#start from part 2 dub or from 'the castle of cagliostro' or 'lupin iii: the first' (that is the real name of the movie)

[arttsuka]

lupin looks like a menace /pos

That's because he is a menace

[painfully-unoriginal]

Hi my fellow 'the Bad Guys' fan!

I love your art so much, you are an incredibly talented person and your 'the Bad Guys' fanart always fills me with such joy I love it so much!

I wanted to ask what drawing app/program and brushes you use if that's okay? I've been making fanart of our favourite DreamWorks movie too and really wanted to make something a tad more refined.

Thank you for reading my ask, I hope to see more of your art soon!

P.S I might start watching Lupin iii, from what I've seen it looks pretty good. Tell me where to start though, please, there's so much to the series!

A 'Bad Guys' fan. ❤️

WAHH thank u so much! 💖 i use both paint tool sai and clip studio paint :^) (tho i use csp a bit more lately, but i think sai is a bit easier to find pirated versions of - csp was gifted to me)

As for where to start with lupin, I'm probably not the best person to ask 😭😭 i had a bit of an awkward start with it, but if ur looking to watch the series specifically, i started by watching the dub of part 2! If u want a good movie to start with, generally castle of cagliostro or fuma conspiracy are good places to start (fuma conspiracy is one of my personal favorites)!! The lupin series is extremely varied, so a lot of the fun comes once u start exploring it further and finding what u like! I hope u have a good time with it !!💖

[dying-suffering-french-stalkers]

WHERE DO I WATCH LUPIN III ? I'VE ONLY WATCHED CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO AND I WANT MORE OF THAT DISASTER OF A MAN. thanks.

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED, ANON

GO WILD

I recommend starting with the Parts 1 and 2 anime series, feel free to skip around bc there's no ongoing plot. Part 1 is the original anime adaptation, has some really neat older-style animation and solid character design, and was worked on by multiple Big-Name Anime People (Yasuo Otsuka, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, etc.). Goemon is introduced in Episode 5 and it kind of picks up from there. Part 2 is Scooby-Doo for morally dubious adults, just an absolutely buckwild time, and if you're an English speaker I HIGHLY recommend checking out the English dub. If you've seen those funny clip compilations going around, this is what they're from. I love these idiots so much.

I can also recommend the following movies/specials/OVAs (sorry I don't remember which ones are which but they're in there): The First, The Fuma Conspiracy, Blood Seal of the Eternal Mermaid (I know it's a bonkers title but trust me it's good), and Tokyo Crisis (highly recommend the dub for that one as well). You should also probably check out The Mystery of Mamo at some point; it was the first animated Lupin film and the visuals are AMAZING, it's just paired with one of the most insane and kind of uncomfortable plots I've ever seen, so YMMV. It's not my favorite but it is iconic.

There's plenty more where that came from, but those are my starting point recommendations!! If you like any of those things, feel free to come yelling into my DMs/inbox about them.

[ashenpages]

Ash's Lupin III Watch Guide

Alright, I made this because I have finally been asked to.

I've pulled a lot of people into Lupin by accident, so I'm going to go over how I recommend to watch the franchise.

First, start with a special.

The Castle of Cagliostro is a lot of people's first Lupin III movie because Miyazaki worked on it. It's a good one, and it's got some great content, but it does rather leave Goemon out until the third act. That's fine for a first taste of the franchise, but just something to consider.

Lupin III: The First is also a great gateway because it does such a good job of being true to the 2D style of the original series and conveying the heart of the storytelling.

From there, go in reverse order with the show. Start with Part 5. If you love that, go to Part 4. If you love that, skip Part 3 and go to Part 2.

Part 3 is... a lot. There's a shift in the art style, and models are fluid and never quite consistent. None of the classic musical themes are there. The writing is experimental and sometimes stright up weird. It's a fun ride, but one that I think is best left until after you've experienced the best that the franchise has to offer.

Part 1 is beautifully animated for its time, but the writing is closer to the gritty stories of the manga. While I very much enjoy Part 1, Lupin definitely softened after this initial release.

I recommend taking Parts 1 and 3 in whichever order you want after you've finished Parts 5, 4, and 2.

If you start Part 5 and love it and want to dip your toes into Part 2, Part 2 is very episodic, so don't be afraid to start it before Part 4 if you like old cartoons and you're curious.

I also adore the English dubbed episodes of Part 2 that exist. The Japanese is of course phenomenal, but the Part 2 dub cast is the golden era dub cast that was brought back to do the Lupin III: The First English dub. It's a piece of history, and really fun, so if you like dubs I definitely recommend it!

You can also watch more Lupin specials at any time! I think it's better if you know who the characters are a bit first and how they relate to each other, but they're all wonderful.

Some of my favorites include Prison of the Past, The Fuma Conspiracy, Episode Zero: First Contact, Jigen's Gravestone, Goemon's Bloodspray, Fujiko's Lie, Tokyo Crisis, Bye Bye Lady Liberty, and Seven Days Rhapsody.

Also, if you end up loving Fujiko, she's got her own series called The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. It's a different tone, but definitely worth watching.

There are only two Lupin specials I would caution against: Legend of the Gold of Babylon isn't worth watching (in my opinion), and Green vs Red Jacket is a STRAIGHT UP HORROR MOVIE and HERE'S WHY. That linked explanation is the only way my partner, sibling, and I were able to make sense of the movie. Watch it at your own risk, it's a bit of a mind fuck.

Part 6 is going to be airing in October of 2021, so get hyped for that too!

[therealraewest]

Ok fine you got me, whats this Lupin show about and how do I watch it?

