46 Years Later, Studio Ghibli Fans Can Finally Watch Hayao Miyazaki’s 1st Anime Movie With New International Release
In December 1979, Japan saw the theatrical premiere of Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro — the first of a long line of anime films directed by Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. Over four and a half decades later, the film has received a fresh international release in addition to a brand-new English dub.
Recently, Crunchyroll and Discotek Media collaborated for a special Steelbook Collector’s Edition of Hayao Miyazaki’s debut film, which is now available for pre-order exclusively from Crunchyroll’s online store. The new Blu-ray home video release is loaded with special features, including cast and crew interviews, the original theatrical trailers, an art gallery, and an exclusive commentary track with Discotek Media staff member Reed Nelson. The aforementioned English dub stars several well-known performers from the Lupin III franchise, including Tony Oliver (Lupin III), Michelle Ruff (Fujiko Mine), Richard Epcar (Daisuke Jigen) and Lex Lang (Goemon Ishikawa). The official release is currently scheduled for Dec. 15, 2025.
Hayao Miyazaki’s Lupin the 3rd – The Castle of Cagliostro Sets New Release Date
Released one year after Miyazaki’s critically-acclaimed Future Boy Conan TV show, Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro was based on Monkey Punch’s original Lupin III manga series. Crunchyroll describes the film’s plot: “In the twilight of his career, master thief Lupin the Third’s greatest caper has hit a snag. What should have been bags of cash from a national casino turns out to be expert counterfeits! Together with his partner-in-crime Jigen, Lupin heads to the remote European nation of Cagliostro to exact revenge. Not everything goes as planned; the two encounter Clarisse, a royal damsel in distress being forced to marry the sinister Count Cagliostro against her will…Lupin and Jigen — together with Lupin’s unpredictable ex-girlfriend Fujiko and the swordsman Goemon — must fight their way through a trap-filled castle, a deadly dungeon and an army of professional assassins…”
While Lupin the 3rd was not a major box office hit in Japan, many critics praised the film for both its animation and its enthralling action scenes. Ultimately, the film helped Miyazaki acquire support for his next animated feature, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984), which was produced by Top Craft. In 1985, Miyazaki established Studio Ghibli alongside Toshio Suzuki, Yasuyoshi Tokuma and Isao Takahata. Over the next decade, Studio Ghibli gained international acclaim for films such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Grave of the Fireflies (1988) and Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989). The success of these works also solidified Miyazaki’s status as a major player in the world of anime.
At the time of writing, the Steelbook Collector’s Edition of Lupin the 3rd: Castle of Cagliostro is available for a discounted rate of US$44.95 (from US$49.95). Depending on the viewer’s geographical location, Hayao Miyazaki’s other films are available to stream on either Max or Netflix.
