50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: The Manga

In August 1967, when Weekly Manga Action first published the adventures of Lupin III, Monkey Punch hoped for modest success for what was supposed to be a three-month series. Drawing on 15 mysteries from Maurice Leblanc for inspiration, the artist Monkey Punch combined the stylings of MAD Magazine, Playboy, and Chuck Jones's Tom & Jerry animation shorts to create the adventures of his master thief. He did not suspect that he created a character who would become a pop culture icon, influencing not only Japanese culture, but Hollywood, video games, and American comics as well.

Monkey Punch's mix of racy encounters and cleverly plotted stories quickly found an audience. And while Lupin III claimed ancestry from Leblanc's Arsène Lupin, his personality is closer to Fantômas mixed with that of a trickster. Each week, Monkey Punch would draw a new tale of weird menace, with Lupin serving both as the detective and as the menace for any and all who crossed him. And after the first series ended in 1969, Monkey Punch would revisit the adventures of Lupin and his gang ten more times, often teaming with other illustrators, with the last series ending in 2014.

Despite the popularity of the manga comics in Japan, only two series have been released in America, the original Lupin III and Lupin III: World's Most Wanted (Shin Lupin III). Both are out of print, and while certain manga, such as Magic Knight Rayearth, Sailor Moon, and Love Hina, have managed to find new companies to rerelease their series, it is uncertain whether the Lupin III manga will ever see rerelease in English. Fansubbers have yet to discover this series, as moe cuteness is in fashion over worldly glamour, so if you find a volume in a used bookstore, don't pass on it. Just be careful; even though the animated adventures of Lupin III veer towards family-friendly entertainment at times, the manga is decidedly for adults.

Let's take a closer look at the collection that started it all, comprising the first nine chapters of the Lupin III manga.

50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: The Mystery of Mamo

Months after a Lupin doppelganger is sentenced to death and hanged, Lupin III returns to the limelight, stealing a number of legendary artifacts tied to longevity on the request of Fujiko. Meanwhile, her mysterious benefactor tries to woo Fujiko, promising immortality to his personal Helen of Troy. But when Lupin double-crosses Fujiko to learn the identity of her benefactor, he finds himself in the middle of web of deceit drawing in a reclusive billionaire, clones of history's greatest men, and the might of the United States' military, all around one name: Mamo.

Originally titled "Lupin vs. the Clones," 1978's The Mystery of Mamo is the first Lupin III movie. Hampered by the restrictions of network censors, the Lupin franchise sought to use the creative freedom of the silver screen to create a faithful adaptation of Monkey Punch's manga in tone, humor, and artistic style. While future animators would draw inspiration from The Mystery of Mamo, as 2001's James Bond meets the X-men action caper Read or Die would retread its plot, it would be overshadowed by 1979's The Castle of Cagliostro.

What a difference a year makes.

50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: The Castle of Cagliostro

Heroism goes along with my job.--Lupin III

After stealing bags of cash from a Monaco casino, Lupin and Jigen dump out their entire haul, recognizing the money as legendary Gothic counterfeits. Resolving to find the plates for their next caper, the thieves slip into the small Italian principality of Cagliostro. Their search is interrupted when a car full of mafioso chase down a runaway bride, Princess Clarisse of Cagliostro. Both the counterfeits and the intrigue around Clarisse's wedding can be traced to the Count of Cagliostro. To save the girl--and the loot--Lupin forms an alliance with his greatest rival, Inspector Zenigata of the ICPO.

Rereleased in theaters as part of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Lupin III franchise, 1979's Castle of Cagliostro is the central Lupin III adventure, setting the tone and standard for the franchise for the nearly 40 years since its release. And as the Lupin franchise has grown more self-referential, adventures such as 2008's Green vs. Red and 2015's Blue Jacket television series have leaned heavily on Castle of Cagliostro for their soundtrack, design, settings, and even plot. Yet Castle of Caglisotro might be best known for its screenwriter and director, the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, creator of Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Even then, it is considered an afterthought to the brilliant animator's oeuvre, because it is an adaptation instead of an original work. (For an example from the CH Blog, see Anthony's otherwise glowing review of Castle of Cagliostro.) Such reviews, usually by critics unfamiliar with Lupin, miss a chance to fully appreciate the genius of Miyazaki. For before his involvement in 1971, the Lupin franchise was sinking under the weight of irredeemable and brutal characters. Afterwards, he handed over a winning formula and an appreciative audience that has been copied by animators all over the world.