Anon I'm so sorry I've fallen down a hyperfixation pit and I'm dragging my entire dash down with me

Lupin the third follows the adventures of Arséne Lupin III, grandson of fictional french gentleman thief Arséne Lupin. Lupin is an international gentleman thief (though the "gentleman" part depends on the iteration you watch/read, he's basically a murder perv in the original source comics from the 70's but they softened him out a bit from Part 2 onwards, and there's plenty of softboi lupin content out there)

He travels the world with his gang, which consists of:

Daisuke Jigen, expert marksman who's almost never seen without his hat and a cigarette. Has a 0.3 second draw speed with his Magnum. People like to characterize him as the stonefaced serious member but honestly he and Lupin share the same braincell

Goemon Ishikawa XIII, descendant of the Japanese folk hero Ishikawa Goemon. Expert swordsman with his Zantetsuken, a sword that can cut steel (and basically anything else the plot needs it to). All in all he's a traditional samurai and his weakness is basically any woman

Fujiko Mine, femme fatale who has Lupin wrapped around her finger. Her writing can vary but she usually ends up swinging things so that she gets the best cut of whatever job the gang does, and double-crossing is her forté. Deep down she does love her boys and they love her.

Inspector Zenigata, who's not actually a member of the gang but he's the interpol officer who's assigned to Lupin's case. He's zany and intense but honestly he's put so much of his life and energy into catching the best thief in the world that anything else is basically child's play for him. The gang call him "Pops" affectionately and he does end up working with Lupin when the situation demands a team-up, which is fairly often.

There's lupin content going all the way back to the 70's. The main tv shows are split into 'parts', with part 1 being the first and part 5 being the most recent iteration. I would recommend part 2 - the first 79 episodes were dubbed in the 90's and it's a good fun romp that doesn't take itself too seriously. The rest of the 155 total episodes were recently remastered and re-subbed, and Miyazaki guest-directed episodes 145 and 155 as his farewell to the lupin franchise (he was a producer of half of part 1 and part 2).

As for movies, you've got all kinds. I'd recommend good starting points being Castle of Cagliostro (Miyazaki's first movie), Fuma Conspiracy or Lupin the Third: The First (the 2019 CGI movie). I recommend subs for the first two, the last one could go either sub or dub bc the dub cast is incredible but being cgi the mouth movements don't sync which is a bit uncanny.

There's also a spin-off called A Woman Called Fujiko Mine that gets deeper into the adult side of the characters, going off in an avante garde art style and exploring more adult themes.

Being a franchise that's been going since the 70's, there's lots of good, bad, and just weird content that's been made for it. I'm still working my way through the series, and just started part 4. There's plenty of more in-depth reviews and suggestions for watchlists based on individual interests, but def feel free to reach out if you want any guidance!

[m0th-rambles]

Ok fuck im gonna infodump about lupin cause my brain is going buck wild and i wanna explain everything about it for no reason other than to explain it.

This is all spoiler free under the cut as well dont worry

Lupin the iii was created by monkey punch back in the 60’s and was originally a manga and it has become almost timeless, being the last piece of media coming out for it so far was back in 2019. There is five parts of the anime which started in 1971 and the last series came out in 2019. There is one spin off and its called ‘the women called fujiko mine’ and its really dark i havent watched it yet but the art style is cool. Theres also a bunch of movies starting with the mystery of mamo and ending with lupin the third the first.

Lupin the III is based off the adventures of Lupin, Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko as they travel the world to steal whatever catches their eyes. Whether it be a jewl or famous painting, Lupin and his gang of thieves have probably attempted to lift it for their own thrill much to the dismay of Inspector Zenigata, the ICPO sent after them.

If you haven’t watched it yet, there’s no true place to start because there is no true chronological order but it is recommended you start at castle of cagliostro and move on. Part 4 and 5 are way more story based and should be watched together but if you hop ahead its ok. The dub for episodes 1-79 in oart 2 and the dub for part 4 is magnificent and i recommend fully but if dub isn’t your thing theres a bunch of subs as well.

Now with that bg info, lets get to the characters!!!

Arséne Lupin the III

Arséne Lupin the III aka Lupin is the grandson of the phantom theif aka Arséne Lupin. He is half french and half japanese and a grandmaster thief.

His personality changes series to series. Part 1 hes way more of a cheeky lil bastard, part 2 hes a goofball but he still has that charm and wit, i cant speak on part 3 as i havent watched it, and part 4 and 5 hes pretty similar to part 2. (The series parts are also called green jacket, red jacket, pink jacket, blue jacket part 1, and blue jacket part 2 based on what Lupin wears.)

His weakness is women (such as fujiko mine who oftens gets him into trouble) but he usually succeeds in his heists.

Fujiko Mine

Fujiko Mine aka Fujiko actually isn’t part of the Lupin gang as you might think. She kinda just follows them around and helps sometimes and back stabs them other times.

She uses Lupin’s feelings towards her to her advantage to really manipulate him at any chance she gets but she is a good character/female roll I will give her that.

Personality wise, she is actually really smart and uses her looks/intelligence anytime she can use it, usually to get what she wants though :/

She is only really trusted by Lupin, Jigen and Goemon don’t trust her so much.

Daisuke Jigen

Daisuke Jigen aka Jigen is the most trusted man on Lupin’s team.

He is a 0.3 second sharpshooter, and his magnum is his main weapon but he has been shown to use snipers at times when necessary.

He is your run of the mill sarcastic dirtbag/loyal sidekick but he isn’t exactly a sidekick. He is a valued member of Lupin’s team and is needed pretty often.

He is originally from brooklyn and is half italian and half Japanese.

He doesn’t trust most women due to Fujiko going back on them for her own gain.

Goemon Ishikawa XIII

Goemon Ishikawa aka Goemon is a decendent of the Ishikawa clan and a master of the quick draw sword technique. His main weapon is his zantetsuken.

