WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Lupin III: The First, now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.
In the introduction that plays before the Fathom Events re-release of Lupin III: The First, director Takashi Yamazaki spoke of how his love for Hollywood movies inspired the first CGI Lupin III anime. With a plot that involves an archeologist and Nazis fighting over a mystical artifact, it's obvious that Lupin III: The First's biggest "Hollywood" influence is the Indiana Jones series -- and surprisingly, it shares a fair deal in common with the much-maligned fourth film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, including one escape from danger even more extreme than Indy's "nuke the fridge" moment.
Both Crystal Skull and The First are period pieces set in the 1950s which involve journeys to Latin American countries (Peru in Crystal Skull, Mexico in The First). Crystal Skull explicitly involves aliens visiting ancient Earth civilizations, while The First hints at historic extraterrestrial interference with the hyper-advanced technology of the Eclipse.
While Crystal Skull's alien plotline was controversial, the moment that gets most made fun of for straining believability is the scene in which Indy survives a nuclear bomb test by hiding in a fridge. Whether or not this is possible (George Lucas insists that it is), there is something in the universe someone is even less likely to survive: a black hole. This is Lupin III's big "nuke the fridge" moment in The First -- after releasing a miniature black hole to kill the Nazi Gerard and destroy the Eclipse from within, the master thief manages to escape being sucked into a black hole by using a machine that controls gravity.
You don't need to be a rocket scientist to see how this scenario is preposterous on multiple levels. However, where Kingdom of the Crystal Skull frustrated many Indiana Jones fans, the Lupin III fanbase has generally embraced Lupin III: The First. There are a few clear reasons for this. Whereas Crystal Skull felt more cartoony than previous Indiana Jones films, Lupin III is already a cartoon comedy. Questioning Lupin III's science is like questioning why Wile E. Coyote only falls when he looks down.
There's also the matter of context. A common criticism of the "nuke the fridge" scene is that it would have been an awesome climax, but happening in the opening sequence of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull means the rest of the film can't raise the stakes effectively. Lupin III's black hole escape happens at the very end of the film, making for a strong final action sequence.
On top of that, Lupin III: The First is just a more solid movie overall than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull; not a masterpiece, but pleasing popcorn entertainment without major problems. It makes for a good example of how directors can take inspiration from movies that might not have been the best but find ways to rework their elements while improving upon them.
Lupin III: The First is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.
