Copyright: lupin iii

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Lupin III (JP: ルパン三世) is a Japanese media franchise that originated as a manga series by Kazuhiko Katō, under his penname Monkey Punch. It follows the escapades of Arséne Lupin III, the grandson of a gentleman thief who enacts various capers with his crew of other criminals, while under the pursuit of Inspector Zenigata.

The manga, which first appeared in Weekly Manga Action on August 10, 1967, spawned numerous other manga (both by Katō and other authors), two versions of an animated pilot film, seven animated television series, twelve theatrically-released animated films, three live-action films, six orginal video animations (OVAs), twenty-seven television specials, three original net animations (ONAs), two musicals, many music CDs, and several video games.

The inspiration of the series came from the novels of French writer Maurice LeBlanc, who created the Arséne Lupin. Though, unlike the LeBlanc's portrayal of his character, Lupin is often depicted in the Katō's manga as a highly agressive and lecherous criminal; the portrayal of which was softened when he got adapted to animated projects.

Characters:

• Lupin III (ルパン三世): A master thief with a charming personality. His portrayal shifts depending on his appearences, flutctuating to a goofball mastermind, a cold-hearted criminal, or somewhere in the middle.
• Daisuke Jigen (次元大介): An expert marksman who wields a magnum revolver, and Lupin's right-hand companion. He is often portrayed as straight-laced and grouchy, ocassionally veering into cynicism.
• Fujiko Mine (峰不 二子): Another expert thief who uses deception and her feminine charms to get what she wants. She often accompanies Lupin in his heists, though she also tends to double cross him whenever she gets the chance to steal important objects. She is also Lupin's target of love in some cases.
• Goemon Ishikawa XIII (十三代 目石川 五ェ門): A stoic samurai who uses the Zantetsuken, a katana that can cut virturally everything. He often helps Lupin and his gang in desperate situations, though his personality is bogged down by his traditional Japanese lifestyle.
• Koichi Zenigata (銭形 幸一) / Inspector Zenigata (銭形警部): A police inspector working for the ICPO, whose sole mission is put Lupin under arrest. Zenigata is both Lupin's foil and dedicated rival, who despite failing on capturing him numerous times, occasionally teams up with him whenever a greater force is involved.

Facts:

• The 1979 film Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro is the directoral debut of Hayao Miyazaki, who would later go one to co-found Studio Ghibli and become synonymous with later movies he directed.
• The franchise served as one of the visual inspirations of the Dreamworks film The Bad Guys. The film also has similarities to the Lupin series, including the main lead Mr. Wolf, who is a master thief who performs heists and wears a slick outfit like Lupin.

More information:

• Wikipedia page