Lupin the 3rd: Goemon's Blood Spray (2017)

Lupin the 3rd: Goemon’s Blood Spray is that rare animated action film that feels carved out of steel: lean, stylish, and ferociously committed to its own mood. Takeshi Koike’s visuals are gorgeous in a hard-edged way—bold lines, smoky shadows, and sudden bursts of color that make every sword stroke land with weight—while the story zeroes in on Goemon’s code of honor and the quiet intensity that makes him more than just the team’s “samurai guy.” The vibe is pulpy crime noir turned operatic bloodbath, with set pieces that are thrilling not because they’re noisy, but because they’re precise, relentless, and confident. Fair warning: it’s extremely violent and gory, so it’s not for everyone, but if you can handle the brutality, you’ll get a compact, electrifying character showcase that proves Lupin can be as sharp as it is cool.

Goemon’s Blood Spray is clearly aiming to be a sleek, hard-edged character spotlight: a stripped-down Lupin side story that trades caper fun for honor, brutality, and a samurai’s personal reckoning. If you come to Lupin for clever heists, banter, and playful charm, this one’s likely to feel grim, thin on story, and oddly joyless, with a villain who’s more “unstoppable slab of menace” than memorable personality. The animation is stylized and aggressive, which will look striking to some and flat-out off-putting to others, and the violence is not just present—it’s the point, with heavy gore and dismemberment. Watch it if you want visceral action and Goemon in full “blood-and-steel” mode; skip it if you need a satisfying plot payoff or the classic Lupin lightness.