Now in limited theatrical release nationwide! Interview with Yuya Takahashi, Screenwriter of "LUPIN THE IIIRD: The Lie of Fujiko Mine," the latest "adult Lupin" film depicting a new side of Fujiko Mine.

Fujiko Mine, the red star of Lupin's gang, who uses her excellent proportions and skillful words and deeds to deceive men and take advantage of them in spectacular fashion. The latest film in the "LUPIN THE IIIRD" series, "LUPIN THE IIIRD: The Lie of Fujiko Mine," which focuses on her, will open in limited theaters nationwide on May 31, 2019 (Friday).

Yuya Takahashi, who wrote the series composition and screenplay for the TV anime "Lupin III Part IV" as well as the screenplays for the theater anime "LUPIN THE IIIRD: Tombstone of Daisuke Jigen" and "LUPIN THE IIIRD: Ishikawa Gomon in Blood and Smoke," spoke to us as much as he could about the appeal of this film and Fujiko.

Fujiko's greatest appeal lies in the fact that her inner life is unknown.

--How did you come to be in charge of the screenplay?

Takahashi: I first worked on the theater animation "LUPIN THE IIIRD: Tombstone of Daisuke Jigen" ("Tombstone") in 2014, and when I worked on "LUPIN THE IIIRD: Ishikawa Gomon in the Smoke of Blood" ("Smoke of Blood") in 2005, I realized that I might be doing all the main characters. I realized that I might be able to do all the main characters, and I was able to work on this film as well.

--What do you think is the charm of Fujiko Mine?

Takahashi: I think it's the fact that she doesn't know where her true feelings lie.　She may seem to be working for greed, but I find her appealing in that I don't know what she is thinking as she lives her life as a backstage worker.

--Compared to the "Lupin" series you have worked on so far, was there anything you were conscious of in the production of this film?

Takahashi: The theme of this work is how Fujiko faces Jean, Binkamu, and others who are unable to communicate her "sex appeal," which is her weapon of choice.

--What was the process of working with director Ken Koike and creative advisor Katsuhito Ishii?

Takahashi: First of all, Mr. Ishii gave us handwritten information about the enemy characters, along with illustrations of what they would look like. We then worked out the details of why Lupin and his friends would fight them. We would flesh out the details such as "Why do Lupin and his friends fight them? Incidentally, this is a process we have been doing since "Tombstone". So, the starting point of the story came from Mr. Ishii's notes. Director Koike would put down the design and I would create the story. In addition, the theme of how to make the enemy look strong has been a constant theme.

--How far are you conscious of this when drawing the scenario?

Takahashi: When I was working on "Tombstone," I had no idea how Koike would direct and finish the film, but I was shocked when I saw the finished film. I was shocked when I saw the finished film, and I came to believe that I could leave the film in director Koike's hands. I wrote the scripts for "Blood Smoke" and this film with high expectations for the way the director would portray the film, but I was really impressed by the way the film went far beyond those expectations.

--Did you have any particular ideas on how to depict Fujiko's use of true feelings and lies?

Takahashi: I thought it was important not to make it clear in the story that "Fujiko actually thinks this way. I didn't want the artist's ego to show through, and I wanted to make sure that the story could be viewed in different ways by different viewers.

--What was the story behind the character of Jean?

Takahashi: As I mentioned earlier, when I thought about what kind of character in "Fujiko Mine's Lies" ("Fujiko") would not be able to communicate her sex appeal, I decided to create a character who would be a child's wagamama.　When I thought about it, I came up with the idea of "a character who can't deal with the selfishness of a child. I came up with this idea. I wondered what kind of chemical reaction would occur if I put such a character as Jean against Fujiko, and I came to the conclusion that Fujiko's charm lies in the fact that her inner self is unknown.

--What did you focus on in this film?

Takahashi: Whenever I work on the "Lupin" series, I always consider an "underlying theme," and I chose "wind" for "Tombstone," "water" for "Blood Smoke," and "sand" for "Fujiko. This theme is consistent throughout the film, partly because the film features a wilderness filled with sand, and partly because Binkum uses sand in his fighting style.

Also, as for the weapons used in the fight, Daisuke Dimeji uses a gun, Gomon Ishikawa uses a sword, and what is Fujiko's weapon? I came up with the idea of "poisons and drugs. I can't go into details, but if you watch to the end, you will understand what I mean.

