Yuji Ohno collaborates with Shibuya-kei artist Kahimi Karie for a Franco-European Lupin III reimagining. The title is in French (LUPIN TROIS), tracks are named in French ("le soleil d'or" — the golden sun), German ("milchkaffee" — milky coffee, "schatz!"
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— treasure/darling), and Italian ("penisola" — peninsula, "bersaglio rosso" — red target). Kahimi Karie's breathy, whispery vocal style was the defining sound of Shibuya-kei — Japanese indie pop that worshipped French ye-yé and bossa nova.
Pairing her with Ohno's jazz is inspired: Lupin III has always had European sophistication in its DNA, and Karie makes that explicit. Seven tracks — the '78 theme updated to 2002, "le soleil d'or" in full and instrumental, and four more instrumentals.
The multilingual approach suits a franchise about a French-named, Japan-created international thief. Ohno and Karie find common ground in cool, understated elegance.