Lupin is a headache. Honestly, if you’re trying to track down the definitive version of the first-ever Lupin III feature film, you’re going to run into a wall of licensing legalities, lost masters, and at least four different English voice casts. The Lupin III Mystery of Mamo dub history is basically the "final boss" of anime localization trivia. It’s not just about which voice actor sounds the most like a suave French thief; it’s about a decade-spanning game of telephone between Japanese studios and international distributors.
Most fans today know Tony Oliver as the voice of Lupin. He’s great. He’s the "modern" standard. But before he ever stepped into the booth for the Red Jacket series on Adult Swim, The Mystery of Mamo had already been chopped up, re-translated, and spat back out by various companies since the late 1970s. We are talking about a movie that came out in 1978. It was weird then, and it’s even weirder now.
The TMS "Secret" Dub You Probably Can’t Find
Back in 1979, TMS Entertainment decided they wanted to take Lupin global. They produced an English version in-house, often referred to by collectors as the "JAL Dub" because it was allegedly played on Japan Airlines flights. It’s a relic. If you’ve ever heard it, you know it feels stiff. It's that classic "International English" style where the grammar is technically correct but the soul is missing.
The name changes started here. Lupin became "Wolf." Why? Because the estate of Maurice Leblanc, the creator of the original Arsène Lupin, was notoriously litigious. TMS didn't want to get sued into oblivion, so they scrubbed the name. This version is a ghost. It rarely shows up on official releases because, frankly, it’s not very good. It's a curiosity for the hardcore archivists who haunt old forums and eBay listings for laserdiscs.
Toho’s 1995 Attempt: The "Hard" Lupin
Then came the Toho dub. This one is fascinating because it’s so aggressive. Released in the mid-90s, this version didn't care about being "family-friendly." They leaned into the grit. The Mystery of Mamo is a bizarre, psychedelic, and often grotesque movie. It deals with cloning, the philosopher's stone, and a villain who thinks he’s a god. The Toho dub reflected that.
Bill Dufris voiced Lupin here. He brought a frantic, high-pitched energy that was totally different from what came later. It feels like a product of the "Akira era" of anime imports—dark, slightly edgy, and very much aimed at the VHS collectors who wanted something "adult." If you grew up in the UK or Australia, this is likely the one you saw on Manga Entertainment tapes.
The Pioneer/Geneon Standard and the Big Shift
Around 2003, everything changed. Geneon (formerly Pioneer) got the rights. This is where the Lupin III Mystery of Mamo dub finally found its footing for the North American audience. They used the cast from the Part II TV series—Tony Oliver, Richard Epcar, Lex Lang, Michelle Ruff, and Dan Lorge.
This is the gold standard.
🔗 Read more: A Simple Favor Blake Lively: Why Emily Nelson Is Still the Ultimate Screen Mystery
Why? Because they actually understood the chemistry. Lupin isn't just a thief; he’s a goofball who happens to be a genius. The Geneon dub nailed the banter. When Lupin and Jigen argue about Mamo’s island, it feels like two guys who have been partners for twenty years.
- They restored the "Lupin" name.
- They kept the script punchy.
- The audio quality was actually professionally mastered for 5.1 surround.
But then Geneon went bust.
When a company goes under, the rights go into limbo. For years, this version was out of print, leading to a massive spike in prices for the "Secret of Mamo" DVD (Geneon changed the title slightly for their release). You couldn't find it. You had to pirate it or pay $100 to a guy on a message board.
Why Discotek Media is the Hero of This Story
Fast forward to the late 2010s. Discotek Media, a boutique label that treats old anime with the reverence it deserves, finally rescued the film. Their 2017 Blu-ray release is basically a miracle. They didn't just pick one Lupin III Mystery of Mamo dub. They included almost all of them.
They even included a "restored" version of the 1979 TMS dub.
The Discotek release is the only place where you can truly compare the evolution of English anime voice acting. You can hear how the industry moved from "just get the lines read" to "let's build a character." It’s a masterclass in localization history. They also fixed the subtitle timing and gave the film a high-definition transfer that makes the 70s psychedelic colors pop like they’re supposed to.
The Weirdness of Mamo Himself
Let's talk about the villain. Mamo is a creepy, tiny, blue-skinned man who claims to have lived for thousands of years. In the various dubs, his voice changes significantly. In the earlier versions, he sounds like a generic cartoon villain. In the later dubs, specifically the Geneon/Discotek version, there’s a much more sinister, existential dread in his performance.
💡 You might also like: The A Wrinkle in Time Cast: Why This Massive Star Power Didn't Save the Movie
That’s important because the movie isn't just a heist. It’s a philosophical debate about mortality. If you watch a version with a bad dub, that entire subtext gets lost in translation. You lose the stakes.
Tracking Down the Right Version
If you’re looking to watch this right now, don't just search "Mystery of Mamo English" on a random streaming site. You’ll likely end up with a low-quality rip of the Toho version with weird audio sync issues.
Look for the Discotek "Special Edition."
It’s easily identifiable by the artwork featuring Lupin’s face distorted in a desert landscape. This version contains the Pioneer/Geneon dub that most fans consider the "true" English experience. It respects the original Japanese comedic timing while making the jokes land for a Western audience.
- Check for the "Tony Oliver" credit.
- Make sure the title is The Mystery of Mamo or The Secret of Mamo.
- Avoid anything labeled "Wolf" unless you specifically want the 1979 historical curiosity.
The Complicated Legacy of the Dialogue
One thing that trips people up is the script variation. In the original Japanese, Lupin is clever and poetic. The Lupin III Mystery of Mamo dub from the 90s added a lot of profanity that wasn't necessarily in the source material. It was the "cool" thing to do at the time.
The 2003 dub pulled back on that, focusing more on the "gentleman thief" aspect. It’s a more balanced approach. Honestly, seeing how different directors interpreted Lupin’s personality tells you a lot about how Western perception of anime has shifted. We stopped seeing it as "cartoons for kids that need to be made edgy" and started seeing it as legitimate cinema.
The Mystery of Mamo is a weird movie. It has a scene where a giant brain in a vat tries to control the world. It has a sequence where Lupin travels through a Salvador Dalí-inspired dreamscape. A bad dub ruins that atmosphere. A good dub, like the Geneon one, embraces the insanity.
📖 Related: Cuba Gooding Jr OJ: Why the Performance Everyone Hated Was Actually Genius
How to Experience Mamo Properly
If you actually want to get the most out of this film, stop looking for clips on social media and do the following:
Grab the Discotek Blu-ray. It is the only release that respects the history of the Lupin III Mystery of Mamo dub by providing the 1979, 1995, and 2003 versions in one place.
Start with the 2003 Geneon Cast. If you’re a newcomer, this is the most accessible. The chemistry between the leads is what makes Lupin "Lupin."
Watch the 1979 "JAL" Dub as a History Lesson. Only do this after you’ve seen the movie once. It’s fascinating to see how much the industry struggled with localization in its infancy.
Pay Attention to the Music. Most of the dubs kept the original Yuji Ohno score, which is a masterpiece of 70s jazz-funk. Some early international versions of anime used to replace the music, but luckily, Mamo mostly escaped that fate.
This movie is the cornerstone of the entire franchise. It predates The Castle of Cagliostro and shows a much darker, more "accurate" version of Monkey Punch’s original manga character. Finding the right dub isn't just about preference; it's about making sure the first time you see Lupin, you’re seeing the version that actually makes sense.