Goemon actually originally wanted to kill Lupin, but eventually he joined Lupin’s team of theives but it seems he still has regrets about not killing Lupin sometimes.

Personality wise, he is very old fashioned/disciplined and also the voicd of reason in many situations. He, in later series, is not used to technology and even earlier in the series he is really hesitant to try anything westernized such as food for example.

Not much is known about him other than he has horrible luck with women and what is stated above but he is a very trusted and valued member of Lupin’s team and as it seems he might be the strongest out of all of them.

He also has a spin off called “Goemon Ishikawa’s spray of blood”.

Koichi “Inspector” Zenigata

Koichi Zenigata, aka inspector zenigata and “pops” by Lupin’s team is the Interpol police officer who has made it his lifes work to catch Lupin and arrest him.

Though his main goal is to capture and arrest Lupin, there are multiple occasions where they form pacts and it is revealed that they do care about each other in a weird symbiotic way even if it’s always a game kf cat and mouse with them.

Personality wise he is a little crazy but he does have his charm. At the end of the day he’s still a human person. Personally i kinda enjoy how they took someone who’s supposed to be good into the “villain” for lack of a better term due to the perspectives the show is told from.

Again, not much is known about Zenigata other than he is obsessed with capturing Lupin no matter what it takes. He is an extremely good foil to Lupin as well.

That’s really it!! I don’t want to spoil the series for anyone who sees this and wants to get into it but I hope that’s a little information for you if you know nothing about it :D!

[sourgrapelaffytaffy]

Alright what’s lupin the 3rd it looks SO CUTE AND GOOD AND IM DYING

KICKS DOWN THE DOOR

ALRIGHT LISTEN UP FOLKS IM ABOUT TO TELL Y’ALL ABOUT POSSIBLY THE GREATEST ANIME OF ALL TIME

First of all) It’s created by the amazing late Monkey Punch, who has such a great grasp on humor I cannot even imagine anyone else meeting that level.

THE STORY: It’s about Arsène Lupin’s (fictional gentleman thief) grandson, Lupin iii, and his adventures with his gang in trying to steal from literally everyone and everything. Lupin is a goofball who’ll do anything for a treasure as well as a kiss from a lovely lady. My friend has described him as “big of heart, dumb of ass” which pretty much sums up all you need to know.

Lupin is joined by his partner & best friend Jigen, a shootstraight gunman who can make any shot. And he was based on James Coburn’s character in The Magnificent S.even, who also could make any shot! The man who dubbed Coburn’s roles into Japanese also voices Jigen! How cool is that? Jigen looks like he would be a stern, no nonsense mobster, but he’s actually as much of a goofball as Lupin is. 

They’re joined by Goemon & Fujiko! Goemon is a quick to be flustered Samurai who tries his best to help the two in anyway he can. His sword can cut through anything which leads to amazing comedic shots. Fujiko is the woman who’s got Lupin wrapped around her finger. She can get him to do literally anything for her, and often betrays the group once she gets what she wants, but sometimes helps them out a whole lot. Lupin always falls head over heels for her, no matter what she does.

And THEN THERE’S INSPECTOR ZENIGATA!! Rightfully nicknamed “Pops” by the group of thieves, Zenigata is part of the ICPO and in charge of catching Lupin and his gang, though Lupin more specifically. While he is determined in catching them, he’s more focused on getting them to serve their debt to society instead of rotting away in a cell. He does care about the group and their well being, and certainly doesn’t want any of them to get hurt. He often has to team up w/ Lupin to defeat a greater threat, which is personally one of my favorite parts. Think of his chases with Lupin like an elaborate episode of human Tom & Jerry. You can probably guess that Pops is Tom. HE IS STRESSED & NEED TO GO TO SLEEP & PLEASE GOD JUST LET HIM EAT HIS RAMEN IN PEACE

“But Peggy!” I hear you say “There’s so much Lupin iii content! How do I even start?”

WELL LUCKY FOR YOU!! I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION LIST OF HOW YOU CAN GET STARTED!!

First of all: Movies / TV Specials

Castle of Cagliostro (1979)! This is the first film Miyazaki ever directed! YES!! THAT MIYAZAKI!!! If you want to get into Lupin & see how all the character dynamics work, then this is the film you start with. Lupin & Jigen travel to a small country making counterfit bills, but end up trying to save a locked up princess instead. It has GREAT animation! You can find this in HD on Netflix! (Miyazaki also directed episode 145 of part 2!)

Next keeping along the same vibe is The Fuma Conspiracy (1987): When Goemon’s wedding gets crashed, he, & the gang must go rescue his bride and find a secret hidden treasure along the way. This one has more Goemon, a great car chase, and good Fujiko characterization, yAAAY!!! This one’s on Kissanime!

Farewell to Nostrodamous (1995)! My personal favorite as of right now! A doll containing Lupin’s diamond is snatched by a little girl, & when this girl gets kidnapped, Lupin & the gang must find a way to get her back. This one has EVERYONE in character! The animation is amazing & it has one of the best sequences I’ve ever seen. I don’t wanna give too much away. This one’s on kissanime as well.

Blood Seal: Eternal Mermaid (2011): Last on out “Get started” movie list is this TV special! A young girl named Maki begs Lupin to make her his apprentice in the art of thieving. But why is she so persistent? This special has great character moments & amazing animation. Give it a watch on kissanime!

This is getting long but SERIES REC TIME BAYBEEEE!!

I started with Part 4: The Italian Game (2015)Lupin & his gang adventure around Italy stealing & causing general mischief. This series is what got me into Lupin. It has fun, heart, and has individual episodes for other members of the gang (Jigen, Goemon, & Fujiko) so it doesn’t just focus on Lupin! It’s a great way to learn how the characters interact with each other and it FUNNY as hell!! This is my personal favorite series, & it’s what got me into Lupin in the first place. You can find all episodes on kissanime.

