Lookout, world — with Bandai’s release of the new S.H. Figuarts Jigen Daisuke figure, we are one step closer to completing Lupin III’s crew, and now none of your valuables are safe!
If you happened to check out my previous review (thanks if you did!), you know that I absolutely adore Monkey Punch’s Lupin III. I would count myself as a little bit more than a casual fan of Japanese animation, in that I enjoy quite a lot of it, but I am definitely not as versed as many others. That said, I think I have definitely taken in most of, if not, all of the “classics” or “required watching” in terms of animation from Japan (it is far too diverse to call it simply a genre), and the adventures of Lupin III are definitely some of my favorites.
Lupin and his squad have appeared in Manga, TV serials, and movies, with even the renowned Hayao Miyazaki taking the reigns for one of his cinematic turns. So the fact that Bandai has decided to feature Lupin and his cast in the S.H. Figuarts line should come as no surprise. Lupin and his on again/off again love interest Fujiko Mine were released earlier this year, and their Figuarts offerings turned our great. As soon as I had them, my focus went right to Jigen, so while he is a limited web release, I am relieved that we got him. Fujko may be Lupin’s lady love, but Jigen is most certainly his “girl Friday” or aide-de-camp as his most trusted partner in crime, who always has his back.
Ah, Jigen — Lupin might always be the man with the plan and unrelenting charm, but Jigen, well, he is most definitely the cool one of the crew. With his low-fitting hat, ubiquitous cigarette, and beard, he almost has the swagger of a classic jazz musician, and with his weapons expertise and marksmanship, he is the perfect calculating partner to Lupin. Always dressed for the most high-profile jobs, Jigen and Lupin are world-class thieves, and their exploits make for some perfect action figure adventures.
Jigen actually borrows several pieces from his boss in terms of overall construction, and everything from their suits to their shoes shares some commonality. This is fine as the reuse is appropriate, and there is not really anything about Jigen’s outfit that takes a hit just make use of existing parts. What that means is that Jigen has the same construction and articulation scheme, so he has a lot of posing possibilities with strong joints. There are important differences in their duds, though, and Jigne and Lupin wear very different styles of ties. For example, Jigen’s traditional pointed-bottom tie is captured here in contrast to Lupin’s flat-bottomed version. Sure, this is a small detail, but one that is appreciated.
Due to his exclusivity, Jigen is not as fortunate in the accessories department, but he does include three different heads to meet just about any situation. Two of them are pretty similar and either can be used for what I would call “iconic” Jigen. The brim of the hat is pulled down over his eyes and expression is cool an calculating. The difference in these two heads is that one included his cigarette, while the other doesn’t. Personally, I prefer the smoking head because, let’s face it, Jigen is pretty much a chain-smoker, but we do get the option. In all honestly, I could have lived with one or the other in this instance and would have preferred some more varied accessories in its place.
The third head captures Jigen in mid-laugh, something he and Lupin were often doing together, and it makes for a good companion piece to the latter’s inclusion with his previous release. This face is very expressive and while I would likely never have it displayed as a default look for the character, I am really glad it was included here; it makes for some great picture fodder, so prepare for hi-jinx to ensue on Instagram.
Jigen also includes his trusty revolver, along with four different sets of hands. The hands are nice to help add to the expressive nature of the figure with the trigger and “hat tip” pieces being the most useful. These are nice to have, but certainly not the most exciting accessories in the world. His revolver is most certainly required, and in true cinematic form, Jigen hits all of the stereotypes: a snappy dresser with with gun and smoke is just as iconic as anything, really. I do wish we would have gotten more weaponry with this release since that is kind of Jigen’s thing. I mean, I collect Marvel Legends, so I have 1:12 stockpile of arms suitable to take on any miniature plastic government you got, but I am sure there could have been a few more accurate inclusions with this release.
All things considered, I think Jigen is my favorite Lupin character, and this new Figuarts release certainly does him justice. Everything about it is just cool, and while I pine for more weaponry for him, the overall figure is really great. The neat thing is that the thorn in the side of Lupin, Fujiko, and Jigen, Inspector Zenigata, is due for release this month, so the team will finally have their much-needed foil. The uncool thing is that, aside from a leaked picture from several months ago, we have not seen or heard anything about the last member of the crew: Goemon Ishikawa. Now let me make this clear: THIS FIGURE MUST BE RELEASED. If we get these four without Goemon, it will be an utter crime, so Bandai, PLEASE — find a way to get Goemon to us. I realize he does not share as many pieces as Lupin, Jigen, and Zenigata, but he is not any less essential. Tamashii Nations is coming up soon, I am hopeful we will see him then. Until that time, enjoy this Jigen figure, he is winner.
