Lupin III/Recap/S2 E104

Shin Lupin III: "The Most Dangerous Golden Bed"

Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon fly to Texas, specifically to the estate of billionaire Tyler, a man who possesses a golden bed that once belonged to the last French emperor before being taken by Napoleon. It is, naturally, at Fujiko's request, a fact Jigen and Goemon are especially unhappy with. Fujiko herself is already scouting things out by posing as a reporter to interview Tyler. Tyler is aware of who Fujiko is, and as she leaves, he tells her to let Lupin know he will be waiting.

Inspector Zenigata turns up soon after, offering his services to Tyler to protect the bed. Tyler allows him to stay, but assures the detective his help is unnecessary and he is well prepared. That evening, as Tyler and Zenigata dine, Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon sneak into the bedroom and attach the bed to a crane arm they've passed through the window. Suddenly, a grid of laser beams appear everywhere, severing the crane's ropes and nearly frying the three thieves. The beams suddenly shut off, the bedroom light comes on, and Tyler casually enters, ready to go to bed. He dismisses Lupin and tells his henchman to get rid of the thieves; they are promptly thrown out the window. Driving off, Lupin ponders they'll need a bit of science to get rid of those beams.

Later that night, they try again. Tyler hears them coming and disappears through a secret trap door just before the next attempt begins. Lupin floods the room with white smoke, which block the beams and short them out. With those out of the way, he and Goemon attempt to hook the bed up again, but before they can lower themselves on to it from their ceiling entrance, another trap door opens, this time beneath the bed, and it falls into a pool of sulfuric acid. Although the mattress and fittings are eaten away, the golden frame itself is untouched. Before Lupin or Goemon can come up with a new plan, the lasers restart, severing the rope they hang from; the two manage to form a human bridge across the vat of acid. Jigen crashes the truck through the mansion wall and rescues them with the crane. Outwitted again, they flee.

Tyler is not going to let them slide this time; Zenigata quickly finds out he has a special militarized control room beneath the front of the mansion, from which he and his second-in-command henchmen order tanks after the thieves. Lupin and company are quickly surrounded and knocked off the road; between Goemon's sword and several mines that Lupin manages to dig up, they barely escape. Bruised and battered, they make their way to the Mexican border to meet with Fujiko. There, Fujiko bandages Lupin's wounds while Jigen and Goemon fix the truck. Tyler has managed to track them to their hideout, though, and sends a massive missile to destroy it. Only by good fortune are Lupin and Fujiko able to escape relatively unscathed. Lupin renews his vow to take the bed; this time, it's personal. Meanwhile, Zenigata, convinced Lupin is dead, leaves in tears, vowing to send every power at his disposal to avenge his rival.

As Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon scout out Tyler's estate from a nearby cliff, Jigen and Goemon make a bet with Lupin: if Fujiko betrays him and tries to take the whole bed for herself, the bed will belong to the two of them. Lupin waves them off, sure of Fujiko's loyalty. Jigen and Goemon take a jeep back onto Tyler's estate, distracting his forces while Lupin hooks a cable around the vat of acid and the bed it contains. He then attaches the other end of the rope to a net, which he secures across the front of Tyler's missile launcher with some gum. When Tyler decides to fire it on Jigen and Goemon, the net catches the projectile, the projectile pulls the cable, and the cable flings the vat and bed out of the house and across the yard. Goemon cuts a hole in the bottom of the vat as it goes by, and the acid pours over the ground, soaking through and penetrating Tyler's warroom; he and his men are either dissolved away or killed in the ensuing explosion. Meanwhile, Jigen severs the cable with a bullet, neatly dumping the unharmed bed onto their truck.

The gang returns to Mexico and Fujiko. As Lupin leans in for a reward kiss, Fujiko knocks him out with a rock. When she goes to claim her prize, however, she finds a warning shot from Jigen, and he and Goemon smugly perched upon it, their winnings from their deal with Lupin.

This episode features examples of:
"Lupin: Jigen, the road seems to be blocked by tanks...
 * Absurdly Sharp Blade: Zantetsuken carves through tanks like they were warm butter.
 * Acid Pool: Sulfuric acid keeps the golden bed safe from Lupin's grasp.
 * All Deserts Have Cacti: As soon as Lupin and company cross into Mexico, there are cacti everywhere.
 * Antagonist in Mourning: After Tyler apparently blows up Lupin in Mexico, Zenigata cries and vows revenge via every official way he can manage.
 * By-The-Book Cop: Tyler tells Zenigata he will execute Lupin for him; Zenigata points out he's only sent to arrest the thief, and Lupin needs a fair trail before his death can be decided.
 * Chekhov's Gum: Which Lupin uses as part of the last plan.
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Jigen and Goemon have enough foresight to see Fujiko is going to do this that they successfully make a bet for the bed.
 * Captain Obvious: After fleeing Tyler's estate and being surrounded by lots of tanks:

Jigen: It seems so."

"Lupin: You don't understand my beautiful dream, do you?
 * Frickin' Laser Beams: All over the room with the golden bed, and able to turn Lupin extra crispy if needed.
 * Hat Damage: Jigen shoots Fujiko's sombrero off her head to make a point: the golden bed now belongs to Goemon and him.
 * I Have Boobs - You Must Obey!: Lupin's whole reason for going after the golden bed in the first place. Jigen calls him out on it at one point:

Jigen: Hmph. You're beautiful dream is that big-breasted woman."


 * Improbable Aiming Skills: Jigen, who manages to perfectly shoot mines thrown by Lupin and then downs two planes with a few shots from his handgun.
 * The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Zenigata nearly says this word for word to Tyler regarding his relationship with Lupin.
 * Replaced the Theme Tune: The first episode to have "Lupin III '80" as its opening.
 * Shell-Shocked Veteran: Tyler appears to be one of these. Unlike most, however, he can afford lots of tanks and weapons to deal with those who offend him.
 * Shoot the Rope: Jigen shoots through the cable holding the vat of acid.