Lupin III/Recap/S1/E2

One of the plots adapted from the original manga into the anime. Fujiko has stolen something from a man named Pycal, and he wants it back. Pycal is a magician who is able to shoot flames from his hands, walk on air, and deflect bullets with ease. Lupin goes up against Pycal in hopes of saving Fujiko.

Tropes

• Adaptation Distillation: The scientist character from the manga is removed. In the episode, Lupin makes the discoveries instead, which establishes the character's intelligence.
• Adaptation Expansion: This episode includes a bigger role for Jigen, and a Love Triangle between Lupin, Fujiko, and Pycal.
• Dreaming the Truth: Happens to Lupin, sort of. When he fell out of the window and was knocked unconscious, he dreamt of Pycal's negatives overlapping each other, showing what looks like a chemical formula.
• Face Your Fears: Early on in the episode, it's revealed that Lupin has a fear for octopuses. This becomes a crucial plot point before the final showdown with Pycal.
• Identical Stranger: It's implied that this Fujiko is a different one from the previous episode, keeping in line with the original manga, which featured multiple Fujiko Mines. This is probably the only time the anime does this.
• MacGuffin: the slides.
• Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: while Lupin figures out how to duplicate Pycal's tricks through glass panes and miniture flamethrowers, Pycal's never explicitly shown pulling off the tricks in this way.
• Running Gag: Lupin and Jigen pulling out a larger weapon each time they meet Pycal.
• Spell My Name with an "S": Most English translations of the episode either spell his name as "Pycal" or "Piker".
  • The English version of the manga chapter calls him Paikaru, while a later chapter calls him Vical.