on and we leave our hero in the same situation as we found him, on the run. A genius visual metaphor indeed.