Part 5: (2018)On amazon prime & kissanime but oof it’s kinda rough around the edges. More pushing towards adult humor if anything. If you’re going to watch it I recommend episodes 11 & 18. They focus solely on Lupin’s gang & their interactions with each other. 

Definitely give Parts 1, 2 & 3 a try too! I’m currently weeding my way through them, so I can’t recommend much yet.

There is “edgy” Lupin content, so if you’re into more dark, adult content then go for it, but it’s not particularly my style. I think Lupin should be fun!

IF YOU GIVE ANY OF THESE A WATCH!! FEEL FREE TO TELL ME! I NEED MORE PEOPLE TO GUSH ABT LUPIN WITH WHILE WE WAIT FOR LUPIN III: THE FIRST TO RELEASE IN THE STATES!

[paunchsalazar]

hey!! bro ur my number #1 source for lupin III content so can I ask like how in the hell I go about watching all the series / movies / etc for it in order??? I’m really pumped for the live action so I wanna at least dip into all the other stuff. thanking ya kindly //tips hat

hello!!! what an honor!! oh my… ok I’m so sorry in advance… I’ve gotten a few similar asks and I started writing out a list and it was getting over 1500 words long so I had to try to chill out…so…

LUPIN III CRASH COURSE

I’m sorry that this is so long.. and consider I cut it down! but here is my intro because I know this franchise is huge and confusing!! (I’ve had multiple instances of friends being like ‘I tried to find that Lupin thing you like but I could only find the third one?’) 

I kind of liken it to Scooby Doo? it stretches some 60 years and has been handled by many different writers, directors, and animators across very different eras? most important to know! the order doesn’t really matter and things aren’t really sequential (save for where the three most recent shows) so you can jump in and explore whatever seems compelling! it’s overwhelming because there is so much but also nice because there’s something for everybody! if you like fun and pure, edgy, etc. etc. 

feel free to disregard everything coming… I will say my personal priority order is

- Castle of Cagliostro

- some episode of part 2

- part IV, ideally all of it! there’s filler but it’s hard to know which ones

- part I (or some episodes of it? up to you!)

- Fuma Conspiracy

- part V 

- part III (it’s great too!! just not as sequential as IV and V)

- First Contact… truly indulgent but its so cute!

(below I broke down a little about each and my favorite episodes, where to find them, etc. and there’s so much more but just doing everything below is a whole lot)

TV (All the shows except for The Woman Called Fujiko Mine are on Crunchyroll!)

Part 1 (1971) - crunchyroll!

The beginnings kind of a weird feeling because the first half was directed with one vision vs. the second half being co-directed by Takahata and Miyazaki, there’s a shift in Lupin’s personality and most significantly they sought to shed his ‘sense of apathy’ and make him more of a hero? something that’s echoed later on! honestly, I don’t think the transition is as dramatic as some people find it? but it does shift across the episodes and end on a sweet note!

truly they all have something to enjoy but I made note of 

episodes 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 19, 23 

for some reason? really really suggest watching the last episode! but get a bit of the first and second half beforehand!

Part II/Red Jacket (1977-80) - 155 episodes - on crunchyroll dubbed and subbed

there are a lot so I tried to narrow it down to a few of my favorites/ particularly noteworthy ones? I bolded my absolute favorites! I’m sure I missed a few but save for a few two-episode arcs you can jump in anywhere and it’ll be fine.

episodes 1-79 are dubbed on Crunchyroll! In my personal opinion the script makes it worth it!! there are a bunch of non-dubbed episodes anyway if you want to get a feel for both

(these episode titles are often hilarious, misleading, and/or horribly embarrassing?)

1 - ‘The Return of Lupin the Third’ - just a good starting point!

5 - ‘Will the Leaning Tower of Pisa Be Standing?’

6 - ‘Tutankhamen’s 3,000-Year-Old Curse’

7 - ‘Venetian Super Express’ - I want to say this is a cute little road trip episode? it’s been so long

9 - ‘Steal the FIle M123’ - this dub… madness. very strange Christopher Walken impression for absolutely no reason?

10 - ‘Bet on the Monaco Grand Prix’

15 - ‘Crude Reproduction, Perfect Frame’ - Lupin keeps committing strange and uncharacteristic crimes, but he has no memory of doing so!

29 - ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ - Lupin has some mysterious Levitation Technique and everyone is after it 

32 - ‘Lupin the Interred’ A famed hitman is after Lupin!

34 - ‘But Your Brother Was Such A Nice Guy’ - this episode is one of the zaniest ones and that’s saying a lot… Vampires? Jesus? Really really funny moments though especially in the dub

42 - ‘Cruisin’ in Drag’ Lupin infiltrates the ship of a wealthy bachelor disguised as a woman 

45 - ‘Diamonds and Minx’ kind of a mess of people stealing from each other? 

46 - ‘The Island of Dr. Derange’

57 - ‘Alter-Ego Maniac’ - Inspector Zenigata goes criminal

62 - ‘Church of the Poison Mind’ - Jigen and Goemon stumble into a religious cult

69 - ‘Zenigata Getcha Into My Life’ - this title is awful but this episode is great. 

78 - ‘Ice, Robot’ - an inventor has made a machine that can cry diamonds!

79 - ‘Baton Death March’ 

81 - ‘Fujiko, Men are a Sorry Lot!” - Fujiko gets engaged to a Prince, the rest of the gang goes after the monarchy’s Golden Bell

96 - ‘Lupin’s Gourmet World’ tbh this is a vore episode but there are some great gang moments here and a really fun third act

99 - ‘Fighting Jigen’ - first anime episode (I think like in history? but I could’ve misread) in stereo! And I believe the first to air of the TMS staff’s work, you can tell because the style shifts to a more Miyazaki/Cagliostro look and this will keep happening for the rest of the show

101 - ‘Fervent Love at Versailles’ - a crossover episode with Rose of Versailles! 

