Lupin III
Encyclopedia
, also known as Lupin the 3rd, is a Japanese manga
series written and illustrated by Kazuhiko Kato under the pen name of Monkey Punch
. The story follows the adventures of a gang of thieves led by Arsène Lupin III
, the grandson of Arsène Lupin
, the gentleman thief
of Maurice Leblanc
's series of novels. Lupin and his gang travel throughout the world to steal treasures and escape from the law.
The first Lupin III manga, which first appeared in Weekly Manga Action
beginning on August 10, 1967, spawned a media franchise
that includes numerous manga, various animated
television series, feature films, direct-to-video
releases, yearly television special
s, music CDs
, video games, and a musical. Several different companies own the English-language distribution rights to various Lupin III properties. Geneon licensed the second television series, which was broadcast in 26 episodes on Cartoon Network
's Adult Swim
during 2003, and Tokyopop
acquired the license to publish the original manga. WhiteLight Entertainment, purchased the live-action theatrical rights to Lupin III in 2003.
The series remains popular and the anime adaptions have attracted the attention of directors such as Shinichirō Watanabe
and Steven Spielberg
. Although the series is popular with critics, some elements of the English adaptions have been criticized for language and use of contemporary references that were not present in the original. For several years, issues relating to the copyright of Maurice Leblanc
's intellectual property meant that the Lupin name was removed from releases outside of Japan. However the copyright has now expired, allowing foreign releases to use the Lupin name.
, the grandson of the fictional gentleman thief
, Arsène Lupin
, is considered the world's greatest thief, known for announcing his intentions to steal valuable objects by sending a calling card to the owners of his desired items. His right-hand man and closest ally is Daisuke Jigen
, an expert marksman
who can accurately shoot a target in 0.3 seconds. Although Lupin and Jigen frequently work as a two-man team, they are often joined by Goemon Ishikawa XIII
, a master swordsman whose sword can cut anything, or Fujiko Mine
, a femme fatale
and Lupin's love interest. Although Fujiko usually works together with the others, she occasionally exploits Lupin's interest in her to steal a treasure for herself. Lupin and his gang are constantly chased by Inspector Koichi Zenigata
(Pops) of the ICPO
, who has made it his life's work to arrest them, chasing Lupin across the globe. On the rare occasions he catches Lupin, Zenigata secretly hopes Lupin will escape so he can continue to chase him. Regardless of whether Lupin and his followers succeed or fail, they are always looking for the next heist.
Arsène Lupin
, created by Maurice Leblanc
. However Monkey Punch did not ask permission to use the character's name, leading to eventual copyright issues with the Leblanc estate.
When Monkey Punch began Lupin III, he was already working on another series, Pinky Punky. Monkey Punch enjoys writing outlaw characters, and both Lupin III and Pinky Punky made use of outlaws as central characters. According to him, this made it easy for him to write two series without much pressure. Monkey Punch enjoys puzzles and mysteries such as Columbo and Agatha Christie
novels, and was also inspired by The Three Musketeers
. He believes the characters of Lupin and Fujiko are similar to the characters of D'Artagnan
and Milady de Winter
, and describes them as "Not necessarily lovers, not necessarily husband and wife, but more just having fun as man and woman with each other". Another influence on the manga was MAD Magazine
. The appeal of drawing Lupin comes from being able to go anywhere without obstacles and being able to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. However, this is contrasted by the appeal of Zenigata's strict personality. Originally the series was only expected to last three months, but due to its popularity, Monkey Punch continued to draw it. However, despite his happiness at its success, he has expressed confusion over its popularity.
in Weekly Manga Action
in 190 chapters from August 1967 to April 1972. Serial chapters were collected in 14 tankōbon
volumes. Tokyopop
licensed the series for North America, and released all 14 volumes between December 2, 2002 and July 6, 2004. In Europe, the series was licensed by Kappa Edizioni in Italy, and Ediciones Mangaline in Spain.
Monkey Punch began publishing the second Lupin manga, Shin Lupin III, also known as Lupin III — World's Most Wanted, on June 23, 1977. This series ran for 184 chapters and was collected in 13 tankōbon volumes. Tokyopop
licensed the second series, and released the first 9 volumes between September 2004 and July 2007, Tokyopop later chose not to relicense the series due to low sales.
A third manga series, Lupin III S, began in January 1997. The story was written by Satozumi Takaguchi and illustrated by Shusay, under the supervision of Monkey Punch. Five stories were published in Weekly Manga Action and 2 Action, then collected by Futabasha
in a single volume.
The fourth manga series, Lupin III Y, was written by Monkey Punch and illustrated by Manatsuki Yamakami. The series began serialization in Weekly Manga Action in 1998, and serial chapters were collected in 20 volumes published between May 27, 1999 and August 28, 2004.
The fifth manga series is Lupin III M, with story by Monkey Punch and art by Miyama Yukio. The manga is currently serialized in the Lupin III Official Magazine, a quarterly magazine published by Futabasha, which also contains Lupin news, information on Lupin products and merchandise, and fan art.
produced a Lupin III anime
film adaptation featuring Lupin wearing a red jacket outfit. Masaaki Ōsumi
directed the movie, which was made in two different versions: a CinemaScope
version intended for theatrical release and a 4:3 television version. The animation for the two versions was mainly the same, but the voice cast was different, with only Kiyoshi Kobayashi
and Eiko Masuyama
, voicing Daisuke Jigen and Fujiko Mine respectively, in both versions. Kobayashi also voiced Jigen in every other incarnation of Lupin III, with the exception of Fuma Conspiracy
(see below). By the time the pilot was completed in 1969, because of budget concerns and other problems between Toho and TMS, the film was never released in theaters. Masaaki Ōsumi
then moved on to direct several episodes of the first Lupin III television series. The two versions of this pilot film were later released in 1989 as a part of the OVA
.
began airing the first Lupin III television series. The series, which featured Lupin wearing a green jacket, was broadcast for 23 episodes, with the last one airing on March 26, 1972. The first seven episodes of the series, along with episodes nine and twelve, were directed by Masaaki Ōsumi
, while the remaining episodes were directed jointly by Hayao Miyazaki
and Isao Takahata
. The music was composed by Takeo Yamashita with many songs performed by Charlie Kosei
. On July 12, 2011, Discotek announced they licensed the first series for a North American DVD release in spring 2012.
