Summary
Part two of this two-episode premiere keeps the good times rolling as we get an even closer look at Lupin and Jigen’s relationship.
We recap the HIDIVE series Lupin Zero season 1, episode 2, “Hang Tight to the Treasure on the Train,” which contains spoilers.
Expectations are high after the premiere episode of Lupin Zero. The first episode of the series felt like the perfect introduction not only to Lupin (voiced by Tasuku Hatanaka) himself but also to his friend Jigen (voiced by Shunsuke Takeuchi), who fans of the original series will easily recognize. This is actually part two of a two-episode premiere. Although the stories are not connected, no one is going to complain about getting twice the content. Episode two continues the same energetic tone of episode one and brings the relationship between Lupin and Jigen to the forefront.
Lupin Zero season 1, episode 2 recap
The episode opens with Lupin surprising Jigen as he looks at a photo of a necklace while sitting in an empty classroom. After bothering him for a bit, Jigen tells Lupin to leave if he’s not here on business. Lupin attempts to convince him that the new sandwich in the cafeteria is business, even challenging Jigen to see who can buy one first, but Jigen says it’s dumb and leaves. Before he can make it out of the room, Lupin holds up the picture of the necklace, asking Jigen if this is his next job. Having not realized he stole it, Jigen chases after him, only to lose the photo in a sea of others. When he finally finds it, Lupin tries to engage him in more teenage high jinks, but Jigen walks off, saying he doesn’t have time for these juvenile antics.
On a train, Jigen meets with an old man regarding the necklace from the photo. His job is to keep the necklace safe, specifically from thieves. Jigen has a solid reputation despite his young age, according to the older man.
Jigen leaves to canvas the train cars, checking for any potential threats. As he walks the cars, a cart salesman tries to sell him sweets. He rejects them until the salesman whispers his name, and Jigen realizes it’s none other than Lupin in disguise. Obviously frustrated, he tries to throw Lupin off the train as Lupin reveals that he plans to steal the very necklace Jigen is protecting. He attempts to grab Lupin but finds himself distracted, losing sight of the thief.
Lupin walks onto another car but is stopped by a young girl with an animal skull headdress performing a shaman ritual. She introduces herself as Marinal Zochile Npakakokka, a term she says means “The Eleventh Daughter who frolics with the Reaper” in his language. She seems to be searching for something, and after describing it, Lupin realizes that she is looking for the same necklace he plans to steal. He offers to help, but she says no. Still, he warns her that someone is guarding the necklace.
Jigen continues to make his rounds throughout the train carts. He comes across a young woman wearing a head who looks suspicious. When he reaches for the hood, it turns out to be Marinal underneath, who accuses him of being a child molester. Embarrassed, Jigen backs off. Suddenly Lupin reveals himself from behind the hood and assures Marinal that although Jigen does not look like much, he is talented with a gun.
Back in his train car, the old man and his henchmen discuss the necklace. After hearing the necklace is cursed, one of his henchmen becomes nervous, but the old man assures him he’s being ridiculous. As they speak, Marinal and Lupin, who is dressed as a train conductor, enter the room. She recognizes the necklace the moment she sees it and proceeds to attack them by throwing ashes. It’s just enough to obscure the view and distract the old man as Lupin and Marinal escape with the necklace. As they run, the henchmen pursue them. Although they manage to slow the henchmen down by throwing plates at them, Lupin and Marinal find themselves face-to-face with Jigen. He stands in front of them, holding a gun, but hesitates to shoot. Lupin uses that as his chance to escape at the train stop with Marinal.
They escape to another train, hiding in a car containing cows. Lupin asks Marinal why she is so interested in the necklace, to which she replies it was stolen from the grave of her king. Lupin can’t help but wonder if Jigen knows that, causing Marinal to wonder if they’re friends, considering he refused to shoot Lupin. Before he can answer, the door to their train car flies open, revealing Jigen, the old man, and his henchmen. They throw Lupin off before driving the train away.
On the train, Jigen is left in charge of keeping an eye on Marinal. She tells him about the stolen necklace, and he realizes that he’s been tricked and lied to. He thought he signed up to help university professors, not thieves. She wonders why he was helping them in the first place, going against his friend Lupin, but Jigen considers them too different to be friends. He begins to complain about Lupin but also says he enjoyed saving Yoko with him as well. According to Marinal, speaking about someone who makes you smile the way he is generally makes you friends, which surprises him.
On a presumably stolen motor scooter, Lupin drives up next to the train, launching himself onto it. Jigen and Marinal find Lupin in a chicken coop car, and after some consideration, he asks Jigen what master he wants to serve, but he does not get to reply before the old man and a henchman bust into the room. They grab onto Marinal, holding a gun to her head and insisting Lupin leap off the train. She tries to convince him not to listen, but Lupin opens the train door planning to jump.
Ending Explained
Despite Lupin’s intent to jump, the old man pulls the trigger anyway. He dives towards Marinal to save her, but a shot rings out regardless.
Luckily, Jigen manages to get his shot off before the old man, knocking the gun from his hand. As he calls Jigen a traitor, Lupin manages to hit the old man with his shoe, knocking him out.
After seeing Lupin, Jigen and Marinal throw his friends off the train, the last henchman jumps off as well, leaving them with no one to drive. The three teens are left trying to figure out how to stop the train themselves but to no avail.
In a last-ditch effort, Jigen begins relentlessly shooting at the track switch, hoping to divert the train. Although the train derails, it avoids the nearby town, but at the expense of Jigen falling out of the window. Just before he’s lost forever, Lupin sticks his hand out, catching him. The train ends up crashing, but far less bad than it would’ve been.
In the end, the boys send Marinal off with the necklace. She thanks them both for helping her and trades them her earrings in exchange for their help.
At school, Lupin gives Jigen half of the money they earned from selling Marinal’s earrings. Again Lupin tries to engage him in a sandwich-purchasing competition, and despite saying no at first, Jigen suddenly takes off running. Lupin takes off after him, only to be outsmarted by Jigen’s quick thinking. The two run off, laughing, towards the bakery together.
Much like the first, this was another fun episode of Lupin Zero. The best part of the series so far is seeing how Lupin and Jigen formed their relationship. Despite his gruff and cynical personality, Jigen has always been incredibly loyal to Lupin in the anime series. It’s not far from how they’re being portrayed in Lupin Zero, which really helps to make the series feel like an actual prequel, not just a random spinoff series.
The heists themselves are always crazy and entertaining, but they’re honestly not the most compelling part of the new series in comparison. It looks like next week, viewers will get a chance to meet some of Lupin’s family members, and if the characters continue to develop the way they have been, that is sure to be a good episode.
What did you think of the anime series Lupin Zero season 1, episode 2? Comment below.
