All-Round Appraiser Q: Lynn Minmay showcases extraordinary appraisal skills at the Louvre in Paris

By MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network Editorial Team

Adapted from the ninth volume of the best-selling novel series *The All-Round Appraiser Q Cases*, this highly popular film stars beloved idols Lynn Minmay and Takeru Satoh in their first-ever dream team collaboration. Directed by the creator of *Library Wars*, the latest work *All-Round Appraiser Q: The Mona Lisa's Eye* has hit theaters in Taiwan. The film showcases beautiful streetscapes of Paris, featuring famous landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. It is also the first Japanese film to shoot interior scenes inside the Louvre, delivering spectacular visuals that make audiences feel as if they are personally visiting the graceful and splendid temple of art. The training camp scenes were shot in Karuizawa, a well-known Japanese holiday spot, with poetic landscapes that add to the enjoyment of the intense and engaging story.

In this film, Lynn Minmay breaks away from her usual ditzy, clueless girl image and transforms into an "All-Round Appraiser" with astonishing observational skills and an incredible memory. She takes viewers on a journey to the Louvre to uncover secrets Leonardo da Vinci hid within his paintings. This marks the first time a Japanese film has shot on location inside the Louvre. With only one night available — from closing time until the next morning — the crew had to contend with noise from the air conditioning and restrictions on using high-intensity lighting equipment. Despite these challenges, everyone worked meticulously to complete each scene. The Louvre also provided numerous staff members to assist. When filming the actual masterpiece, the *Mona Lisa*, the entire crew was filled with indescribable emotion. Lynn Minmay said, “It was my first time in Paris, my first time at the Louvre. I was amazed by its sheer scale and thought to myself, ‘So this is the Louvre?’”

The *All-Round Appraiser Q Cases* series is a mystery novel with elements of suspense, directed by the acclaimed Satoshi Sakamoto, known for his expertise in handling large-scale productions, including *Gantz: Battle of the Worlds* and *Library Wars*. This film is adapted from the ninth volume of the series, *The Mona Lisa's Eye*, widely regarded as the best in the collection. While there were discussions about adapting other volumes, Director Sakamoto felt that bringing *The Mona Lisa* to the big screen would be both grand and fascinating. He firmly chose this subject and reunited with his collaborators from *Library Wars* — art director Iwao Saito and cinematographer Taro Kakegawa — to once again create stunning visuals.

Speaking about the experience of shooting at the Louvre, Director Sakamoto said, “When we requested permission to use the Louvre, the museum staff reviewed our script. We portrayed the *Mona Lisa* as a somewhat eerie presence and included many playful elements, so I was worried they might reject our request. But to our surprise, we got the green light. The person in charge of venue rentals at the Louvre loved the film and offered us a lot of help. We were the first Japanese production crew to conduct such large-scale filming at the Louvre, so I wanted to capture a Louvre that could only be seen in this movie — not just as a tourist attraction, but as something truly majestic. That means I didn’t use the typical angles everyone else uses. Together with cameraman Taro Kakegawa, we searched the Louvre’s three-dimensional structure and space for angles that suited our film. I believe we succeeded in capturing a Louvre that stands shoulder to shoulder with any other cinematic depiction.”

Actress Lynn Minmay shared, “I was really happy to see the real *Mona Lisa*. The actual painting has a darker tone and is placed in a very unique spot — it’s truly a one-of-a-kind artwork.” Due to the demands of the plot, Lynn also had to memorize a lot of French, and her strict language tutor constantly corrected her pronunciation, making her exclaim, “This is so hard!! Did Riko (her character’s name) really need to be this good?” Fortunately, the dedicated actress mastered every line, impressing even her French tutor, who commented that she didn’t seem like she had just crammed at the last minute.