The second Lupin III television series began airing on NTV
on October 3, 1977. This series, in which Lupin wears a red jacket, was broadcast for 155 episodes, with the last one airing on October 6, 1980. Episodes 145 and 155 were directed by Hayao Miyazaki
under the pseudonym Teruki Tsutomu, and they marked his final involvement with the Lupin franchise.
The music for the series was composed by Yuji Ohno
. On September 3, 1979, Episode 99 was the first ever anime television episode to be broadcast in stereo. Geneon Entertainment, which was at the time was called Pioneer Entertainment, began distributing the second television series in the United States in 2003. Streamline released episodes 145 and 155 of the second television series to VHS as "Lupin III's Greatest Capers". Geneon hired Phuuz Entertainment Inc. to adapt and translate the series. The first 79 episodes were released on 15 DVDs under the title Lupin III Part II, and the first 26 episodes aired numerous times on Cartoon Network
's Adult Swim
. In 2009, the Southern California based "United Television Broadcasting" network began airing subtitled episodes from all three series. It appears to be the only American broadcast of the first and third show in America.
The third Lupin III television series, called Lupin III Part III, began airing on YTV on March 3, 1984. This series, in which Lupin wore a pink jacket, was broadcast for 50 episodes and ended on December 24, 1985.
In 1982, an animated television series called Lupin VIII was planned as a French-Japanese co-production, featuring the descendants of Lupin, Goemon, Jigen, and Zenigata, but was never completed. Two scripts were written, and one episode, entitled "The Man From the Past", was fully animated with a music and sound effects track, but the voice-overs were never recorded.
humor and physics-defying stunts. A DVD was released in North America in 2006 by Disckotek.
During the broadcast run of the second television series, an anime feature film was also produced titled simply Lupin III, which was released in Japanese theaters on December 16, 1978. The movie received four different English language dubs
. The first dub, created in 1978, was shown on transatlantic flight
s, while the other three dubs were created for various home releases. When released on DVD by Geneon in North America on July 29, 2003, this movie was given the title The Secret of Mamo
. Manga Entertainment
released the movie in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2008.
Hayao Miyazaki
directed the next anime feature film, The Castle of Cagliostro
, which was released in Japanese theaters on December 15, 1979. This movie was loosely based on the Maurice Leblanc
novel La Comtesse de Cagliostro (The Countess of Cagliostro). The third anime feature film, Legend of the Gold of Babylon, was released in Japanese theaters in 1985. The North American license for this movie is owned by Discotek media. Ten years later, To Hell with Nostradamus
was released in Japanese theaters in April 1995.
The fifth anime feature film, Dead or Alive, was directed by the creator of the series, Monkey Punch, and released in Japanese theaters on April 20, 1996. Although he was credited as chief director for the production, Monkey Punch said that he left most of the work to his assistant directors and only directed the opening and ending sequences while acting as consultant for everything else. Following the production of the movie, Monkey Punch stated that the process was so exhausting he would not like to direct another anime again.
WhiteLight Entertainment, a production company owned by Gerald R. Molen
, purchased the live-action theatrical rights to Lupin III in 2003.
(OVA) was The Plot of the Fuma Clan
, released in Japan 1987. Because of budget problems, TMS decided not to employ the regular voice cast from the television series and theatrical movies; instead, they hired a different cast to save money. Yasuo Yamada
, the voice actor for Lupin, had always taken pride in his role as the title character and after the voice cast replacement, he mistakenly thought that Monkey Punch
had lobbied the producers for a new voice actor. After the release, Monkey Punch tried to reassure Yamada that he had nothing to do with the producers' decision to use a new cast, and the regulars were reinstated for the first television special, Bye Bye Liberty Crisis. Despite this, relations between Yamada and Monkey Punch were permanently strained by the affair. AnimEigo
owned the North American distribution rights to the OVA until 2006, when it was taken over by Discotek.
A second OVA, Return of the Magician
, was released on April 3, 2002. The OVA was created as a part of the 30-year anniversary of the first television series, and thus it featured the return of one of the original villains of the series, the magician Pycal (hence the title).
A third OVA, Lupin III: Green vs Red
, was released on April 2, 2008 as part of the 40th anniversary of the manga.
, starting a yearly tradition of Lupin III television specials. The next television special was Mystery of the Hemingway Papers, broadcast July 20, 1990. Steal Napoleon's Dictionary! was broadcast on August 9, 1991. From Russia With Love was broadcast on July 24, 1992. Voyage to Danger was broadcast on July 23, 1993. Dragon of Doom was broadcast on July 29, 1994. The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure was broadcast on August 4, 1995. The Secret of Twilight Gemini was broadcast on August 2, 1996. Island of Assassins was broadcast on August 1, 1997. Crisis in Tokyo was broadcast on July 24, 1998. The Columbus Files was broadcast on July 30, 1999. Missed by a Dollar was broadcast on July 28, 2000. Alcatraz Connection was broadcast on August 3, 2001. Episode 0: First Contact was broadcast on July 26, 2002. Operation: Return the Treasure was broadcast on August 1, 2003. Stolen Lupin was broadcast on July 30, 2004. Angel Tactics was broadcast on July 22, 2005. Seven Days Rhapsody was broadcast on September 8, 2006. Elusiveness of the Fog was broadcast on July 27, 2007 as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the original manga, featuring the return of a villain from the original television series, Kyousuke Mamo. It was followed by Sweet Lost Night: Magic Lamp's Nightmare Premonition, broadcast on July 25, 2008. A crossover special titled Lupin III vs Detective Conan
, featuring both Lupin and Conan Edogawa
from the series Detective Conan
, aired on NTV
on March 27, 2009, attracting a record audience share of 19.5. On February 12, 2010, the 20th television special "Lupin III: The Last Job" aired in Japan.
In 2002, Funimation Entertainment
purchased the rights to eight of the anime television specials.
in Japan by Taito in 1980 as Lupin III. A Laserdisc video game
entitled Cliff Hanger was released to arcades in North America in 1983 by Stern. This game used footage from Secret of Mamo
and The Castle of Cagliostro
to provide a gaming experience similar to Dragon's Lair
. Epoch Co.
released a second game called Lupin III for the Epoch Cassette Vision
in Japan in 1984. Also in 1984, Lupin III: Legacy of Pandora was released for the Nintendo Famicom
. This game featured Clarisse from Castle of Cagliostro. Two games were released for the MSX
platform, both based on anime movies: Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro in 1987, and Lupin III: Legend of the Gold of Babylon in 1988. Lupin the 3rd: Hunt for the Treasure of Legend! was released for the Super Famicom
on December 27, 1994. Sega
released two games developed by WOW Entertainment for the Sega Naomi arcade system: Lupin III The Shooting, a light gun
game, in 2001, and Lupin III The Typing, a typing game, in 2002. Bandai
released Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King
in Japan for the PlayStation 2
on November 8, 2002. This stealth game, similar to Metal Gear Solid
, was later released in the United States in February 2004. Lupin Is Dead, Zenigata Is in Love, a stealth game developed by Banpresto
for the PlayStation 2
, was released in Japan on February 22, 2007.