103 - ‘The Wolf Looked at an Angel’ - Goemon is an angel I can say little else

104 - ‘The Most Dangerous Golden Bed’ - debut of perhaps the best opening! I love this episode?? so much?

112 - ‘Danger! Goemon’ 

122 - ‘An Unusual End to an Expedition for Napoleon’s Treasure’ 

143 - ‘The Miami Bank’ 

145 - ‘Wings of Death: Albatross’ - ah yes, one of the famed Miyazaki-directed episode, truly so worth it

151 - ‘To Arrest Lupin, the Mission at the Highway’ - another not exactly Miyazaki episode but a lot of the people he trained? They depart from the part 2 style(s) again but its a good bit of fun all around! Really lovely character animation

152 - ‘Jigen and the Hatless Pistol’ - Jigen loses his hat and thus his ability to shoot

155 - ‘Thieves Love the Peace/Farewell, Dear Lupin’ - the finale episode! Miyazaki-directed as well, and just beautiful 

Part III (1984) - 50 episodes - crunchyroll!

I’m still very early in this one so I can’t say much yet! But it gets a bad rep? Perhaps for being more inconsistent stylistically and a bit on the zanier end! But I really like it!! these drawings are such a blast! I think each bit has its merits and this one is no exception. Plus with all their freedom animation-wise they can do a lot of fun stuff!

The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (2012) - 13 episodes - on kissanime for certain and I think animetake?

this is the most dramatic departure from the rest of the shows/films/specials. Fujiko Mine is the star of this part! It definitely has less obviously plot-important episodes but it’s one narrative from start to finish. I must note that it’s by far Lupin’s edgiest, I think it’d be safe to deem this part as R-Rated. There’s sex, violence, sexual violence, abuse, bodily mutilation, obsession… a gay character who gets a pretty tragic fate (at first I was excited by the very existence of an LGBT+ character but he really goes through the wringer and never gets a resolution.. I don’t want to spoil). This is probably Lupin at his ickiest? I do like Jigen’s personality here! And his dynamic with Fujiko, but it’s a lot more disjointed than the other parts. She meets each of them separately and towards the end, Lupin and Jigen interact more but there’s barely a time when they’re all together. That’s not meant to be a deterrent but personally, I’m a sucker for their friendship and love them as a group so it’s a bit of a bummer. Sequential plot-wise though! This one is definitely captivating, a bit disturbing, and there is a plot-twist that really got me. The villain design is really cool too!

Part IV (2015) - 26 episodes - on crunchyroll, also dubbed on Funimation

This part is narrative-based and sequential! It still has some more standalone episodes but there’s definitely an overarching story throughout! I think they’re all worth watching and might leave little important bits that’ll be confusing later on. Essentially this part takes place in Italy for the most part and starts with Lupin getting married to a multi-millionaire heiress/model/celebrity who wants to get into the thief business. This one feels like a good combination of old and new, it’s not quite as silly as the earlier parts can be, but it’s full of nostalgia while still feeling original. I really had a good time!

This dub isn’t bad but!! It comes with a different opening and soundtrack, I guess Lupin’s pretty big in Italy and perhaps there were licensing issues? I’m not sure? But it’s a bit of a bummer to be without the Yuji Ohno soundtrack. The alternate opening feels more like a collection of stills and footage found throughout the show? It’s not horrible, just different! Regardless, the Part IV Japanese OP (vs. the Italian/US one) is worth a watch!

Part V (2018, airing on Adult Swim right now, summer 2019!) - 23 episodes 

I’m actually not done with this part but its good fun! more directly tied to part iv then the others are to each other. It’s more sequential as well with a few sub-arcs and since it fell on the franchise’s anniversary it has callback episodes with Lupin in various jackets in various tones. Interesting Lupin characterization here… he seems… sadder, wistful? and we get hints of Lupin lore! Lots of fanservice but… I love it! I still think they could’ve pushed it more? it feels somehow more reserved than part IV in some ways, which is already different from the 70s and 80s, but it’s got a lot of lovely moments!!

Films/TV Specials

From 1989 to 2011 they had a special every year!! So much!

Castle of Cagliostro (1979) - Available on Netflix! 

perhaps the best-known piece of media in the Lupin franchise? And rightly so. This film is Hayao Miyazaki’s directing debut and a blast from start to finish! This characterization of Lupin is definitely Miyazaki’s more than Monkey Punch’s but that seems to be the strange nature of the Lupin franchise! I could really go on forever… please watch it!

The Fuma Conspiracy (1987) - 

perhaps harder to find, but it’s on Kissanime! Goemon is getting married but before the ceremony is over the bride is taken by the Fuma ninja clan and the gang helps him to get her back as well as learn the story of a family heirloom? Really great stuff from everybody! Adorable Zenigata, the fluffiest and most handsome Goemon, cute Jigen, Fujiko, and Lupin interactions, a really really incredible car chase! Even with Cagliostro’s fame, this one has got some serious pizzazz

Episode 0: The First Contact (2002) - on Kissanime as well! 

A journalist asks Jigen how he met Lupin III, this is probably my favorite TV special? And features one of my favorite opening scenes in the whole franchise. The instrumental!! Perhaps each member of the gang at their purest, whatever that means, really great moments between everybody and peak Lupin and Jigen meeting and somehow signing up to be life partners

[tomswifty-fr]

(assuming tumblr ate my ask about it, sorry for potentially double sending) lupin iii sounds interesting! I was looking for something to watch during riot, where should I start? and do you have any feelings about sub vs dub? I usually watch the latter when grinding, but otherwise subs are great

(I think it did, this is the first ask I've gotten. Dangit tumblr) (Links are mostly gonna go to trailers because I like to have fun)

Heck yeah! You can technically start anywhere since each part is supposed to be standalone, but here are my recs!!