--What were you particular about in the action scenes?

Takahashi: This time, the battle is set in the wilderness with sand, so we included many scenes with the image of "sand" in them, such as cars and enemies running with a cloud of smoke coming up from the ground. As for the image of Fujiko, there is the use of poison, but director Koike and Mr. Ishii shared a common understanding that they also wanted to depict "a physical battle using a sexy body". I think that fighting at a distance where you can feel Fujiko's breath brings her charm into focus.

As for the car and motorcycle action, I am not very familiar with it, so I could only describe it in a way like "Fujiko gets on a motorcycle and runs away". Fans may be able to guess "Why did he choose this type of car?

Please pay attention not only to the story, but also to the voice actors' true-to-life performances!

--Did you discover anything new while working on this film?

Takahashi: This may sound a bit condescending, but I found Fujiko to be very erotic (laughs). (Laughs.) I made this film based on the concept of showing a part of the character that has never been seen before, and I hope that the audience will be able to feel the eroticism of Fujiko as portrayed by director Koike.

--I think "Fujiko" could be described as "Lupin for adults.

Takahashi: Even though there are some comical exchanges, I had in my mind that the tone would be cynical with strong black jokes. I had this in my mind.

I knew that director Koike used props and sound effects skillfully, so I tried to make it fantastical so that the actors would not feel out of place in a live-action version. However, if that was all, it would not be interesting, so I created the film with the hope of creating something good while pushing the line of what could theoretically be realistic in reality. In some series, there are episodes in which a time machine appears or space travel takes place, but in this work, I did my best to pursue the utmost realism.

--In the film, there is a scene in which Lupin and his friends smoke cigarettes.

Takahashi: To be honest, I want all the Lupins in each series to smoke. I have quit smoking now, but when I was making "Tombstone," I was still smoking cigarettes. I felt myself enjoying a good smoke when I had finished my work, so I think that may have been the right moment for me to start smoking.

I think it is essential to produce the "Lupin" style. They are, after all, a "gang of thieves," so it is possible that they live in greed. On the other hand, if they are moderate, the viewer would be disappointed, wouldn't he?

--The way the story develops toward the climax and the way the curtain is drawn is also very interesting.

Takahashi: I made it possible for the audience to see the story in such a way that each piece seems to stand on its own, but in fact they are connected. I would like everyone to imagine the story in various ways.

--By the way, are there any characters in the Lupin family that are easy or difficult to move around?

Takahashi: Lupin and Fujiko lie without hesitation or have some kind of preconceived notions, so it is difficult to come up with a logical explanation for them, but they are fun to move around. Gemon is a bit difficult to use in relation to the other characters. He is not very calculating and has to have a reason to be there.

--Is there any point that you were not able to depict in the film due to the circumstances?

Takahashi: "What color will Jean, a boy thrown into the "Lupin Family," turn out to be? I would have liked to have explored this point a little more. As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to give Gemon more opportunities to play an active role, so I also wanted to draw the relationship between him, Jean, and Fujiko.

--Do you have any episodes from the postrecording sessions?

Takahashi: Miyuki Sawashiro, who played Fujiko, did the post recording right after she gave birth. I was a little bit worried about her health condition after giving birth as well as the fact that she had become a mother, but my fears were unfounded as she gave a very sexy performance.

I met Mamoru Miyano, who plays Binkamu, for the first time this time, and he made sounds with his mouth, such as when he eats nuts. His performance, including his breathing, was so convincing that I thought he was possessed by Binkam.

--Who would you like to feature next in the Lupin family?

Takahashi: Lupin is my favorite, so I would like to delve deeper into him. Fujiko and Lupin are characters who have been depicted from many angles and perspectives, but I would like to show a "Lupin who is not any Lupin. I want to show a Lupin that is not any Lupin. I hope to create a work that will have that kind of impact.

--Lastly, do you have a message for our readers?

Takahashi: In 2012, a TV series called "LUPIN the Third: The Woman Fujiko Mine" was broadcast, and this time, director Koike has created a new image of Fujiko. The title "Mine Fujiko no Uso" (Mine Fujiko's Lie) may not come as a surprise, as she is not afraid of telling lies. In fact, she tells a lot of lies in this film, and we hope that you will watch it while feeling the biggest "lie" of them all.