In 2010, Lupin Sansei: Shijou Saidai no Zunousen
was released for the Nintendo DS
.
and VAP have both released numerous Lupin III music CDs in Japan. These include over 48 soundtrack albums by Takeo Yamashita and Yuji Ohno
for the TV series, movies, and specials, as well as 15 collections of jazz
arrangements by the Yuji Ohno trio, the Lupintic Five, and the Lupintic Sixteen.
Geneon Entertainment has released two of the music CDs in the United States. Lupin the 3rd: Sideburn Club Mix is a collection of thirteen remixed themes from the first television series, which was released in conjunction with the first DVD volume on January 28, 2003. Lupin the 3rd Original Soundtrack, released on April 8, 2003, is a collection of fifteen themes from the second television series performed by Yuji Ohno with his jazz group You & the Explosion Band.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the series, a live concert was held on September 8, 2007 performed by Yuji Ohno and the Lupintic Sixteen; a concert DVD was released in Japan on December 21, 2007. Play the Lupin clips x parts, a compilation of Lupin animation clips set to music from the series, as well as the opening and ending credits from a number of Lupin III productions, was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc
in Japan on May 22, 2009.
The Lupin III franchise still remains popular in Japan; the manga was listed in 38th place on Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs
's list of the top 50 manga series. The Castle of Cagliostro was in 5th place on the Agency's list of best anime, while the original television series was in 50th place on the same list. The original television series also placed 38th on TV Asahi
's list of Japan's 100 favorite animated television series. The director of Cowboy Bebop
, Shinichirō Watanabe
, revealed during an interview with Newtype
Japan that he was heavily influenced by the work of director Masaaki Ōsumi
on the first television series. Many of the first volumes of the English edition of the Lupin III manga released by Tokyopop
made it onto ICv2's list of top 50 graphic novels, as well as later volumes from the series.
In Manga: The Complete Guide
, Jason Thompson referred to the original manga as "a crazy, groovy 1960's world of dynamite and backstabbing, hippies and gangsters", and considered it "a fascinating homage to Mad Magazine
and a four star example of comics as pure comedy." He rated the series four out of four stars. Allen Divers of Anime News Network
praised the strong writing and action; however, he felt that the art was too primitive.
Both Chris Beveridge of AnimeOnDVD.com and Mike Crandol of Anime News Network disliked the dub of the second television series because Pioneer Entertainment used many modern references and updated dialogue for a series that was released in the late 1970s, although the series itself received a positive overall review from both reviewers. John Wallis of DVD Talk
compared the series to Cowboy Bebop
, while Rob Lineberger of DVD Verdict wrote, "Lupin the Third is James Bond
meets Charlie's Angels
with Scooby-Doo
sensibilities."
The Lupin III television specials and theatrical features released by Funimation
have received reviews varying from positive to mixed. The most well-received is Island of Assassins, with Chris Beveridge of AnimeOnDVD.com describing it as "the best non-TV Lupin experience ... since the Castle of Cagliostro", and Todd Douglass Jr. of DVD Talk giving it a rating of four and a half out of five stars. The least well-received of Funimation's releases is the first, Secret of the Twilight Gemini, which received mixed reviews due to its extensive nudity and its b movie
-style plot.
Both of Manga Entertainment
's releases of The Castle of Cagliostro
received DVD Talk Collector Series recommendation status, the highest status given by the review website DVD Talk
. Chris Beveridge of AnimeOnDVD.com gave the film a grade of "A+", although he disliked Manga Entertainment
's use of PG-13 level language in the English dub. While the film was not initially a box-office success, it gained popularity through numerous re-releases and was even voted as "the best anime in history" by the readers of Animage
. The film was the best-selling anime DVD in May 2001, and the third best selling in June. Steven Spielberg
has called the film "One of the Greatest Adventure Movies of All Time". Alex Navarro of CNET Networks praised Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King
for its voice acting, soundtrack, and level of faithfulness to the source material, but criticized for its poor graphics and weak enemy AI
.
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series written and illustrated by Kazuhiko Kato under the pen name of Monkey Punch
Monkey Punch
Monkey Punch is the pen name of Japanese manga artist Kazuhiko Katō , creator of the successful Japanese manga series Lupin III...
. The story follows the adventures of a gang of thieves led by Arsène Lupin III
Arsène Lupin III
is a fictional character introduced by Monkey Punch in Weekly Manga Action on August 10, 1967. According to its creator, Lupin is the grandson of Maurice Leblanc's Arsène Lupin....
, the grandson of Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin is a fictional character who appears in a book series of detective fiction / crime fiction novels written by French writer Maurice Leblanc, as well as a number of non-canonical sequels and numerous film, television such as Night Hood, stage play and comic book adaptations.- Overview :A...
, the gentleman thief
Gentleman thief
In the Victorian vernacular, a gentleman thief is a particularly well-behaving and apparently well bred thief. A "gentleman" is usually, but not always, a man with an inherited title of nobility and inherited wealth, who need not work for a living. Such a man steals not in order to gain material...
of Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Marie Émile Leblanc was a French novelist and writer of short stories, known primarily as the creator of the fictional gentleman thief and detective Arsène Lupin, often described as a French counterpart to Arthur Conan Doyle's creation Sherlock Holmes.- Biography :Leblanc was born in...
's series of novels. Lupin and his gang travel throughout the world to steal treasures and escape from the law.
The first Lupin III manga, which first appeared in Weekly Manga Action
Weekly Manga Action
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine pushlished on a weekly basis by Futabasha since 7 July 1967.-Currently serialized:Listed alphabetically.*Bar Lemon Heart...
beginning on August 10, 1967, spawned a media franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
that includes numerous manga, various animated
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series, feature films, direct-to-video
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
releases, yearly television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
s, music CDs
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, video games, and a musical. Several different companies own the English-language distribution rights to various Lupin III properties. Geneon licensed the second television series, which was broadcast in 26 episodes on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
during 2003, and Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
acquired the license to publish the original manga. WhiteLight Entertainment, purchased the live-action theatrical rights to Lupin III in 2003.
