Lupin III (anime)
Encyclopedia
is the first anime
made after the manga series of the same name
, produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
. It was directed originally by Masaaki Ōsumi
and later by Hayao Miyazaki
and Isao Takahata
. A pilot film, also directed by Ōsumi, was made in 1969, but a full series was not made until 2 years later. Footage from the pilot film is used in the opening sequence for this series. Each Lupin series is easily identifiable by the color of Lupin's Jacket, In this series Arsène Lupin III
wears a green jacket.
The series, based on the Lupin III manga written by Monkey Punch
beginning in 1967, centers on the adventures of Arsène Lupin III
, the grandson of Arsène Lupin
, the gentleman thief
of Maurice Leblanc
's series of novels. He is joined by Daisuke Jigen
, Lupin's closest ally; Fujiko Mine
, the femme fatale
and Lupin's love interest who works against Lupin more often than with him; and Goemon Ishikawa XIII
, a master swordsman and the descendant of Ishikawa Goemon
, the legendary Japanese bandit. Lupin is often chased by Inspector Zenigata
of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the descendant of Zenigata Heiji
. A rather cynical detective, Zenigata has made it his life's mission to chase Lupin across the globe in hopes of arresting him.
The series opened with poor ratings and was cancelled after 23 episodes. However it did well in reruns. On July 12, 2011, Discotek announced they licensed the first series for a North American DVD release in spring 2012.
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....
made after the manga series of the same name
Lupin III
, 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...
, produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
. It was directed originally 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...
and later 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...
. A pilot film, also directed by Ōsumi, was made in 1969, but a full series was not made until 2 years later. Footage from the pilot film is used in the opening sequence for this series. Each Lupin series is easily identifiable by the color of Lupin's Jacket, In this series 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....
wears a green jacket.
The series, based on the Lupin III manga written by 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...
beginning in 1967, centers on the adventures of 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. He is joined by 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...
, Lupin's closest ally; 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"....
, the 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 who works against Lupin more often than with him; and 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 and the descendant of Ishikawa Goemon
Ishikawa Goemon
was a semi-legendary Japanese outlaw hero who stole gold and valuables and gave them to the poor. Goemon is notable for being boiled alive along with his son in public after a failed assassination attempt on the civil war-era warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A large iron kettle-shaped bathtub is now...
, the legendary Japanese bandit. Lupin is often chased by Inspector 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...
of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the descendant of Zenigata Heiji
Zenigata Heiji
is Japanese fictional character, the hero of a series of Japanese novels, films and TV programmes set in the Edo period of Japanese history. He is a policeman who catches criminals by throwing coins, the zeni of the title, thus Zenigata Heiji. The hero was created by novelist Kodō Nomura in 1937...
. A rather cynical detective, Zenigata has made it his life's mission to chase Lupin across the globe in hopes of arresting him.
The series opened with poor ratings and was cancelled after 23 episodes. However it did well in reruns. On July 12, 2011, Discotek announced they licensed the first series for a North American DVD release in spring 2012.
Episode list
| # | Title | Original air date |
|---|