The first episode of the first anime.
The Hida Speedway has been completed and Lupin is entered as one of the competitors, representing Japan. His goal is to take top prize at the first race. The race is actually a trap designed by the Scorpion Gang who are intent on killing Lupin and eliminating all criminal competition. Fujiko is being held by Scorpion in their headquarters and is forced to watch as Lupin competes.
Lupin starts the race in the lead, closely followed by Zenigata. After avoiding two traps set for him, he cleverly switches places with Jigen with an exact replica of Lupin's car and a uniform to match. Lupin then visits the hotel where Scorpion is hiding and watching. Disguised as a plumber inspecting a problem with the employee bathrooms, he is able to flood the basement of the hotel. He uses an electrical cable to shock the Scorpion members in the water while he and Fujiko stay safe on the platform. Rescuing Fujiko, Lupin heads back to his car.
Zenigata is still chasing Jigen, who is dressed exactly like Lupin except for his watch. The two of them pull another switch, and Jigen reacquaints himself with Fujiko. Who uses a mallet.
We switch back to Lupin, who is being celebrated as the first winner of Hida Speedway. As he's being applauded, Jigen senses something's wrong as the crew members begin to edge away from Lupin holding the trophy. Just as the trophy is about to explode, Lupin tosses it at the other Gang members. Fujiko meets with Zenigata just before Lupin blows up the last of the Scorpions.
Zenigata then confronts Lupin after the explosions. Fujiko has explained everything to him in exchange for tearing up her arrest warrant and letting her walk free. Lupin is arrested, although that lasts about as long as you may expect.
Tropes
- Adaptation Expansion: Like most early Lupin episodes, it takes its basic premise (here: Lupin masquerades as a prix driver and swaps places with Jigen mid-race, all while Zenigata competes as another racer) from a manga chapter while adding things (here: the entire plot with Scorpian and Fujiko) to fill 22 minutes.
- The Alibi: Lupin uses Zenigata as his alibi by making it appear he had not left the racetrack.
- Damsel in Distress: Fujiko is captured before the episode title is even shown.
- Electrified Bathtub: A large-scale version is used for taking out the Scorpion members in the hotel.
- Gratuitous English: Scorpion is spelled/pronounced Scorpian. You can also catch a glimpse of it being spelled 'Scopion'.
- Nebulous Evil Organization: The ScorpianClan doesn't have any specific goals aside from the death of Lupin. On the other hand, all the characters aside from Zenigata seem to know they should be stopped.
- Pop-Culture Pun Episode Title: The title is a Shout-Out to the 1966 French film Is Paris Burning? - not as random as it seems, as the film's star Jean-Paul Belmondo was one of the key inspirations for Lupin's design.
- Tickle Torture: Occurs to Fujiko in one of the most famous scenes of the episode.