The series remains popular and the anime adaptions have attracted the attention of directors such as Shinichirō Watanabe
Shinichiro Watanabe
is a Japanese anime filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. He is known for directing the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.Watanabe is known for blending together multiple genres in his anime creations...
and Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
. Although the series is popular with critics, some elements of the English adaptions have been criticized for language and use of contemporary references that were not present in the original. For several years, issues relating to the copyright of Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Marie Émile Leblanc was a French novelist and writer of short stories, known primarily as the creator of the fictional gentleman thief and detective Arsène Lupin, often described as a French counterpart to Arthur Conan Doyle's creation Sherlock Holmes.- Biography :Leblanc was born in...
's intellectual property meant that the Lupin name was removed from releases outside of Japan. However the copyright has now expired, allowing foreign releases to use the Lupin name.
Plot
Arsène Lupin IIIArsène Lupin III
is a fictional character introduced by Monkey Punch in Weekly Manga Action on August 10, 1967. According to its creator, Lupin is the grandson of Maurice Leblanc's Arsène Lupin....
, the grandson of the fictional gentleman thief
Gentleman thief
In the Victorian vernacular, a gentleman thief is a particularly well-behaving and apparently well bred thief. A "gentleman" is usually, but not always, a man with an inherited title of nobility and inherited wealth, who need not work for a living. Such a man steals not in order to gain material...
, Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin is a fictional character who appears in a book series of detective fiction / crime fiction novels written by French writer Maurice Leblanc, as well as a number of non-canonical sequels and numerous film, television such as Night Hood, stage play and comic book adaptations.- Overview :A...
, is considered the world's greatest thief, known for announcing his intentions to steal valuable objects by sending a calling card to the owners of his desired items. His right-hand man and closest ally is Daisuke Jigen
Daisuke Jigen
is a fictional character in Monkey Punch's Lupin III series.-Abilities:Jigen is master thief Arsène Lupin III's marksman. He can perform a 0.3-second quick-draw and has an accuracy that borders on superhuman; he can shoot skeet with a handgun, explode a missile before it hits by targeting the...
, an expert marksman
Marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
who can accurately shoot a target in 0.3 seconds. Although Lupin and Jigen frequently work as a two-man team, they are often joined by Goemon Ishikawa XIII
Goemon Ishikawa XIII
is a fictional character created by Monkey Punch for his Lupin III series. Goemon is the thirteenth generation of renegade samurai, a descendant of the historical figure Ishikawa Goemon...
, a master swordsman whose sword can cut anything, or Fujiko Mine
Fujiko Mine
is a fictional character created by Monkey Punch, for his Lupin III series. Fujiko is a professional criminal, burglar and "confidence trickster"....
, a femme fatale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
and Lupin's love interest. Although Fujiko usually works together with the others, she occasionally exploits Lupin's interest in her to steal a treasure for herself. Lupin and his gang are constantly chased by Inspector Koichi Zenigata
Koichi Zenigata
, usually called , is a fictional character in Monkey Punch's anime and manga series Lupin III.- Personality :Inspector Zenigata hails from Japan, city of origin unknown. According to Lupin III: Episode Zero - First Contact, his original title was Tokyo Police Inspector whose original interest was...
(Pops) of the ICPO
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, who has made it his life's work to arrest them, chasing Lupin across the globe. On the rare occasions he catches Lupin, Zenigata secretly hopes Lupin will escape so he can continue to chase him. Regardless of whether Lupin and his followers succeed or fail, they are always looking for the next heist.
Production
Monkey Punch's inspiration for the series was the fictional French gentleman thiefGentleman thief
In the Victorian vernacular, a gentleman thief is a particularly well-behaving and apparently well bred thief. A "gentleman" is usually, but not always, a man with an inherited title of nobility and inherited wealth, who need not work for a living. Such a man steals not in order to gain material...
Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin
Arsène Lupin is a fictional character who appears in a book series of detective fiction / crime fiction novels written by French writer Maurice Leblanc, as well as a number of non-canonical sequels and numerous film, television such as Night Hood, stage play and comic book adaptations.- Overview :A...
, created by Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Marie Émile Leblanc was a French novelist and writer of short stories, known primarily as the creator of the fictional gentleman thief and detective Arsène Lupin, often described as a French counterpart to Arthur Conan Doyle's creation Sherlock Holmes.- Biography :Leblanc was born in...
. However Monkey Punch did not ask permission to use the character's name, leading to eventual copyright issues with the Leblanc estate.
When Monkey Punch began Lupin III, he was already working on another series, Pinky Punky. Monkey Punch enjoys writing outlaw characters, and both Lupin III and Pinky Punky made use of outlaws as central characters. According to him, this made it easy for him to write two series without much pressure. Monkey Punch enjoys puzzles and mysteries such as Columbo and Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
novels, and was also inspired by The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, first serialized in March–July 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard...
. He believes the characters of Lupin and Fujiko are similar to the characters of D'Artagnan
D'Artagnan
Charles Ogier de Batz de Castelmore, Comte d'Artagnan served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard and died at the Siege of Maastricht in the Franco-Dutch War. A fictionalized account of his life by Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras formed the basis for the d'Artagnan Romances of...
and Milady de Winter
Milady de Winter
Milady Clarick de Winter, often referred to as simply Milady, is a fictional character in the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, père. She acts as a spy for Cardinal Richelieu and is one of the chief antagonists of the story....
, and describes them as "Not necessarily lovers, not necessarily husband and wife, but more just having fun as man and woman with each other". Another influence on the manga was MAD Magazine
Mad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
. The appeal of drawing Lupin comes from being able to go anywhere without obstacles and being able to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. However, this is contrasted by the appeal of Zenigata's strict personality. Originally the series was only expected to last three months, but due to its popularity, Monkey Punch continued to draw it. However, despite his happiness at its success, he has expressed confusion over its popularity.