50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: The Fuma Conspiracy

Well, if it ain't the smell of villain.--Lupin III

In 1987's direct-to-video movie The Fuma Conspiracy, the utterly unthinkable has happened: Goemon Ishikawa, famed ronin of the underworld, is getting married. The Lupin gang reunites to attend his wedding to Murasaki Suminawa, the daughter of his martial arts instructor. The wedding ceremony is interrupted by ninjas of the Fuma clan who try to steal a Suminawa heirloom vase but make off with the bride instead. Over the objections of his in-laws, and trusting in Lupin's skills as a thief to retrieve it, Goemon trades the vase to the Fuma clan for Murasaki, unaware that the vase is a map to the hidden treasure of the Suminawa clan. Now the bride and groom must race to the family treasure to keep it from the Fuma clan's clutches, aided by the master treasure hunter Lupin III.

If Dead or Alive was the Lupin III franchise's take on a James Bond movie, The Fuma Conspiracy is its Indiana Jones, paying lip-service to thievery while sending Goemon, Lupin, and company through an underground maze of lethal traps to keep a legendary treasure out of the hands of a historical group of villains. For just like the Nazis, the Fuma clan of ninjas actually existed, and were feared for their strength, their murderous methods, and their utter lack of honor in battle. And, just like Raiders of the Lost Ark, an anti-hero must take on the mantle of a true hero to defeat them. On the Miyazaki to Monkey Punch scale of heroism to villainy, The Fuma Conspiracy is the most Miyazaki-like of any Lupin film to follow his Castle of Cagliostro.

50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: Dead or Alive

"Believe me, the painting doesn't do him justice. He's worse than me."--Lupin, describing General Headhunter.

To keep his nation's treasury out of the hands of thieves, the king of Zufu moved his nation's gold reserves to a safe house on Drifting Island. After a coup topples the heads of the king and his son, Prince Pannish, Zufu and the Drifting Island fall into the hands of General Headhunter. The general has spent lucre and lives trying to break into Drifting Island's vaults, only to be frustrated at every turn. Now Lupin and his gang have turned their talents to the task. Getting to Drifting Island is simple enough, even while dodging General Headhunter's agents, Inspector Zenigata, and double agents, such as the prince's lover, Oleander. But as Drifting Island's mechanical defenses continue to stymie Lupin and his gang, the nation rises in revolution. For Prince Pannish has returned to take his country back from General Headhunter.

The fifth Lupin III theatrical movie, 1996's Dead or Alive had been plagued with issues throughout its production. With no one else willing to helm the project through the short production schedule, Lupin III manga artist Monkey Punch stepped up to lead. Quickly overwhelmed, he relied heavily on his staff, generally staying out of their way while the deadline approached. What should have been a disaster instead turned into a solid action film, although one with the slower pacing of manga instead of the relative frenzy of Hollywood. Dead or Alive steers the series back towards its darker roots without abandoning the formula that established the franchise. With the theatrical animation quality and the shift in tone, Dead or Alive stands out from the the TV specials that propelled the franchise through the 1990s.

50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: Green vs. Red

One of the stranger entries in the franchise, Lupin III's 40th anniversary special, the 2008 Green vs. Red, took a risk by not featuring its namesake character at all. Instead, it pitted two of the most iconic versions of Lupin against each other in a fight for the Lupin name, the Green Jacket against the Red, each worn by an impostor to the name. Through non-sequential story-telling, the audience learns about the man who would wear the Green and why he would become the world's greatest thief.

