Lupin III: Missed by a Dollar

A single dollar is all it takes to set the whole thing in motion — Lupin III loses a New York auction by that razor-thin margin, and the consequences spiral from there. The item in question is an antique ring rumored to point the way to a legendary brooch — one supposedly behind the rise of Napoleon, Hitler, and other figures who shaped history through sheer ruthless ambition. The woman who beat him to it, Cynthia Craymov, president of the Bank of the World, is exactly as dangerous as that title sounds, and her enforcer is a former KGB agent with zero patience for thieves. Lupin, naturally, is not deterred. He reunites with Jigen, Goemon, and the always-unreliable Fujiko to chase the ring across a high-stakes game of who-outsmarts-who. The setup is classic Lupin — part heist film, part globe-trotting adventure, held together by that signature mix of slick action and genuinely funny comedy. If you've watched Cowboy Bebop and appreciated that cool-but-loose energy, Lupin lives in a similar space. Fans of City Hunter will also feel right at home with the tone. Worth noting: this TV special was the last one animated in traditional cel style before TMS Entertainment moved to digital, so there's a warmth to the visuals you just don't get anymore. Yuji Ohno's jazz score does the rest of the work. It's a one-episode commitment with no filler and a clean, self-contained story.