As far as the actual series go, part 4 is objectively the best one. I'm not hearing arguments about this. It's really pretty, really funny, has probably the best ratio of good episodes to duds, and the dub is good. Plot is they go to Italy and shenanigans ensue. Features Rebecca, my fav one-series-only character. The website I use calls it Lupin 2015 for some reason so if you're having trouble finding it that might help?

Part 6 is the one currently airing so there's only a couple episodes out now, and no dub yet, but it's worth mentioning since it's the current one and I do like it so far. Part 5... exists. I personally hate it but a lot of people like it so you can use your judgement I guess. It has a dub but I haven't seen that so can't speak on the quality.

Out of the first three series, I think part 2 is the only one that's been dubbed and it's one of those really loose, jokey dubs so I guess that depends on how seriously you like to take this stuff, haha. A few episodes are up on youtube, probably enough to decide whether you like that part or not. Parts 1-3 are from the 70s-80s so like, mind the time period I guess.

As far as movies/specials, I have to mention Castle of Cagliostro. It was Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut, 'nuff said. It's different from the usual Lupin stuff but is pretty great! English dub is good and available on Netflix last time I checked. I'm also a big fan of Hemingway Papers and Fuma Conspiracy (full thing available on youtube!), but I don't think those two have been dubbed unfortunately. I also really like Tokyo Crisis, which does have a dub that I again haven't seen so I don't know how good it is >< (sorry I just find it easier to read the words) but the movie itself is great.

I haven't seen Dead or Alive but it's on my list - I've heard good things about it and it does have a dub. Mystery of Mamo has four separate dubs and it's kind of impossible to say if they're good or not because the movie itself is such a mess but it is entertaining and I just want to mention it because four separate dubs. There's a cgi movie with a dub just called The First that came out just a few years ago that's not bad, the plot does involve nazis tho so just warning you. I didn't watch any trailers or anything before I saw it and it kind of comes out of nowhere so I was a little blindsided.

There's also Farewell Nostradamus, which is very slapstick-funny and the animation is great. A dub exists, and the sub is free on youtube. And this is a long shot but if you know Detective Conan there are two crossovers - I'm not a Conan fan so I haven't seen them to say if they're good or not but they do exist. And of course there's other stuff (list of all the specials with summaries, there's probably a movie list or episode guide somewhere else too) but these are either my favorites or ones I think are worth mentioning.

Also should go without saying but a lot of the older stuff is well... older, so some of it's gonna have racist parts, gross jokes, all the things you gotta unfortunately expect with media past a certain age >< There's good stuff in there too and not all have gross parts (Cagliostro and Fuma are both pretty inoffensive especially and they're older ones) but it might be easier to stick to recent stuff if you don't feeling like dealing with it. Also wanna mention that I haven't personally seen Harimao's Treasure but it's apparently super transphobic so might be worth avoiding.

Jeez, this turned into an essay, but I hope it helps! Good luck grinding, and happy Riot!

[gaarfielf]

my list of lupin movies ive watched for the sake of keeping track and making sure i dont rewatch some

Castle of Cagliostro (10)

favourite Lupin movie of all time. Fantastic art, cast, plot, everything.

Blood Seal: Eternal Mermaid (8.5)

Really good animation and really interesting plot. Another ‘Lupin has to babysit’ movie but it was treated in such a way that set it apart from other ones. He gives her a lot of good advice and overall I really enjoyed this one even if it’s kind of underrated.

Burning Memory - Tokyo Crisis (8.5)

Surprisingly good like I wasn’t expecting a 90′s Lupin movie to come for me like this but the animation is really solid and the movie itself was really funny. I also liked that Maria and Zenigata weren’t a thing like that cleared my pores.

The Bloodspray of Ishikawa Goemon (8)

The animation is fucking stellar but there were odd gaps in the movie that were really inactive. I liked the two subplots going on though like they were both interesting.

Bye Bye Lady Liberty (8)

The classic convoluted subplots worked well here tbh and the Goemon romance stuff was gunshot noise gunshot noise cash register noise. The animation had this weird glow to it but it was (almost) the 90s lol

Hemingway Papers (8)

They really got me with Goemon and Jigen going against each other and Lupin being in a relationship with someone aside from Fujiko (a relationship that was genuinely romantic) was actually pretty well done. That whole bit at the end with the karaoke machine? Amazing

Return the Treasure (7)

Another one that was really close to being perfect. The only loose ends was that the “treasure” wasn’t really explained very well (but i mean, the lead up to it was very good) and i could’ve done with more scenes with the whole gang (it seemed like there was a lot of times where it was lupin jigen and fujiko or lupin goemon and fujiko, but not enough of all of them together)

From Siberia With Love (7) 

The usual amount of humour and action from a Lupin III film and the art is pretty standard. Goemon got a few nice quotes in and Fujiko talked to a woman. Could’ve done without Rasputin but thats just me.

Elusiveness of the Fog (7)

Lupin offering Goemon to the princess was kinda funny and I actually really liked OG Mamo (not the short freak) being revitilized bc his episode in the original series was really entertaining. The history of where they were was a little wonky but I’ll give it to them this time.