Manga
The original manga series was written and illustrated by Monkey Punch. It was serialized by FutabashaFutabasha
is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Higashigokenchō, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.-List of magazines published by Futabasha:*Bravo Ski*Comic Seed!*Futabasha Web Magazine*Manga Action ZERO*Tōji Rō*Getter Robot Saga...
in Weekly Manga Action
Weekly Manga Action
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine pushlished on a weekly basis by Futabasha since 7 July 1967.-Currently serialized:Listed alphabetically.*Bar Lemon Heart...
in 190 chapters from August 1967 to April 1972. Serial chapters were collected in 14 tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes. Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
licensed the series for North America, and released all 14 volumes between December 2, 2002 and July 6, 2004. In Europe, the series was licensed by Kappa Edizioni in Italy, and Ediciones Mangaline in Spain.
Monkey Punch began publishing the second Lupin manga, Shin Lupin III, also known as Lupin III — World's Most Wanted, on June 23, 1977. This series ran for 184 chapters and was collected in 13 tankōbon volumes. Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
licensed the second series, and released the first 9 volumes between September 2004 and July 2007, Tokyopop later chose not to relicense the series due to low sales.
A third manga series, Lupin III S, began in January 1997. The story was written by Satozumi Takaguchi and illustrated by Shusay, under the supervision of Monkey Punch. Five stories were published in Weekly Manga Action and 2 Action, then collected by Futabasha
Futabasha
is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Higashigokenchō, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.-List of magazines published by Futabasha:*Bravo Ski*Comic Seed!*Futabasha Web Magazine*Manga Action ZERO*Tōji Rō*Getter Robot Saga...
in a single volume.
The fourth manga series, Lupin III Y, was written by Monkey Punch and illustrated by Manatsuki Yamakami. The series began serialization in Weekly Manga Action in 1998, and serial chapters were collected in 20 volumes published between May 27, 1999 and August 28, 2004.
The fifth manga series is Lupin III M, with story by Monkey Punch and art by Miyama Yukio. The manga is currently serialized in the Lupin III Official Magazine, a quarterly magazine published by Futabasha, which also contains Lupin news, information on Lupin products and merchandise, and fan art.
Pilot film
Following the success of the manga series, TMS Entertainment and TohoToho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
produced a Lupin III anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
film adaptation featuring Lupin wearing a red jacket outfit. Masaaki Ōsumi
Masaaki Osumi
is a Japanese director known for his work in television and movie animations.-Career:Ōsumi was born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and graduated from School of Media Science at the Tokyo University of Technology. He got his start in the entertainment industry as the leader of a puppet theater in Kobe...
directed the movie, which was made in two different versions: a CinemaScope
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
version intended for theatrical release and a 4:3 television version. The animation for the two versions was mainly the same, but the voice cast was different, with only Kiyoshi Kobayashi
Kiyoshi Kobayashi
is a Japanese actor, seiyū and narrator from Tokyo. He is currently attached to the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society...
and Eiko Masuyama
Eiko Masuyama
is a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production. She is most known for the roles of Fujiko Mine , Kisaragi Honey , and Bakabon's Mama .-Notable voice roles:...
, voicing Daisuke Jigen and Fujiko Mine respectively, in both versions. Kobayashi also voiced Jigen in every other incarnation of Lupin III, with the exception of Fuma Conspiracy
The Plot of the Fuma Clan
, released in North America as Rupan III: The Fuma Conspiracy, is Arsène Lupin III's first direct-to-video adventure, and the first Lupin adventure since the pilot to not feature Yasuo Yamada as Lupin. Instead, Lupin's voice is provided by Toshio Furukawa...
(see below). By the time the pilot was completed in 1969, because of budget concerns and other problems between Toho and TMS, the film was never released in theaters. Masaaki Ōsumi
Masaaki Osumi
is a Japanese director known for his work in television and movie animations.-Career:Ōsumi was born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and graduated from School of Media Science at the Tokyo University of Technology. He got his start in the entertainment industry as the leader of a puppet theater in Kobe...
then moved on to direct several episodes of the first Lupin III television series. The two versions of this pilot film were later released in 1989 as a part of the OVA
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
.
Television series
On October 24, 1971, YTVYomiuri Telecasting Corporation
is a TV station joining Nippon News Network and Nippon Television Network System in Osaka Business Park, Osaka, Japan founded as "" on February 13, 1958...
began airing the first Lupin III television series. The series, which featured Lupin wearing a green jacket, was broadcast for 23 episodes, with the last one airing on March 26, 1972. The first seven episodes of the series, along with episodes nine and twelve, were directed by Masaaki Ōsumi
Masaaki Osumi
is a Japanese director known for his work in television and movie animations.-Career:Ōsumi was born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and graduated from School of Media Science at the Tokyo University of Technology. He got his start in the entertainment industry as the leader of a puppet theater in Kobe...
, while the remaining episodes were directed jointly by Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
and Isao Takahata
Isao Takahata
is a Japanese anime filmmaker that have earned critical international acclaim for his work as a director. Takahata is co-founder of Studio Ghibli with long-time collaborative partner Hayao Miyazaki. He has directed films such as the war-themed Grave of the Fireflies, the romantic-drama Only...
. The music was composed by Takeo Yamashita with many songs performed by Charlie Kosei
Charlie Kosei
is a jazz musician and performer of Han Chinese, Japanese and Caucasian-American descent in Japan, most known for his contributions to the soundtracks of the Lupin III anime series. He was born as Cheui Gwongsing...
. On July 12, 2011, Discotek announced they licensed the first series for a North American DVD release in spring 2012.
The second Lupin III television series began airing on NTV
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
on October 3, 1977. This series, in which Lupin wears a red jacket, was broadcast for 155 episodes, with the last one airing on October 6, 1980. Episodes 145 and 155 were directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
under the pseudonym Teruki Tsutomu, and they marked his final involvement with the Lupin franchise.
The music for the series was composed by Yuji Ohno
Yuji Ohno
is a Japanese jazz musician. Ohno is principally known for his musical scoring of Japanese anime television series, of which Lupin III, specifically the 1977 series Shin Rupan Sansei and the feature film The Castle of Cagliostro are his most well known works...
. On September 3, 1979, Episode 99 was the first ever anime television episode to be broadcast in stereo. Geneon Entertainment, which was at the time was called Pioneer Entertainment, began distributing the second television series in the United States in 2003. Streamline released episodes 145 and 155 of the second television series to VHS as "Lupin III's Greatest Capers". Geneon hired Phuuz Entertainment Inc. to adapt and translate the series. The first 79 episodes were released on 15 DVDs under the title Lupin III Part II, and the first 26 episodes aired numerous times on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
. In 2009, the Southern California based "United Television Broadcasting" network began airing subtitled episodes from all three series. It appears to be the only American broadcast of the first and third show in America.
