Lupin III/Recap/S2 E53

"The Mad Fantoma Mark III", English version titled "I Melt With You". Released in 2005 by Geneon on Volume 11: From Moscow With Love.

It has finally come down to this: an out an out duel between Lupin and Jigen...over whether to watch Lupin's favorite soap opera or Jigen's choice of a Spaghetti Western. The fight is interrupted by a broadcast showing Fujiko, trapped in a capsule of some sort. Her captor reveals himself soon after: Phantoma Mark III. He offers to exchange Fujiko's life for the Punjab Ruby of India, the loot from one of Lupin's recent heists. Naturally, if Lupin doesn't bring the ruby to Phantoma's stronghold at Wester Island, Fujiko's time is up.

While he waits for Lupin to take the bait, Phantoma outlines his plan. He plans to attach the ruby as the focus of a special orbital laser cannon that he will send into space. From there, he can use the laser to melt the polar ice caps, flooding the world and cleansing it of all unworthy people; those that survive will then be enslaved into the new Phantoma Empire he will create from the ruins.

As he speaks, Lupin, Jigen, Goemon fly towards Wester Island, but their plane is disrupted from some kind of electromagnetic field surrounding the place. Lupin is forced to parachute in with the ruby alone...or at least alone until Zenigata comes out of nowhere with a parachute of his own to capture his favorite target. His attempts to capture Lupin fail when Zenigata handcuffs himself to his own parachute; the detective loses control of his parachute and drifts off to another part of the island.

Phantoma's mooks take Lupin to the big man himself. After calling Lupin insignificant, he asks Lupin for the ruby. When the thief challenges him, Phantoma shows Lupin the rocket he has built, the capsule at the top containing Fujiko. He threatens to launch the rocket right then and there if Lupin doesn't give him the ruby. The thief reluctantly agrees, but when one of Phantoma's henchmen reach for the ruby in Lupin's hand, Lupin sprays him with gas, takes out the other mook, and then charges at Phantoma, holding one of the mook's stolen guns to his head. Phantoma merely laughs; the one in the room with Lupin is a robot, and the real Phantoma is safe behind bulletproof glass. His options exhausted, Lupin finally and reluctantly hands over the Punjab Ruby. Rather than free Fujiko, though, Phantoma has Lupin imprisoned in the rocket as well.

As Fujiko chews out Lupin for failing to rescue her properly, Phantoma's head scientist has the ruby installed in the laser cannon and preps his troops. Lupin searches around the ship for any last ditch ideas, only finding a couple of space suits. His efforts are all for naught, though, and the rocket launches with he and Fujiko still trapped inside. As the rocket goes up, Zenigata, still stranded on the surface of the island, witnesses the launch.

On earth, Phantoma sets his army into action. Lupin and Fujiko, managing to survive the launch, are horrified to witness Phantoma's creation in action. Lupin tries to change the satellite's course via the onboard controls, but Phantoma boasts he's locked them out. The mad scientist gloats over the success of his plan, even as the Americans launch a space shuttle; by the time the shuttle is close enough to the satellite to affect it, the last blast will have been fired from the laser.

With no other ideas, Lupin suits up in one of the space suits, joking he's never stolen anything in space before. He makes his way to the end of the laser just as the final blast is ready to fire, where he quickly removes the ruby. When nothing happens, Phantoma is horrified to see Lupin has stopped him in the end. What's more, the navies of the world are descending on Wester Island, alerted by Zenigata. Before Phantoma is forced to abandon his plan and base, he triggers the destruction of the satellite above as revenge on Lupin for foiling his plan.

The space shuttle flies towards the smoking remains of the satellite; however, it has been hijacked by Jigen and Goemon. Goemon spots two shapes floating in the distance; Lupin and Fujiko, who took the remaining space suit and abandoned ship just before the cannon's explosion. As Jigen disgustedly watches Lupin chase after Fujiko for a kiss, Goemon remarks that when it comes to the thief, nothing is ever too much trouble when it comes to Fujiko.

This episode features examples of:

 * Damsel in Distress: Fujiko does nothing else in the episode but be someone for Lupin to rescue.
 * Doomsday Device: Phantoma has one, and he needs the ruby Lupin stole to get it to work.
 * The End of the World as We Know It: Phantoma comes damn close. He actually manages to destory or severely damage several southern hemisphere cities and countries before Lupin finally stops him.
 * Genre Savvy: Phantoma not actually putting himself in the same room as Lupin, as well as locking out the rocket controls. The man has clearly done his homework.
 * Global Warming: Phantoma's plot to destroy the world.
 * Island Base: Wester Island, which is clearly an allusion to the famous Easter Island, right down to the statues.
 * It's All About Me: Fujiko is horrified by what Phantoma does to the world...because of all the banks and jewelry stores he's destroyed.
 * Mad Scientist / Omnicidal Maniac: Phantoma Mark III.
 * Monochromatic Eyes: Phantoma's white ones give him an ominous appearance.
 * Pointy Ears: Phantoma has them to hint at his evil, demonic nature.
 * Universal Driver's License: Nice to know in the event of an emergency Jigen and Goemon can pilot the space shuttle.
 * Worth It: Lupin thinks risking his life to rescue Fujiko is.
 * Zero-G Spot: Lupin offers this suggestion to Fujiko twice.