When I first saw a Lupin III movie at CJAS, I didn't know what to expect. I saw Lupin, the main character, and I was like, who's this guy? He doesn't look like an expert at thievery. When I continued to watch the show, I began to see why it was shown. Lupin's funny and very smart. He's cunning and sly. Although he's a wanted criminal, he's a very likable person.

So what is Die! Nostradamus about? Well, first let's introduce some regular characters.

Lupin III is a master thief. He is tall, lanky, and he is an expert at escaping from dangerous situations. He's the guy wearing the red jacket with the long sideburns.

Jigen Daisuke is Lupin's friend. He always wears a black suit, a black hat, and has a black beard. He is a master gunman.

Ishigawa Goemon is the 13th-in-line in a samurai family. His sword can cut through anything, from soccer balls to guns. It is supposedly forged from the metal of a meteor. This character was based on a real historical figure. He's dressed like a samurai.

Mine Fujiko is a beautiful lady thief. In this movie, she happens to be working for someone who will pay her $50 million for stealing the original prophecies of Nostradamus. She plays both Lupin's opponent and ally, depending on what is more advantageous to her. I won't describe what she looks like because she can't be missed. =)

Inspector Zenigata is the Interpol officer who spends his whole life trying to catch Lupin and his gang, who always find a way to escape. He used to be part of the Tokyo Police before he was transferred to Interpol. Of course, it's much easier to catch a thief if he's allowed to travel around the world. Zenigata wears a trenchcoat.

So this movie starts off with Lupin stealing a $15 million diamond in Rio de Janeiro. So, we'd expect Zenigata to be there to catch him, which would cause Lupin to escape from the country. The opening credits are part of the scenes in the movie, so don't miss his great escape. Lupin and Jigen get on a plane, and off they go. (Before all this happens, there's a scene of a person trying to convince a large group of people that he has the prophecies of Nostradamus, and he continues to predict a great event.) Lupin hides the diamond in a doll, and on the plane, a little girl named Julia takes the doll from him, and Lupin tries to get it back. In the meantime, the plane gets hijacked and Lupin finds out that Julia's nanny is Fujiko, who has ulterior motives of her own.

The reason why I like Lupin III movies is that they are incredibly fun to watch. Lupin has been described as a "cocktail of human facets, a puzzle from the endless pieces." His slogan is "to attack your enemy like a hawk and to escape like the wind." In this movie, there's comedy, mystery, suspense, mind control, explosions, love, and lots more. It is a great way to unwind after months of writing lab reports and 10-page papers, and studying for quizzes and prelims. So treat yourself to a thirst-quenching soda from concessions, relax, and enjoy the movie!