The third Lupin III television series, called Lupin III Part III, began airing on YTV on March 3, 1984. This series, in which Lupin wore a pink jacket, was broadcast for 50 episodes and ended on December 24, 1985.
In 1982, an animated television series called Lupin VIII was planned as a French-Japanese co-production, featuring the descendants of Lupin, Goemon, Jigen, and Zenigata, but was never completed. Two scripts were written, and one episode, entitled "The Man From the Past", was fully animated with a music and sound effects track, but the voice-overs were never recorded.
Films
Because the pilot anime film was never released in theaters, the first Lupin III theatrical feature was a live-action movie produced in 1974 during the hiatus between the first and second television series. Strange Psychokinetic Strategy included all of the main cast members with the exception of Goemon Ishikawa XIII. Lupin wore neither red nor green jacket in the movie, but rather a white jacket with an ascot. In contrast to the dark theme of the first television series, the live-action feature was very heavy on slapstickSlapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
humor and physics-defying stunts. A DVD was released in North America in 2006 by Disckotek.
During the broadcast run of the second television series, an anime feature film was also produced titled simply Lupin III, which was released in Japanese theaters on December 16, 1978. The movie received four different English language dubs
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
. The first dub, created in 1978, was shown on transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. A transatlantic flight may proceed east-to-west, originating in Europe or Africa and terminating in North America or South America, or it may go in the reverse direction, west-to-east...
s, while the other three dubs were created for various home releases. When released on DVD by Geneon in North America on July 29, 2003, this movie was given the title The Secret of Mamo
Mystery of Mamo
The Secret of Mamo, or The Mystery of Mamo, is the most common English name for the 1978 first animated feature film based on the Lupin III character created by Monkey Punch, originally released in Japan as simply and now known there as in order to differentiate it from the four others that...
. Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
released the movie in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2008.
Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
directed the next anime feature film, The Castle of Cagliostro
The Castle of Cagliostro
is a 1979 Japanese animated film co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It is one of the films featuring master thief Arsène Lupin III.The second animated Lupin III movie and arguably the best known, Castle of Cagliostro was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who also co-directed the first...
, which was released in Japanese theaters on December 15, 1979. This movie was loosely based on the Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Leblanc
Maurice Marie Émile Leblanc was a French novelist and writer of short stories, known primarily as the creator of the fictional gentleman thief and detective Arsène Lupin, often described as a French counterpart to Arthur Conan Doyle's creation Sherlock Holmes.- Biography :Leblanc was born in...
novel La Comtesse de Cagliostro (The Countess of Cagliostro). The third anime feature film, Legend of the Gold of Babylon, was released in Japanese theaters in 1985. The North American license for this movie is owned by Discotek media. Ten years later, To Hell with Nostradamus
Farewell to Nostradamus
, sometimes also referred to as To Hell With Nostradamus, was a 1995 movie. It is the fourth feature film in the Lupin III franchise. The North American release was done by FUNimation; it was released individually and later made a part of the "Final Haul" box set.-Plot:A simple diamond heist leads...
was released in Japanese theaters in April 1995.
The fifth anime feature film, Dead or Alive, was directed by the creator of the series, Monkey Punch, and released in Japanese theaters on April 20, 1996. Although he was credited as chief director for the production, Monkey Punch said that he left most of the work to his assistant directors and only directed the opening and ending sequences while acting as consultant for everything else. Following the production of the movie, Monkey Punch stated that the process was so exhausting he would not like to direct another anime again.
WhiteLight Entertainment, a production company owned by Gerald R. Molen
Gerald R. Molen
Gerald Robert Molen is a high profile American film producer. He works very closely with Steven Spielberg, having produced five of his films, and won an Academy Award for co-producing Schindler's List...
, purchased the live-action theatrical rights to Lupin III in 2003.
Original animation videos
The first Lupin III original video animationOriginal video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
(OVA) was The Plot of the Fuma Clan
The Plot of the Fuma Clan
, released in North America as Rupan III: The Fuma Conspiracy, is Arsène Lupin III's first direct-to-video adventure, and the first Lupin adventure since the pilot to not feature Yasuo Yamada as Lupin. Instead, Lupin's voice is provided by Toshio Furukawa...
, released in Japan 1987. Because of budget problems, TMS decided not to employ the regular voice cast from the television series and theatrical movies; instead, they hired a different cast to save money. Yasuo Yamada
Yasuo Yamada
was a Japanese voice actor born in Tokyo, Japan.Yamada left the faculty of literature of Waseda University, and had performed in many stage, radio, and television productions. His most famous role was Arsène Lupin III from the Lupin III series, starting in 1971 and ending in 1995...
, the voice actor for Lupin, had always taken pride in his role as the title character and after the voice cast replacement, he mistakenly thought that Monkey Punch
Monkey Punch
Monkey Punch is the pen name of Japanese manga artist Kazuhiko Katō , creator of the successful Japanese manga series Lupin III...
had lobbied the producers for a new voice actor. After the release, Monkey Punch tried to reassure Yamada that he had nothing to do with the producers' decision to use a new cast, and the regulars were reinstated for the first television special, Bye Bye Liberty Crisis. Despite this, relations between Yamada and Monkey Punch were permanently strained by the affair. AnimEigo
AnimEigo
AnimEigo is an American entertainment company that licenses and distributes anime, samurai films and Japanese cinema. The company was founded in 1988 in Ithaca, New York by Robert Woodhead and Roe R. Adams, III. It is now based in Wilmington, North Carolina, and run by Natsumi Ueki, Robert's wife...
owned the North American distribution rights to the OVA until 2006, when it was taken over by Discotek.
A second OVA, Return of the Magician
Return of the Magician
Lupin III: Return of the Magician, known in Japan as , is an OVA based on the Lupin III animated series. Return of the Magician features the return of an old villain in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the anime.-Plot:When Lupin attempts to steal a gem, he interrupted by Pycal, a...
, was released on April 3, 2002. The OVA was created as a part of the 30-year anniversary of the first television series, and thus it featured the return of one of the original villains of the series, the magician Pycal (hence the title).
A third OVA, Lupin III: Green vs Red
Green Vs. Red
, is an OVA from the popular Lupin III media franchise, created by Monkey Punch. It was released on April 2, 2008 as part of the 40th anniversary of Lupin.-Plot:The summary is a linear version of the events of the animation...