Yasuo, a down on his luck ramen cook, comes across a green jacket and a Walther P38 by accident. Mistaken by the police for Lupin III, Yasuo decides to become yet another of a long line of impersonators trying to take the place of the missing master thief. As he studies the skills of the master, Yasuo starts picking pockets, first to buy presents for his reporter girlfriend Yukiko, and then to help pay for her family's medical bills. As his dissatisfaction with his life grows, Yasuo retreats into the persona of the Green Jacket Lupin until he decides to prove himself as the real Lupin. When another impersonator gets arrested for mere shoplifting, a legion of Lupin look-alikes descend upon the town, each wanting to prove themselves the real deal. But Yasuo proves himself better than the rest, and to crown himself as Lupin, he sets his eyes on the Ice Cube diamond, setting out on a heist with Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko. He is stopped, however by a Lupin in a Red Jacket. Claiming  to be an impostor as well, he challenges Yasuo to a duel for the Lupin name. As Green and Red square off, other impostors swarm, Zenigata chases, and Yukiko learns the truth behind Yasuo's new hobby. And when things can't get any worse, the Red Jacket Lupin might be the real one...

This 40th anniversary special is not really a Lupin heist. Rather, it combines the story of a discontent salaryman with the escapist fan fantasy of becoming one's hero. As such it is aimed at middle-aged men, both the office drones tired of slaving away in a cubicle and the arrested-development cases who give the medium the same stigma that computer games once had in Japan. But where fannish hero fantasies inevitably plunge towards cipher main characters and middle school hijinks, Yasuo's concerned with keeping his relationship with Yukiko and working his job. The out-of-sequence storytelling and the ambiguous ending are also aimed at a more mature audience than the standard anime fan of its time. But it is Yasuo's thirst for something more adventurous than the every day which resonates with both. As such, there's more heart here than in most Lupin movies. Yasuo is a lovable Average Joe doing the best he can, until he finds what he's truly good at. But his nightly sprees affect his relationship with Yukiko, even as his willingness to help with her family's medical issues further compels him to the next heist. But as the cares build on Yasuo's shoulders, the temptation to escape responsibility be becoming Lupin grows. Like many recent remakes, this makes an engaging story--or it would if it bore any other title without the expectations brought by the name of Lupin III.

It's no surprise that the most self-referential and fan-fantasy oriented Lupin would come in the middle of the otaku¹ years of anime. In addition to the at least five different Lupin character models seen in the million Lupin march of the credits², the theme to Castle of Cagliostro opens the show, a treasure from the $1 Money Wars TV special appears again, and a fleet of yellow Fiats fills the screen like police cars in a Blues Brothers movie. Keep an eye out for the Lupin-in-an-afro Nabeshin, the anime avatar of former Lupin director WATANABE Shinichi³, a common cameo in anime during the late 00s boom. But perhaps the most telling and subtle nod to both the fans and Lupin history can be found in the names of the main couple, Yasuo and Yukiko, who take their names from the first voice actors for Lupin and Fujiko, Yasuo Yamada and Yukiko Nikaido. And that's just scratching the surface. It's fanservice galore, although of a different type than the nudity that has become synonymous with that term.

Yet that fanservice caters mostly to the hard-core fans, and is a warning sign to the health of the franchise. With such reliance on past glories and a small but fanatic fanbase other shows have allowed writing and animation quality to slip as they chase the short-term windfall from eager spenders. And, as in any group where the extreme drive out the causal, the audience shrinks and the show spirals towards cancellation ⁴. From 2002-2012, the franchise turned to celebrating three anniversaries and the departure of a beloved voice cast, so a host of familiar villains from previous adventures came back. And the ratings of the annual Lupin III TV special slid year to year, until 2013 saw the last. While the Lupin franchise has reinvented itself, between The Woman Called Fujiko Mine and the Italian adventures, this self-referential fanservice still lingers, with the shadow cast by Castle of Cagliostro as the longest over the franchise.

