Lupin the Third vs. Detective Conan

Lupin the Third vs. Detective Conan

Year: 2009

Runtime: 104 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Hajime Kamegaki

CrimeComedyActionAnimation

A hunting accident claims a wealthy woman and her son, prompting detective Conan Edogawa to investigate. At the same time, master thief Lupin III pursues the Queen Crown, a prized Vesparand royal artifact. When Conan’s investigation meets Lupin’s heist, the legendary rivals clash in a high‑stakes battle that could end in a deadly cliffhanger.

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Timeline – Lupin the Third vs. Detective Conan (2009)

Trace every key event in Lupin the Third vs. Detective Conan (2009) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Sakura's death and Mira named heir

Queen Sakura is killed during a hunting trip in Vespania, and her son Gill dies by suicide, overwhelmed by guilt. The throne passes to Princess Mira, who initially rejects the idea of becoming queen. This tragedy triggers a political crisis as factions question Mira's fitness and the future of the kingdom.

early in the story Vespania, Turkey
2

Duke Keith enlists Jigen and Lupin plots to seize crown

Duke Keith, chief of the Commons, appoints Daisuke Jigen as Mira's personal guard to protect the princess during the coronation. Lupin III arrives in Vespania, and he and Jigen discuss a plan to obtain the crown for their own clients. The stage is set for a high-stakes royal intrigue.

early Vespania
3

Lupin's arrival and plan to steal the crown

Arsène Lupin III reaches Vespania and joins the effort to grab the royal crown. He aims to exploit the unrest around Mira's succession for a theft that would benefit the Queens of the Realm. The plan threads through the royal guard and political factions.

shortly after Sakura's death Vespania
4

Festival in Japan; poisoning attempt exposed

A festival is held at the Grand Hotel West City Tama to boost Mira's popularity during the Japan tour. Conan exposes a poisoning attempt against the princess, averting a potential diplomatic disaster. The festival turns from celebration to caution as security tightens.

during the festival Grand Hotel West City Tama, Japan
5

Ran impersonates Mira after identity swap

In the aftermath of the incident, Mira and Ran Mouri swap places, with Ran disguising herself as the princess. The real Mira returns to the party scene and explains the impersonation, triggering further complications for the royal entourage. The swap strains diplomacy and law enforcement across borders.

during the festival aftermath Grand Hotel West City Tama, Japan
6

Duke Keith forces Ran to stay as Mira; Conan pursues

To avoid a diplomatic incident, Duke Keith compels Ran to continue acting as Mira. Conan, noticing the ruse, boards the next plane toward Vespania and is saved from hypothermia by the Duke. The pursuit deepens the international intrigue surrounding the crown.

after the press conference at the airport Airplane to Vespania
7

Megure and Zenigata join Kogoro to pursue Lupin

Inspector Megure recruits Koichi Zenigata to help capture Lupin, and Kogoro Mouri joins as his assistant. The cross-agency pursuit underscores the film's detective-work tone, while Lupin and his allies maneuver behind the scenes. The chase tightens the circle around the crown's theft.

concurrent Japan/along the pursuit corridor
8

Fujiko guides Mira; Lupin locates the mineral

Fujiko Mine visits Mira and terms herself to lead her around Japan while Lupin uses dowsing rods to locate a valuable mineral beneath Vespania. Lupin seizes a piece of the mineral to aid in his plan to steal the crown. The duo's actions complicate Mira's path to the throne.

during Mira's travels Japan; under the kingdom
9

Mira returns to Vespania and embraces her duty

Mira returns to Vespania after visiting the site where her family died. She resolves to assume her duties as future queen, bridging personal grief with a renewed sense of obligation. Her decision stabilizes the political situation for the moment.

after personal reflection Vespania
10

Crown theft revealed; Lupin and Fujiko flee

Lupin infiltrates the vault and discovers that Fujiko has already stolen the crown. He must flee with Goemon as alarms draw police, forcing a rapid withdrawal. The caper underscores Lupin's skill and the shifting balance of power within the palace.

during the vault confrontation Vault under the palace
11

Conan and Lupin unmask the murder plot

Conan and Lupin uncover that Gerard Musca Vespaland, Sakura's own brother and Prime Minister, murdered the queen and the prince to seize the throne and profit from forbidden ore. Their investigation exposes the political conspiracy and names the true culprit. The revelation paves the way for justice and political reform.

climax of investigation Vespania
12

Mira becomes queen; crown restored to her

With the conspiracy exposed, Mira ascends as queen, and Lupin returns the crown to her. Ran and Kogoro are celebrated as saviors of the realm, and Zenigata ends the chase with a grudging respect for Lupin. The crisis concludes with a fragile peace and a new era for Vespania.

end of crisis Vespania
13

Conan's return to Japan; Shinichi/Kudo revealed

Conan is escorted by members of the Japanese embassy who are really Lupin's gang to help him return to Japan due to lack of legal ID. Lupin reveals that he knows Conan's true identity as Shinichi Kudo, and they acknowledge this unlikely connection. They part with a promise to meet again under different circumstances.

after coronation Japan (on the embassy car)
14

Submarine ride home; Fujiko pursues APTX-4869 effects

Conan and Fujiko depart for Japan aboard a borrowed submarine, while Fujiko begins to closely investigate the effects of the APTX-4869 transformation on Conan. The epilogue leaves their relationship open, with hints of future encounters. The film ends with Conan's life advancing into an uncertain but hopeful future.

epilogue Borrowed submarine, en route to Japan

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 09:28

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Lupin the Third vs. Detective Conan (2009) Timeline Questions Answered – Chronology FAQ

Find frequently asked questions about the Lupin the Third vs. Detective Conan (2009) timeline, including chronological order, nonlinear jumps, cause-and-effect links, and scene sequence clarifications. This timeline FAQ helps explain when key events happen, how moments connect, and why the story unfolds in that specific order.