Pilot Film (7)

That shit was wild i liked how jigen was introduced as the gunman and then beat the shit out of 3 police officers with his bare hands. also goemon i guess dedicates his life to killing lupin so thats fun, like he’s on zenigata’s side i guess. could’ve done with fujiko making an expression at any given time but yknow what? it was funny and it was only 12 minutes long

Another Page (7)

Surprisingly not that bad. To summarize the film as a whole I’d say: it could have been worse. The plot made sense which is more than i can say about most lupin movies and they stuck to two subplots that were both interesting and meshed pretty good by the end. And the two lady characters that got introduced didn’t betray anybody AND didn’t die.

Farewell to Nostradamus (6.5)

The animation was pretty good and I liked the whole ‘we gotta protect this kid’ thing but I always mix up this one and Bye Bye Liberty Crisis like this movie is it’s less interesting twin. Both of them have kids they need to protect but Bye Bye Liberty Crisis was just better. I feel like this one had a really good ending but aside from that the movie wasn’t that memorable for me.

Fuma Conspiracy (6.5)

i liked Goemon being in a relationship bc it was really sweet, i just wish there wouldve been a better balance of romance to plot. Also terrible voice actors but that just affected my enjoyment not really the plot or anything relevant.

Sweet Lost Night (6)

I like time shenanigans and my only two critiques are the inconsistent art quality and they seemed really hesitant to embrace time skipping. Like “he’s limited to twice before he becomes brain dead” was a little bit of a small window. If anything they missed out on a good opportunity for a classic lupin montage of him time skipping way too often. Maybe if they changed it to “you skip time every 12 hours, to every 6 hours, to every 3 hours, etc” until he stops existing?? like that seems more in line with a lupin plot not to mention a little more suspenseful.

Dead or Alive (6)

The new art style is kind of neat and didn’t really affect the personality of the characters like I thought it would. The plot itself was complicated and hard to follow but I mean, it wasn’t awful. Nothing I really hated and nothing I loved.

Jigen Daisuke’s Gravestone (6)

Handsome Jigen was cool but tcm i’m begging you to drink your Respect Women Juice. Also Goemon wasn’t in this one what the fuck was up with that. Lupin looked like a crispy toenail in the new art style but again the animation is gucci so I can’t really complain on that front.

Napoleon's Dictionary (6)

Reminded me a lot of Mamo except with more respect in women. Just kidding Fujiko was kind of a crapshoot in the end and the ending was more or less just. cut off?? like they crashed into the ocean after lupin ruined zenigatas marriage and the credits started rolling. it was weird bc it had a lot going but i guess they ran out of time for a proper ending?

Mystery of Mamo (6)

Respect Women Juice needed and also why was Goemon purple. The pros to this movie was the overall aesthetic being really attractive BUT the plot was sketchy and didn’t make a lot of sense. The only remarkable scene I remember is Jigen shooting the can by Lupin’s feet like I wish that emotion would’ve carried through the film and not ended there.

Red vs Green (5)

Really good animation, no fucking idea what happened in this film.

Walther P-38: Island of Assassins (5)

They missed an opportunity to be a little more psychological and the lady of the week dying was meh but I will say the plot stayed on course like they didnt try to do too much at once like they tend to do. I wish they would’ve delved more into lupin’s past with the doctor because that seemed kind of random but the more lethal, edgy plot was handled decently. I’ll probably forget this one in a week tbh.

Dragon of Doom (5)

I like learning more about Goemon but his girlfriend was really distracting and uneccessary. Like, if you want to introduce Goemon’s childhood friend sure its whatever but she only showed up to either threaten lupin or flirt with Goemon. And it was very obvious she was going to betray him so all her build up was pointless. I will say though, the plot was pretty cool which was surprising.

Voyage to Danger (4)

tcm I’m begging you to let Jigen talk to a woman and not have it be like ‘this is Jigens girlfriend now’. Sometimes women be talking and they aren’t thirsting for a man triple their age. It just be like that sometimes. Thats literally all I remember about this film.

First Contact (4)

I remember being excited for this like ‘oh wow their first ever meeting’ and i s2g this film was boring. And also a giant plothole. With no real redeeming qualities. I don’t even remember the animation being that good.

Columbus Files (4)

This film was at least funny bad but my hand to god I’d never watch it again. This is the first time I’ve ever watched a movie and had to watch the dub bc the sub was boring me to death. It was just... so bad... Especially when you’ve seen Wings of Death like this ain’t the Fujiko I know please leave.

Seven Days Rhapsody (3)

The comedy in this one was so weirdly incorporated and featured another really good ‘here’s Jigen’s dead girlfriend’ that i just could not care less about and then finished off with this what like 13 year old girl asking to be Lupin’s girlfriend? fuck outta here. The ONLY good part was Goemon slapping Lupin across the face.

Alcatraz Connection (2.5)

Really, really boring. The content wasn’t necessarily bad but they had 4 subplots going on that were equally uninteresting and some scenes went on for so so so long. It deadass took me 5 hours to watch this movie bc i kept pausing to do literally anything else. The art was unpleasant and by the time they got the treasure i didn’t really care anymore. Not to mention the plot was way too complicated and tin-foil hat for my liking.

Missed by a Dollar (2.5)

Made very little sense and in general was really annoying. Between Goemon being a born again Christian and the plot briefly derailing so Lupin could establish an oil company it was like can we pick something to focus on? By the end of the movie I was like wait when did they get the broach? What does the broach do again? And then he gives it to someone random and its like??

Gold of Babylon (2)

This one if the definition of being cursed and Pink Jacket deserved so much better than this nonsense. Like Lupin III isn’t known for its coherence, sure, but this movie had absolutely no structure. Upon finishing the film I was trying to remember anything that just happened and my brain refused. It kept the good cartoonish animation but god at what cost.