Red Jacket Lupin's ruthlessness coming to the fore in his duel with Yasuo heralds the return of Lupin's darker side. Prior to Castle of Cagliostro, Lupin was portrayed as almost a Bond villain, with henchmen everywhere, a cavalier attitude towards life, and a ruthless glee in plunder, rapine, and rape. Starting with Miyazaki's involvement from the first series and all but complete in Cagliostro, the sinister mastermind was pressed into the role of a buffoonish hero, the legacy of the animation master's different vision for the character. Even Dead or Alive, the single film directed by manga artist Monkey Punch, still clung to the post-Cagliostro depiction. But as the 2002-2012 anniversaries prompted a return to the roots, Lupin's backbone and cunning returned slowly, culminating in the display of outright mastery lauded in Daisuke Jigen's Gravestone. As a character, Lupin works best when the buffoonery is balanced over his intimidating menace, an act that few have mastered. Fortunately, the pendulum continues to swing towards displaying his competence.

Green vs. Red is both a departure from the classic Lupin adventure and a celebration of its history. Intended as an ode to the fans, Lupin's absence may put them off. Although square in the middle of the merchandise moving anime boom of the late 00s, this strange experiment does point towards the darker reimaginings of the future. As such, this one is best saved for fans alone, and after having watched a few of the more standard heists first. Long time fans should take a chance on this heart-felt story, but those taking a chance on Lupin for the first time should try Castle of Cagliostro, The Fuma Conspiracy, or Daisuke Jigen's Gravestone instead.

Footnotes

1. The otaku years are my name for the years between 2006-2011 where anime worried more about selling tons of merchandise to a small number of rabid fans instead of creating quality shows to a wide audience. At first there was a boom, then the bubble burst, and then the medium crashed.
2. These include the Green Jacket Lupin of the first TV series, the Red Jacket from the second, the Pink Jacket from the third, a formal-dress Lupin from the wedding in The Fuma Conspiracy OAV, and the Lupin from the Mystery of Mamo movie.
3. Forgive the divergence from the Anglicized name order I normally use (given name before family name), but the Japanese naming order (Family name before given) is necessary to see the origin of Nabeshin's nickname.
4. For an example in real-time, watch Marvel Comics' current plummet in sales.

50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: Daisuke Jigen's Gravestone

I owe you a bullet wound, and I'm going to make sure that debt gets paid. - Daisuke Jigen

Nine days after Queen Malta's assassination at a peace concert, a sniper ends Lupin III's latest jewel heist with a well-placed shot, sending a bullet into Daisuke Jigen's leg. The thieves crawl away to safety before the next shot could prove fatal. Acting on a hunch from a spent round, Jigen searches the nearest cemetery. A legendary gunman, Jael Okuzaki, is known to prepare a grave for each target he kills. And the newest grave is Jigen's. As the country around him prepares for war, Jigen fights his own personal battle, gunslinger against sniper. Okuzaki knows the city and has a preternatural ability to know exactly where Jigen is at any time. All Jigen has is the revolver at his side--and the help of the world's greatest thief, Lupin III.

A two part theatrical film released in 2014, Daisuke Jigen's Gravestone occupies a strange spot in the Lupin III catalog. It is a rare direct continuation of a previous work, the controversial TV series The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Intended as a daring reimagination of Lupin III, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine pushed the Lupin gang to the side, focusing on Fujiko's self-indulgent mysteries and centerfold preening for the camera. And, like many "daring reimaginations," the additions boiled down to the same three features: dark stories, boobs, and blood. Faced with complaints that Lupin was no longer in the spotlight, Daisuke Jigen's Gravestone returns the focus to Lupin III and his American gunslinger buddy, Daisuke Jigen. And as a character, Lupin returns in magnificent style.