, was released on April 2, 2008 as part of the 40th anniversary of the manga.
Television specials
On April 4, 1989, the first anime television special, Bye Bye Liberty Crisis, aired on NTVNippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
, starting a yearly tradition of Lupin III television specials. The next television special was Mystery of the Hemingway Papers, broadcast July 20, 1990. Steal Napoleon's Dictionary! was broadcast on August 9, 1991. From Russia With Love was broadcast on July 24, 1992. Voyage to Danger was broadcast on July 23, 1993. Dragon of Doom was broadcast on July 29, 1994. The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure was broadcast on August 4, 1995. The Secret of Twilight Gemini was broadcast on August 2, 1996. Island of Assassins was broadcast on August 1, 1997. Crisis in Tokyo was broadcast on July 24, 1998. The Columbus Files was broadcast on July 30, 1999. Missed by a Dollar was broadcast on July 28, 2000. Alcatraz Connection was broadcast on August 3, 2001. Episode 0: First Contact was broadcast on July 26, 2002. Operation: Return the Treasure was broadcast on August 1, 2003. Stolen Lupin was broadcast on July 30, 2004. Angel Tactics was broadcast on July 22, 2005. Seven Days Rhapsody was broadcast on September 8, 2006. Elusiveness of the Fog was broadcast on July 27, 2007 as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the original manga, featuring the return of a villain from the original television series, Kyousuke Mamo. It was followed by Sweet Lost Night: Magic Lamp's Nightmare Premonition, broadcast on July 25, 2008. A crossover special titled Lupin III vs Detective Conan
Lupin III vs Detective Conan
is a crossover work of Lupin III and Detective Conan . It was broadcast on March 27, 2009.-Plot:Queen Sakura, sovereign of the European kingdom of Vespania, is killed while out hunting...
, featuring both Lupin and Conan Edogawa
Jimmy Kudo
Jimmy Kudo, also known as in Japan, is the protagonist of Gosho Aoyama's series Case Closed, which is known in Japan as . A High-school Detective, he is forced to in ingest the lethal poison APTX 4869 after his encounter with Gin and Vodka. Due to a rare side effect, the poison shrinks him into a...
from the series Detective Conan
Case Closed
Case Closed, known as in Japan, is a Japanese detective manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. The series is serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday since February 2, 1994, and has been collected in 73 tankōbon volumes as of September 2011...
, aired on NTV
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
on March 27, 2009, attracting a record audience share of 19.5. On February 12, 2010, the 20th television special "Lupin III: The Last Job" aired in Japan.
In 2002, Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
purchased the rights to eight of the anime television specials.
Video games
Several Lupin III video games have been created. The first was released to arcadesArcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
in Japan by Taito in 1980 as Lupin III. A Laserdisc video game
Laserdisc video game
A laserdisc video game is an arcade game that uses pre-recorded video played from a laserdisc, either as the entirety of the graphics, or as part of the graphics.-History:...
entitled Cliff Hanger was released to arcades in North America in 1983 by Stern. This game used footage from Secret of Mamo
Mystery of Mamo
The Secret of Mamo, or The Mystery of Mamo, is the most common English name for the 1978 first animated feature film based on the Lupin III character created by Monkey Punch, originally released in Japan as simply and now known there as in order to differentiate it from the four others that...
and The Castle of Cagliostro
The Castle of Cagliostro
is a 1979 Japanese animated film co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It is one of the films featuring master thief Arsène Lupin III.The second animated Lupin III movie and arguably the best known, Castle of Cagliostro was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who also co-directed the first...
to provide a gaming experience similar to Dragon's Lair
Dragon's Lair
Dragon's Lair is a laserdisc video game published by Cinematronics in 1983. It featured animation created by ex-Disney animator Don Bluth....
. Epoch Co.
Epoch Co.
Epoch Co., Ltd. is a Japanese toy and computer games company founded in 1958 which is best known for manufacturing Barcode Battler and Doraemon video games...
released a second game called Lupin III for the Epoch Cassette Vision
Epoch Cassette Vision
The was a video game console made by Epoch and released in Japan on July 30, 1981.Despite the name, the console used cartridges, not cassettes, and it has the distinction of being the first successful programmable console video game system to be made in Japan. The system retailed for 13,500 yen,...
in Japan in 1984. Also in 1984, Lupin III: Legacy of Pandora was released for the Nintendo Famicom
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
. This game featured Clarisse from Castle of Cagliostro. Two games were released for the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
platform, both based on anime movies: Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro in 1987, and Lupin III: Legend of the Gold of Babylon in 1988. Lupin the 3rd: Hunt for the Treasure of Legend! was released for the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
on December 27, 1994. Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
released two games developed by WOW Entertainment for the Sega Naomi arcade system: Lupin III The Shooting, a light gun
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
game, in 2001, and Lupin III The Typing, a typing game, in 2002. Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
released Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King
Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King
-Trivia:The Sorcerer King, Randolph II, is most certainly inspired by real-life Rudolph II. This is also in keeping with Goldengasse being Prague in disguise, as the latter actually is nicknamed "The Golden City"...
in Japan for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
on November 8, 2002. This stealth game, similar to Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
is a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
, was later released in the United States in February 2004. Lupin Is Dead, Zenigata Is in Love, a stealth game developed by Banpresto
Banpresto
is a Japanese toy company, best known in America for game development, headquartered in the Shinagawa Seaside West Building in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It was founded April 1977 as Hoei Sangyo, Co. Ltd. The company was renamed Coreland in 1982, and during the 1980s it worked mainly as a subcontractor for...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, was released in Japan on February 22, 2007.
In 2010, Lupin Sansei: Shijou Saidai no Zunousen
Lupin Sansei: Shijou Saidai no Zunousen
is a Japan-exclusive 2D stealth/action video game based on the popular Monkey Punch characters. It was developed by Nex Entertainment and published by Namco Bandai Games, which was released in 2010.-Music:...
was released for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
.
Soundtracks
Columbia Music EntertainmentColumbia Music Entertainment
is a Japanese record label founded in 1910 as . It affiliated itself with the Columbia Graphophone Company of the United Kingdom and adopted the standard UK Columbia trademarks in 1931. The company changed its name to Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. in 1946. It used the Nippon Columbia name until...
and VAP have both released numerous Lupin III music CDs in Japan. These include over 48 soundtrack albums by Takeo Yamashita and Yuji Ohno
Yuji Ohno
is a Japanese jazz musician. Ohno is principally known for his musical scoring of Japanese anime television series, of which Lupin III, specifically the 1977 series Shin Rupan Sansei and the feature film The Castle of Cagliostro are his most well known works...
for the TV series, movies, and specials, as well as 15 collections of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
arrangements by the Yuji Ohno trio, the Lupintic Five, and the Lupintic Sixteen.
