The Castle of Cagliostro poster

The Castle of Cagliostro

1979100 minutesPG-13
3.7
Arcplot Score
📝 Unconventional
Unverified
⭐ 7.6IMDb
🍅 95%Rotten Tomatoes
Ⓜ️ 72/100Metacritic
🎬 7.5TMDb
📊 4.5Popularity
🏆1 win & 1 nomination total
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Written by: Monkey Punch, Maurice Leblanc, Hayao Miyazaki
After successfully robbing the Monte Carlo Casino, Lupin The Third and Jigen Daisuke soon learn that their money is in fact counterfeit and they go after the man responsible: Count Lazare de Cagliostro. The two soon find out that the Count is behind something far worse than counterfeiting money for casinos: he has been keeping a family secret hidden deep in his castle. Can Lupin find out what this is and live to tell the tale? With the help of Jigen and the wise samurai Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Lupin is hell-bent on finding out the Cagliostro family's secret fortune and make it his own.

Box Office

Budget:$7.2M
Revenue:$8.2M
Profit:$1.0M

Arcplot Score Breakdown

Beat Timing Precision6/10
Emotional Arc Impact1/10
Thematic Consistency4/10
Overall Score3.7/10

Beat Sheet

15 plot points

The Castle of Cagliostro Arcplot
1
Opening Image
1 min
2
Theme Stated
5 min
3
Set-Up
12 min
4
Catalyst
20 min
5
Debate
30 min
6
Break Into Two
35 min
7
B Story
45 min
8
Fun and Games
55 min
9
Midpoint
65 min
10
Bad Guys Close In
75 min
11
All Is Lost
85 min
12
Dark Night of the Soul
90 min
13
Break Into Three
95 min
14
Finale
100 min
15
Final Image
100 min

Emotional Arc

+100-10

Plot Points

#1

Opening Image

1 min

Lupin III, the charming master thief, is seen executing a daring heist with skill and flair, immediately establishing his cunning and adventurous life.

#2

Theme Stated

5 min

The importance of cleverness, honor among thieves, and protecting the innocent is hinted when Lupin decides to intervene in the fake-money scandal.

#3

Set-Up

12 min

We meet key characters: Lupin, his loyal companion Jigen, the hapless Goemon, and Clarisse, the princess in danger. The stakes and antagonist (Count Cagliostro) are established.

#4

Catalyst

20 min

Lupin witnesses the kidnapping of Clarisse, forcing him to take action against Count Cagliostro’s criminal empire.

#5

Debate

30 min

Lupin hesitates briefly, weighing the danger of confronting Cagliostro versus his sense of justice and desire to protect Clarisse.

#6

Break Into Two

35 min

Lupin and his companions begin the elaborate infiltration of the Castle of Cagliostro, entering a new world of traps, puzzles, and heightened danger.

#7

B Story

45 min

Lupin grows closer to Clarisse, forming a protective bond that heightens the emotional stakes of the adventure.

#8

Fun and Games

55 min

Lupin navigates the castle’s ingenious traps, engages in daring chases, and uses clever disguises. Humorous moments and suspenseful sequences dominate.

#9

Midpoint

65 min

Lupin uncovers the secret of Cagliostro’s counterfeit operation, raising the stakes and revealing the antagonist’s cunning nature.

#10

Bad Guys Close In

75 min

Cagliostro tightens his grip, setting traps and using henchmen to thwart Lupin’s rescue plan. Tension escalates as failure seems possible.

#11

All Is Lost

85 min

Clarisse is taken to the castle’s dungeon; Lupin appears trapped in a perilous situation. Hope seems minimal.

#12

Dark Night of the Soul

90 min

Lupin reflects on past mistakes and must rely on ingenuity and his companions’ loyalty to find a solution.

#13

Break Into Three

95 min

Lupin devises a daring plan to infiltrate the dungeon, outsmart the guards, and confront Cagliostro directly.

#14

Finale

100 min

Lupin rescues Clarisse, exposes Cagliostro’s counterfeiting scheme, and escapes in a thrilling sequence of clever maneuvers, chases, and humor.

#15

Final Image

100 min

Lupin and his companions ride off into the sunset, victorious and witty, leaving the castle behind — the adventurous tone is reaffirmed.