50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: The Italian Adventures

Great artists and thieves are similar; they both know how to steal your soul.–Lupin III

In 2015, Japanese and Italian investors collaborated to present the fourth main TV series in the Lupin III franchise. Reflecting the Italian involvement, Lupin traded his world-spanning heists for an Italian base of operations, and the targets of his heists, whether the medical records of an Italian soccer player or the Mona Lisa, follow suit. But the smaller scope proves to be a challenge for the Lupin gang. Without the world to hide in, the world itself came looking for Lupin, including Zenigata’s ICPO, Britain’s MI6, a South African sniper, and an expy of Japan’s famed detective Kogoro Akechi. Now the master thief must remain one step ahead of the law as he steals his way through Italy’s vaults, chasing after Fujiko while keeping an eye on his wayward new wife. Featuring 26 episode and a 90 minute TV special, Lupin III part IV premiered first in Italy and then in Japan. Lupin’s Italian adventures have finally made their way to English-speaking audiences on Cartoon Network’s Toonami.

Technically the fifth Lupin TV series, Lupin III part IV, or Blue Jacket Lupin to the fans, follows 2012’s The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Fujiko Mine was an experimental alternate-history origin that focused on its namesake character. While a critical darling, audiences weren’t happy to see Lupin and his gang sidelined in the adventures. Part IV responded by returning the franchise to its roots, focusing on Lupin, his gang, and action comedy.

Before we got farther, there is a quick but necessary digression into how the TV series are named. Rather than use even more Roman numerals to tell the Lupin III TV series apart, fans often use the color of Lupin’s jacket as a name for the television series. In each show, he wears a unique color. In 1971’s Part I, Lupin wears a green jacket, in 1977, a red jacket, 1984, pink, and 2015’s Part IV, blue. This idea has even ascended into the franchise, as the 2008 OAV Green vs. Red has Lupin square off against a doppelganger, pitting the iconic portrayals of Green Jacket Lupin and Red Jacket Lupin against each other. (More on that in a later article.)

With the Cartoon Network run just begun, let’s start this retrospective of Lupin’s career with the first two episodes of his Italian adventures.

In the “Marriage of Lupin III”, the master thief has his eye set on a crown only worn by the wealthiest brides of San Marino on their wedding day. To draw out the crown from its vault, he courts Rebecca Rossellini, a chlorine blonde thrillseeker and Renaissance woman. In the franchise’s classic style, this odd couple’s wedding is crashed, by Zenigata this time, and in the resulting chaos, Lupin learns that he is not the only thief aiming for the crown. In classic anime style, this pilot episode tries to snare viewers with a sensational and well-animated story that does not quite match the rest of the series. After all, Lupin can only get married once.

Rebecca is a rarity among Lupin girls as her involvement with the master thief lasts for longer than one adventure. As such, she contrasts not with Fujiko, but with the string of good girls that follow in Lupin’s wake. A cute and more spirited version of glamour girl Fujiko, worldly Rebecca is portrayed as a moe manic dream pixie girl instead of the more common girl next door that is swept into Lupin’s adventures. As Mrs. Lupin (at least until Lupin can force her to sign the annulment papers), Rebecca will drift in and out of Lupin’s life through the entire series. Right now, it is uncertain if she will continue to play a part in the franchise beyond these Italian adventures.

“The Fake Fantasia” instead tells a classic story of Lupin at his Robin Hood best. As the gang hides once more in San Marino, they get a message from Fujiko, who has a job for the gang. Mauro Brozzi, a thuggish soccer star, has been blackmailed by some underworld thugs. If he does not sit out the championship game, his failed drug test records will be released to the press. Lupin agrees to help the soccer star–for a price. The master thief easily steals back Brozzi’s medical records, escapes in a classic car chase, and, in a twist reminiscent of the pulps, discovers the true reason for Brozzi’s drug failures. In classic Lupin form, the price for his assistance weighs lightly of Brozzi. No money, just score three goals in the final game. Brozzi wins the championship for his team–and Lupin cashes out on a bet more lucrative than any amount of money Brozzi could offer.

Just as planned.

