Walther P-38 (Island of Assassins) is a damn good Lupin III adventure.A man commits a heinous crime using a Walther P-38 pistol much like the one Lupin has, along with a spooky group of assassins with spider tattoos. This leads Lupin and the gang to the foggy island of assassins.This is the most serious Lupin special, and also the most violent. It's an intriguing change of pace for Lupin, where he has a serious score to settle from his past. The less known about the plot going in the better, there are some nice twists.Lupin naturally takes a liking to a female assassin on the island, she turns out to be one of the better guest leading ladies. The scenes between Lupin and her are pretty touching.The Lupin gang is here as well, with Jigen there to help his partner, Fujiko with a couple nice scenes, and of course Goemon with some great fighting. For the most part they're separate from Lupin in this one, as he is doing his own personal thing, but they do get some decent screen time.This has a comparatively more serious art style, and is pretty dark looking. The soundtrack by Yuji Ohno is also pretty intense. There's still some good comedy in this though, being Lupin, and Inspector Zenigata provides quite a few of those laughs.A really good thriller, I recommend giving this one a watch, Lupin fan or not.

This Lupin the 3rd TV movie is different than the other ones.It has more violence and the plot to it is more dark. Still has some humor in it but not a whole lot.Lupin has to face the most dangerous group of Assassins ever. Who are trained/savaged killers. Lupin also tries to find his lost famous Wather P38 he use to own.The animation is very smooth and well done.Character designs are different than the previous TV movies character designs.This may very well be the most violent Lupin the 3rd anime ever.It's still worth seeing. I give it an 8/10

Like any Lupin film, Walther P-38 is completely entertaining, with a wide appeal base. That is to say, anyone can enjoy any film of the Lupin series, be they an otaku or someone not familiar with anime. Unlike others of the series, this film is deadly serious at times, with mature imagery and violence. The slapstick humor is ever present, for that is what endears fans to the Lupin series. For fans, those who find Goeman particularly more entertaining than Jigan (myself certainly NOT included), this film is perfect. The plot centers around an inescapable island on which the greatest cabal of assassins is trained. This fact is certainly reflected in the writing and plot; most of the action take splace on this island and most characters are stoic badasses. Whoever you are watch this movie, but specifically those of you who have watched Lupin, but felt it couldn't complete with more graphic, more adult anime. This one will hopefully have you rethinking that.

This 90-minute TV special from 1997 is much more of an action thriller than a typical comic caper from the long-running series of Japanese animated action comedies featuring the charming master thief, Lupin III (a descendant of Arsene Lupin). It boasts an elaborate island setting-the home of the Tarantula assassin syndicate, whose gold stash is targeted by Lupin and his crew. All who arrive on the island, including Lupin and his three cohorts, are poisoned and kept alive only by the island's native sulfuric gas. Leaving the island means certain death without a mask with a 24-hour supply of the gas. Lupin and company are betrayed at one point by the island's doctor, who turns out to be a onetime partner who had double-crossed Lupin on their first job, seen in lengthy flashbacks. This is as fast-paced and action-packed as any Lupin III film, but is far more violent than normal for the series. There is lots of shooting, bloodshed, and killing, including deaths of the innocent. There is no sexual innuendo in this one and the comely Fujiko keeps her clothes on for once. (Bummer!) A very nice jazz score makes good use of the standard Lupin theme. Fans of hardcore anime action who've steered clear of Lupin III because of the comedy may find this entry a suitable means of introduction to one of Japan's most popular animated series.