Takeshi Nakatsuka's live band project is breathing new life into forgotten anime history. The group, simply called 生音バンド (Live Band), is releasing an EP on June 17 featuring two lost Lupin III songs that never had official versions due to missing master recordings.

The EP includes two reworked tracks: "AFRO 'LUPIN '68'" and "Lupin III Theme Song 3." Both are based on composer Yamashita Takeo's original compositions from the first Lupin III TV series. The Live Band has completely reimagined these pieces for modern audiences.

"AFRO 'LUPIN '68'" gets a Latin jazz treatment, layering bluesy male vocals and female scat singing over a sprightly piano riff and rich horn section. "Lupin III Theme Song 3" transforms into a high-speed funk number reminiscent of Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour," complete with call-and-response sections that build toward the track's finale.

The Live Band itself brings an interesting sonic palette to the project. Centered around Nakatsuka on vocals and keyboards, the group includes bassist Kentaro Ishigaki, drummer Iku Suzuki, saxophonist Tomoko Okamura, and trombonist Shinsuke. Their approach blends jazz fundamentals with electronic elements, creating something that feels both respectful to the source material and distinctly contemporary.

This isn't the band's first anime deep dive—their debut project featured a cover of "I・K・E・N・A・I Rouge Magic," another classic anime tune. That effort introduced their signature style: taking beloved retro tracks and filtering them through a live band's jazz-influenced, genre-blending lens.

The "Lupin III EP" will be available both as a 7-inch vinyl and through digital streaming platforms, giving fans options for how they want to experience these resurrected tracks. For anyone who loves anime soundtracks, jazz reinterpretations, or simply discovering the stories behind lost recordings, this release is worth checking out.