Taken together, these episodes serve as an excellent introduction to the franchise, showcasing the mystery, action, and heart of the franchise. All the high spots are present, from car chases, to shoot outs, to Goemon’s impossibly sharp blade. The animation is fluid for TV anime, and in this age of impossible hair and middle school antics, the classic designs and mature adventures of the world’s greatest master thief are a delight. The shift from cel animation to computer animation has been kind to the old designs, which still bear Hayao Miyazki’s influence from the Red Jacket days. The final televised episode is even an homage to the classic Castle of Cagliostro. The backgrounds are lovely, and it would not surprise me to learn that, like in Aria, they are painstaking representations of actual Italian locales.

Try to find a version as close to the Italian/Japanese if you can. Not only did a Fujiko shower scene force Cartoon Network to sideline the original opening credits, the iconic Lupin III theme got cut as well. It’s a shame, as Lupin III opening sequences are master classes in how to convey the essence of a character to an audience in only a few seconds. As for Fujiko’s cut music video over the end credits, well, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya has a lot to answer for by starting the end credits dance craze, but Cartoon Network’s slapstick jazz replacement is as much of an acquired taste. Like in the adventures of James Bond, the music matters.

After the alternate history reimagining of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, Lupin’s Italian adventures swing the franchise back on track with a renewed focus on the Lupin gang and the capers that built the franchise. Even as it pays homage to the past, Blue Jacket Lupin takes care to experiment with the addition of Mrs. Rebecca Lupin and a series plot arc. This would be an excellent starting point for those who want to start following the adventures of Lupin and his gang, not only because of the content, but because episodes are currently being shown on Cartoon Network. And, as always for all things anime, Crunchyroll hosts an extensive selection of Lupin III TV episodes and movies available for streaming.

50 YEARS OF LUPIN III: An Introduction to the Cast

Counterclockwise from the top:
Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Daisuke Jigen, Lupin III,
Fujiko Mine, and Inspector Zenigata

Fifty years ago, manga artist Monkey Punch drew up the first issue of what was intended to be a short series to last a couple years. After reading fifteen of Maurice Leblanc’s Arsène Lupin stories, Monkey Punch decided to try his hand at his own gentleman thief, updated to the sensibilities of the 1960s, of course. Little did he know that his thief, Lupin III, would become legendary, the animation equivalent of the James Bond franchise that would influence the likes of Disney, PIXAR, DC, and even live-action moviemakers around the world. Whether known as Lupin III, Rupan, Edgar de la Cambriole, or simply The Wolf, the adventures of this gentlemanly scoundrel and his gang have entertained millions, continuing to this day.

Now fifty years worth of adventures makes getting started a daunting question. After all, fifty years of Star Trek has given birth to a tangled mess of a future history spread over countless TV series and movies. However, Lupin III is closer to James Bond in that each individual episode is a stand-alone. After evolving from his start as a Tom and Jerry meets MAD Magazine and Playboy comedic thief into the star of his first TV series, Lupin III–and his gang– have remained essentially unchanged over the years, with different directors emphasizing different aspects of the characters. The basic template, though, remains the same. While Lupin III and his gang are in a city on a heist of their own, they get swept up into the plans of another gang of crooks searching for another treasure. Foiling those crooks requires dodging the law, beating the crooks to the treasure, helping innocents harmed along the way, and utterly ruining the rival’s criminal empire.

Lupin III is (allegedly) the grandson of the famed gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. Sharing the same love of life, adventure, and filthy lucre as his ancestor, Lupin III travels the globe, stealing from the rich. His clownish exterior hides his impressive skills in disguise, observation, pickpocketing, scheming, and gadgetry. It also lets his indulge in occasional fits of lechery, usually aimed at Fujiko, but as a gentleman thief, he doesn’t indulge before the girl shows interest. His façade drops whenever things start to get serious. And if you ever see his trademark smirk, prepare to watch everything you ever worked for crumble around you in ruins.

His gang include Daisuke Jigen, a gruff gunslinger who acts as Lupin’s right hand man and occasional voice of reason, and Goemon Ishikawa XII, a ronin descendant of the legendary thief Goemon Ishikawa, whose samurai skills and honor are second to none. While Jigen is ever-present, usually acting as the gang’s getaway driver in the insane car chases that the series is known for, Goemon comes and goes as he pleases.

