Fujiko Mine's Lie (2019) note is the third film set in the Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine continuity of Lupin III and was directed by Takeshi Koike. It follows Jigen's Gravestone and Goemon's Blood-Spray. Like those two films, this contains higher levels of violence and serious characterization than other "Lupin" titles. As with the previous entry, Lupin does not wear a jacket at all, just his black undershirt.
Fujiko Mine, master thief and con artist, is living with a man named Randy and his young son Gene as a maid in the remote desert. Randy has stolen $500 million from his ex-employers at Godfrey Mining, and they naturally come looking for it, tracking down the man to his hideout. Randy is eliminated, but Fujiko and Gene manage to escape. Since the only person in the world who knows where the money is hidden is now Gene, the boy becomes the new target for Godfrey Mining.
The sinister and other-worldly Bincam, an assassin genetically engineered to be the perfect killing machine, is sent out searching for him and his secret. Fujiko does her best to protect her young ward (and the secret of his riches, of course), ending up with her old associates Lupin and Jigen along for the ride to help her protect the boy.
How much of Fujiko's guardianship is out of her desire for riches, and how much of it genuine affection for the innocent life in her care? More importantly, can she and her charge survive Bincam and his mind-altering powers to retrieve the money?
Like the other films in the series, the movie was split into two parts on initial release. Both halves were released on DVD in Japan on May 31, 2019. Discotek Media released an English sub and dub with the same cast as the previous two films.
Tropes:
- Bait the Dog: During the course of the movie, it's highly implied that Fujiko's being nice towards Gene only as a way to get her hands on the money, which is even lampshaded by Gene himself halfway through the movie. In a nice subversion, Fujiko helps Gene reunite with his father and leaves them enough money to cure his illness.
- Boom, Headshot!: Bincam gets one and just shakes it off. Godfrey gets sniped in the back of the head by Yael at the end of the film, dying instantly before he can reveal his boss's identity to Lupin.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Bincam, a ruthless murderer, who is conditioned to follow the orders of his handler Carla at Godfrey Mining. He overcomes the conditioning and kills his handler out of his desire to be with Fujiko.
- The Cameo: While he does not speak, Hawk is seen chopping wood at a house known to be a front for funnelling illicit money. This tips off Lupin and Jigen that they've become involved in a massive conspiracy, which is confirmed when Yael from the first movie, who also does not speak, cameos to snipe Godfrey in front of Lupin and Jigen.
- Cannot Cross Running Water: A variant for Bincam. His ability to spread his curse depends on the air being dry; when the air around him is wet, he can't summon his dust storm to spread the curse. Fujiko blows up an underground spring to "ground" his powers during their final confrontation.
- Chekhov's Gun: The devil's trumpet flower shown at the very beginning of the movie. It's the same plant that provides the toxin Bincam was bio-engineered to emit as part of his "curse" that hypnotizes anyone caught in his dust storms.
- Clothing Damage: To Fujiko's jumpsuit during her final battle with Bincam. It actually helps her win when Bincam becomes Distracted by the Sexy, allowing her to plunge her blade into his heart.
- Cool Car: Fujiko drives a Lamborghini Jarama while Lupin and Jigen drive around in a Dodge Challenger T/A.
- Doing In the Wizard: Bincam's power is supernatural-looking and referred to as a "Curse". During the final battle, Fujiko reveals that there's no curse, and that Bincam's sweat glands have been modified to emit a mind-altering poisonous dust.
- Facepalm Of Doom: How Bincam murders Carla, taking quite a long time to do so.
- Heroic Seductress: Fujiko's real weapon in the battle against Bincam.
- Hidden Weapons: During the final confrontation, Fujiko reveals a extremely flexible curved blade with a ring-shaped handle she wore instead of a belt. And uses it to murder Bincam.
- Human Weapon: Bincam, bio-engineered as a child to be the ultimate killer. He curses others, allowing him to control their minds and force them to tell their secrets or obey his commands.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: How Bincam bites the dust. Frighteningly enough, he's able to talk for a little while after being stabbed in the heart.
- Killed Mid-Sentence: Godfrey is assassinated by Yael just as he's telling Lupin who ordered the hit on Jigen (and later Lupin and Fujiko) back during the first film in this series.
- Major Injury Underreaction: Bincam is shown to be so resistant to bullets and wounds that after getting shot in the shoulder he has to be ordered by Carla to tend his wound first, because he'd rather have a snack.
- No-Nonsense Nemesis: Carla, Bincam's handler, is the most serious and professional of the antagonists, and clearly annoyed by Lupin's antics.
- Out of Focus: Goemon and Zenigata do not appear in this film at all.
- Poisonous Person: Bincam, via his "curse". His sweat glands actually emit scopalamine, a poison said to be able to control minds.
- Scary Teeth: Bincam has a set of sharp, filed metal teeth.
- Sequel Hook: The true mastermind(s) behind Bincam, Hawk and Yael are yet to be revealed. Though, the after-credits sequence of Jigen's Gravestone may be a clue.
- Yael has also returned, with a mechanical arm to replace the one injured by Jigen.
- Shipped in Shackles: When he's not killing, Bincam has to be restrained when en route to keep from unneeded violence.
- A Taste of the Lash: Happens to Lupin and Fujiko via Carla's whip. Lupin doesn't seem to mind, though.
- Trademark Favourite Food: Bincam loves to eat a type of nuts, so much that his standard equipment includes a belt containing several nuts and he has many more in his wardrobe.
- Unexplained Recovery: Randy survives burning down his bungalow.
- Villainous Breakdown: Bincam is normally a stoic, apathetic murder machine, but as he's enthralled by Fujiko he becomes more irrational, emotive, and ultimately less efficient.