Geneon Entertainment has released two of the music CDs in the United States. Lupin the 3rd: Sideburn Club Mix is a collection of thirteen remixed themes from the first television series, which was released in conjunction with the first DVD volume on January 28, 2003. Lupin the 3rd Original Soundtrack, released on April 8, 2003, is a collection of fifteen themes from the second television series performed by Yuji Ohno with his jazz group You & the Explosion Band.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the series, a live concert was held on September 8, 2007 performed by Yuji Ohno and the Lupintic Sixteen; a concert DVD was released in Japan on December 21, 2007. Play the Lupin clips x parts, a compilation of Lupin animation clips set to music from the series, as well as the opening and ending credits from a number of Lupin III productions, was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
in Japan on May 22, 2009.
Reception
When creating the series, Monkey Punch did not seek permission to use the intellectual property of Maurice Leblanc's estate, and at that time Japan did not enforce trade copyrights. This led to copyright issues once Lupin's popularity spread to North America and Europe; however, the name was still permitted in Japan. Several foreign releases of Lupin III media were forced to drop the Lupin name, and Lupin himself was renamed "Rupan" or "Wolf", or in the French version "Edgar de la Cambriole" (Edgar of Burglary). Leblanc's copyright has now expired, allowing the use of the Lupin name outside Japan.The Lupin III franchise still remains popular in Japan; the manga was listed in 38th place on Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs
Agency for Cultural Affairs
The is a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education . It was set up in 1968 to promote Japanese arts and culture. As of April 2007, it is led by the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Tamotsu Aoki....
's list of the top 50 manga series. The Castle of Cagliostro was in 5th place on the Agency's list of best anime, while the original television series was in 50th place on the same list. The original television series also placed 38th on TV Asahi
TV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
's list of Japan's 100 favorite animated television series. The director of Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop
is a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
, Shinichirō Watanabe
Shinichiro Watanabe
is a Japanese anime filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. He is known for directing the popular anime series Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.Watanabe is known for blending together multiple genres in his anime creations...
, revealed during an interview with Newtype
Newtype (magazine)
is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime and manga . It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985 with its April issue, and has since seen regular release on the 10th of every month in its home country...
Japan that he was heavily influenced by the work of director Masaaki Ōsumi
Masaaki Osumi
is a Japanese director known for his work in television and movie animations.-Career:Ōsumi was born in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and graduated from School of Media Science at the Tokyo University of Technology. He got his start in the entertainment industry as the leader of a puppet theater in Kobe...
on the first television series. Many of the first volumes of the English edition of the Lupin III manga released by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
made it onto ICv2's list of top 50 graphic novels, as well as later volumes from the series.
In Manga: The Complete Guide
Manga: The Complete Guide
Manga: The Complete Guide is a 2007 encyclopedia written by Jason Thompson and published by Del Rey which provides basic details and short reviews of over 1000 Japanese manga titles that have been translated and released in English in North America...
, Jason Thompson referred to the original manga as "a crazy, groovy 1960's world of dynamite and backstabbing, hippies and gangsters", and considered it "a fascinating homage to Mad Magazine
Mad (magazine)
Mad is an American humor magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Launched as a comic book before it became a magazine, it was widely imitated and influential, impacting not only satirical media but the entire cultural landscape of the 20th century.The last...
and a four star example of comics as pure comedy." He rated the series four out of four stars. Allen Divers of Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
praised the strong writing and action; however, he felt that the art was too primitive.
Both Chris Beveridge of AnimeOnDVD.com and Mike Crandol of Anime News Network disliked the dub of the second television series because Pioneer Entertainment used many modern references and updated dialogue for a series that was released in the late 1970s, although the series itself received a positive overall review from both reviewers. John Wallis of DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
compared the series to Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop
is a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
, while Rob Lineberger of DVD Verdict wrote, "Lupin the Third is James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
meets Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
with Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
sensibilities."
The Lupin III television specials and theatrical features released by Funimation
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
have received reviews varying from positive to mixed. The most well-received is Island of Assassins, with Chris Beveridge of AnimeOnDVD.com describing it as "the best non-TV Lupin experience ... since the Castle of Cagliostro", and Todd Douglass Jr. of DVD Talk giving it a rating of four and a half out of five stars. The least well-received of Funimation's releases is the first, Secret of the Twilight Gemini, which received mixed reviews due to its extensive nudity and its b movie
B movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
-style plot.
Both of Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
's releases of The Castle of Cagliostro
The Castle of Cagliostro
is a 1979 Japanese animated film co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It is one of the films featuring master thief Arsène Lupin III.The second animated Lupin III movie and arguably the best known, Castle of Cagliostro was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who also co-directed the first...
received DVD Talk Collector Series recommendation status, the highest status given by the review website DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
. Chris Beveridge of AnimeOnDVD.com gave the film a grade of "A+", although he disliked Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
's use of PG-13 level language in the English dub. While the film was not initially a box-office success, it gained popularity through numerous re-releases and was even voted as "the best anime in history" by the readers of Animage
Animage
is a Japanese anime and entertainment magazine which Tokuma Shoten began publishing in July 1978. Hayao Miyazaki's internationally renowned manga, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, was serialized in Animage from 1982 through 1994...
. The film was the best-selling anime DVD in May 2001, and the third best selling in June. Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
has called the film "One of the Greatest Adventure Movies of All Time". Alex Navarro of CNET Networks praised Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King
Lupin the 3rd: Treasure of the Sorcerer King
-Trivia:The Sorcerer King, Randolph II, is most certainly inspired by real-life Rudolph II. This is also in keeping with Goldengasse being Prague in disguise, as the latter actually is nicknamed "The Golden City"...
for its voice acting, soundtrack, and level of faithfulness to the source material, but criticized for its poor graphics and weak enemy AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
.
External links
- Official Studio Ghibli Museum's Lupin Site
- Lupin the Third Network requires Adobe FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
plugin - TMS's Official Lupin the Third Site
- VAP's Official Lupin the Third Site
- Lupin III – FUNimation
- Geneon Lupin III Website (Archive)