Occasional accomplice Fujiko Mine serves as helper or hindrance depending on her whims. An ascended extra, she’s not just drawn that way, she truly is a bad girl, with thievery skills almost to rival Lupin’s. Like many a contemporary heroine from her time, she uses sex appeal and femininity to go where Lupin cannot. Fujiko always plays hard to get, drawing out a mark’s interest for as long as she can manage before stealing and stealing away. Usually in town for a different heist than Lupin’s, Fujiko is inevitably drawn into Lupin’s adventures, usually over the formal protests of Jigen. A master schemer with a distressing habit of getting herself caught, it’s not always clear if her plans fell apart or depended on manipulating Lupin’s assistance. Lupin has a long time flirtation with her. Like many aspects of the series, Fujiko’s hair color, measurements, aversion to clothing, and manipulations tend to shift from director to director, with her portrayal occasionally crossing the line from risqué into pornographic. Interestingly enough, most of the young women serving as Lupin’s love interests tend to be modest and wholesome, unlike his favorite adventuress.

Rounding out the cast is Inspector Zenigata, an international policeman serving as foil and rival to Lupin. Like many in the cast, he is a descendant of a famous ancestor: Heiji Zenigata, the coin-throwing detective of the Edo period. Zenigata, or “Pops” to Lupin, is the only policeman who can manage to occasionally arrest the master thief. At his best, Zenigata is the only true equal to Lupin’s skills, but he does get Flanderized to foolishness often. He is well respected in law enforcement, as his arrest record is exemplary. After all, someone’s got to arrest the crooks Lupin destroys at the end of every adventure. To help facilitate this, a gentleman’s agreement exists between the cop and the crook. There will be no guns used in their eternal chase, just tricks against traps. The two men have even worked together to bring down greater threats. But beware, the quickest way for a criminal to summon Lupin’s wrath is to harm Pops.

Add a unique treasure, an exotic locale, and a rival gang to the mix, and, like the dime-novels that inspired Lupin III, the recipe for a new adventure is complete. If a viewer needs a reminder of who the characters are and what they do in the gang, the opening animations for many of the TV series and movies provide a quick introduction to each character and their role in the upcoming heist.

Over the next few weeks leading up to the 50th anniversary, I’ll take a look at some of the standouts of Lupin III’s long career, from his recent marriage to The Fuma Conpiracy and his very first adventure in the comics. I’ll even take a look at the oddity that is The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. But if you want to test the waters, Cartoon Network’s Toonami is currently showing the forth Lupin III TV series, and, as always, Crunchyroll hosts an extensive selection of Lupin III TV episodes and movies available for streaming.

Warning: Lupin The Third Will Steal Again...

Anthony's recent Castle of Cagliostro review at Castalia House sparked an idea. (By the way, I need to go back and explain why it is A Big Deal that Lupin III squared off with the Cagliostro family. His ancestor Arsene Lupin would be proud...) With the 50th anniversary of Lupin III coming up--and "Blue Jacket" Lupin hitting American TV--there's time to do a bit of an in-depth look at Japan's gentleman thief.

I'm thinking:

Lupin III TV series 4 (2015)
Daigen Jigen's Gravestone (2014)
Green vs. Red (2008)
Dead or Alive (1996)
Fuma Conspiracy (1987)
Lupin III TV series 2 (1977)
Lupin III manga (1967)

So, working backwards from the present day to the beginning of the MAD Magazine-inspired gentleman thief's adventure. I might substitute Castle of Cagliostro for the second TV series. Anthony's review was from the perspective of a Miyazaki fan and not really Lupin-centric.

While I have an eye for putting a fair bit of this on the Castalia House blog (my regular posting day falls right on Lupin III's 50th anniversary), the thief will appear here.as well. I've got far more Lupin III than appears on this list, and I also want to take a closer look at his grandpa, the French gentleman burglar Arsene Lupin. Without him, there would no Shadow, Batman, or Lupin II.

In the meantime, I hope you have a chance to catch Lupin III's return to American TV on Saturday on Cartoon Network