Q1

Why did Queen Sakura actually die?

A.

Queen Sakura was not killed in a hunting accident as it appeared. She was actually murdered by her own brother, Gerard Musca Vespaland, who was the Prime Minister of Vespania. He killed her and her son Gill to seize the throne and profit from forbidden ore located beneath the kingdom.

queen sakura murdergerard muscavespania prime ministerthrone succession
Q2

Who killed Queen Sakura and Prince Gill?

A.

Gerard Musca Vespaland, Queen Sakura's brother and the Prime Minister, orchestrated the murder of both the Queen and her son Prince Gill. He framed it as a hunting accident and then used the political crisis to consolidate power for himself while profiting from the forbidden ore beneath Vespania.

queen sakura killerprince gill deathgerard musca vespalandvespania conspiracy
Q3

Why did Ran Mouri impersonate Princess Mira?

A.

Ran impersonated Princess Mira after the poisoning attempt at the festival was exposed. The real Mira and Ran swapped places as a security measure, but when Mira needed to return to the party scene to explain the situation, Ran was left continuing the impersonation to avoid a diplomatic incident, forced by Duke Keith to maintain the ruse.

ran impersonationprincess mira swapdiplomatic incidentduke keith
Q4

How did Lupin find the crown's location?

A.

Lupin used dowsing rods to locate a valuable mineral deposits beneath Vespania, which led him to discover the vault under the palace where the crown was stored. This mineral was the same forbidden ore that Gerard Musca was secretly mining for profit.

lupin dowsing rodscrown vault locationvespania mineralforbidden ore
Q5

Why did Fujiko steal the crown before Lupin could?

A.

Fujiko Mine arrived at the vault before Lupin and already had the crown in her possession when he arrived. This unexpected move forced Lupin to flee with Goemon as alarms triggered, creating a twist in their usual dynamic where Lupin is typically the one pulling off the heist.

fujiko crown theftlupin vaultheist twistfujiko mine
Q6

Why did Lupin help Conan solve the murder case?

A.

Although Lupin and Conan are natural rivals, they temporarily teamed up because their goals aligned, both wanted to expose the true villain behind the political crisis. Lupin had his own reasons to investigate the conspiracy, and working with Conan helped him achieve his objectives while also bringing justice to the murder plot.

lupin conan cooperationdetective thief team upmurder investigationvespania conspiracy
Q7

How does Lupin know Conan's real identity as Shinichi Kudo?

A.

At the end of the film, Lupin reveals he knows Conan is actually Shinichi Kudo. The Japanese embassy officials who escorted Conan back to Japan were revealed to be members of Lupin's gang. Lupin acknowledges their connection and promises to meet again under different circumstances, leaving their rivalry open-ended.

lupin knows shinichiconan identity reveallupin conan rivalrykudo shinichi
Q8

Why is Fujiko investigating the APTX-4869 drug effects on Conan?

A.

In the epilogue, Fujiko closely examines Conan's transformation and the effects of the APTX-4869 drug that shrank him to his child form. Her scientific interest in the drug's properties suggests she may be researching it for future plans or simply finds the phenomenon fascinating given her association with Lupin's criminal world.

aptx-4869fujiko researchconan shrinking drugdetective conan drug
Q9

What was the valuable mineral beneath Vespania?

A.

The mineral beneath Vespania was a forbidden ore that Gerard Musca was secretly mining for personal profit. This same ore was the reason he murdered Queen Sakura and Prince Gill, to maintain control over the mining operation and keep the profits for himself during Mira's reign.

vespania oreforbidden mineralgerard miningroyal treasury
Q10

Why did Prince Gill commit suicide?

A.

Prince Gill, Sakura's son, took his own life out of overwhelming guilt. He believed he was responsible for the hunting accident that killed his mother, even though it was actually staged as murder by Gerard Musca. His suicide was a tragic consequence of the conspiracy.

prince gill suicidequeen sakura sonvespania royal familyguilt death
Q11

Why did Inspector Zenigata let Lupin escape at the end?

A.

After the murder conspiracy was exposed and justice was served, Inspector Zenigata chose to end the chase with grudging respect for Lupin. Since Lupin had helped solve the murder case and returned the crown to Queen Mira, Zenigata recognized that pursuing him further would be unnecessary, acknowledging their long-running rivalry with a mutual understanding.

zenigata lupin respectdetective thiefchase endgrudging admiration
Q12

Why did Princess Mira initially reject becoming queen?

A.

Princess Mira initially rejected the throne because she was overwhelmed by grief and guilt over her mother Queen Sakura's death and her brother Gill's suicide. She visited the site where her family died and struggled with whether she could fulfill her royal duties while dealing with such personal loss.

princess miravespania queengrief successionroyal duty
Q13

How did Conan get to Vespania after the identity swap?

A.

Conan noticed the ruse that Ran was impersonating Mira and immediately boarded the next plane to Vespania to pursue the truth. During the flight, he nearly suffered from hypothermia but was saved by Duke Keith, who recognized Conan was on the side of justice despite being a detective in pursuit of Lupin.

conan flight vespaniaduke keith rescuehypothermiachase across borders
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