Angel Tactics (2)

TCM PLEASE DRINK YOUR RESPECT WOMEN JUICE. The art was just. Stunningly bad. Bad to the degree where about a minute thirty in I already regretted starting it. Not to mention the classic “we don’t actually wanna draw this part so we’re gonna jam cgi in here”. Also the most awkward use of “hey heres 3 women hey heres 3 men lets shove them together”.

Harimao’s Treasure (2)

nazis and transphobia which was extremely unfortunate considering the opening was actually one of the stronger ones I’ve seen from Lupin but immediately after the villain was introduced the quality of the film dropped about 90% and i wanted to die for the entire last half of the film. if they had changed the villain it would’ve solved 90 of their problems.

Twilight Gemini (2)

this was one of the only films in the entire lupin series where i was rooting for lupin to fucking perish. not only was goemon only in this film for 26 seconds, jigen was there for about 30 seconds and im not entirely sure if fujiko was there at all. not to be that guy but when they make lupin to be the most intolerable piece of shit in the world for this movie, don’t give him all the screen time. having to stare at this asshole for an hour and a half was exhausting.

Princess of the Breeze (2)

How a movie where Jigen has to carry a baby around in one of those funny baby-carriers turned out this fucking goddawful I have no explanation for. This movie was like an AU where all these other characters no one cares about happen to exist in the same universe as lupin. and when lupin does show up, i want him dead. Just horrifically boring and lazy art mixed with bad cgi. The only upside is that it isn’t Return of the Magician.

Return of the Magician (1)

I’m giving it a 1 on the principle that this wasn’t even a movie. It was a little less than an hour long and my god i’ve never seen a film so full of pad-time that if i can be so bold, there was more pad time than plot. What little plot they had made absolutely no sense and the art used cgi in the most bizarre and ugly ways. i’m pretty sure the credits played twice at the end. if there was a world record for lowest budget in a film, Return of the Magician would win hands down.

[thievinggentleman]

   GATHER ‘ROUND, YOU WON’T WANNA MISS THIS!!

Lupin’s holding a big birthday bash, featuring a random assortment of Lupin specials and movies coupled with the entirety of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine series added in!

                     It’s all in the name of LUPIN THE 3RD!

If you’re interested, save this link in your bookmarks! It starts August 7th at 9:00 PM (Eastern Time)! If you’re lookin’ for a fun time with fun folks, check us out! If you’ve never had the chance to learn about this show, now’s the time!

Here’s the schedule (under the cut to save space):

Monday, August 7th:

9:00 PM-10:30 PM: TV Special 11: Da Capo of Love: Fujiko’s Unlucky Days (sub)

10:35 PM-11:00 PM: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine - Episode 1 (sub)

11:05 PM-11:30 PM: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine - Episode 2 (sub)

Tuesday, August 8th:

9:00 PM-10:30 PM: TV Special 14: Episode 0: First Contact (sub) *UPDATED*

10:35 PM-11:00 PM: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine - Episode 3 (sub)

11:05 PM-11:30 PM: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine - Episode 4 (sub)

Wednesday, August 9th:

9:00 PM-10:30 PM: TV Special 22: Blood Seal - Eternal Mermaid (sub)

10:35 PM-11:00 PM: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine - Episode 5 (sub)

11:05 PM-11:30 PM: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine - Episode 6 (sub)

Thursday, August 10th: LUPIN’S BIRTHDAY!

8:00 PM~9:42 PM: Movie: The Mystery of Mamo (Geneon dub)

9:43 PM-9:59 PM: Intermission…

10:00 PM~11:40 PM: Movie: The Castle of Cagliostro (sub)

Friday, August 11th:

9:00 PM~9:50 PM: Movie: Daisuke Jigen’s Gravestone (dub)

9:51 PM-9:59 PM: Intermission…

10:00 PM~10:54 PM: Movie: Ishikawa Goemon’s Spray of Blood (sub)

11:00 PM~2:30 AM: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine - Episodes 7-13 (sub)

Then join us on August 12th around 1:30 AM (ET) for a brand new episode of English dub of Lupin III Part 4 (blue jacket) on Toonami! As per the usual, we run Toonami from about midnight to 2 AM, then after that, e play Russian Roulette with episodes or specials, depending on the mood!

Before you run off to join us, make sure to read these rules very carefully, or else you’ll be kicked/banned from the stream! It’s very important!

RESPECT EACH OTHER!!! If you have a different opinion than someone else, agree to disagree! Nobody is necessarily right or wrong, as it’s all up to interpretation! If you cannot step back and relax, you will be kicked from the stream and no longer welcomed to attend future ones!

Do not bash characters in the show. Everyone has their favorites, and we’re allowed to like them or dislike them. See the above rule.

No microphones or video! The stream will have it disabled, but in case I forget, they are banned due to past troubles, so please keep yourself under control and refrain from using yours. Nobody needs your voice overshadowing the show’s!

CIVILIZED DISCUSSION IS WELCOMED! Tell us what you love about this or that character. You don’t have to limit it to that! If you dislike something, feel free to voice it, but do NOT press it to the point of an argument!

If you can follow these simple rules which essentially repeat the same things over and over again, then we’ll all get along golden! Lupin is turning 50 this year! This is all in the name of CELEBRATION! So let’s all have grand ol’ time, baby! See you all there!

WARNING: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine is a graphic series with nudity and dark and suggestive themes. If you’re under the age of 18, please seek parental guidance before viewing this show! I am not responsible for anything you may be exposed to by watching this stream!

                             ( Thanks to @bopnty for the fantastic graphic! )

[recentanimenews]

Crunchyroll Remembers Their Favorite Lupin the 3rd Stories

On April 11, Kazuhiko Kato—better known to his fans by the name Monkey Punch—passed away. Kato created many amazing works in his time, but the best known and most beloved of all was easily Lupin the 3rd. For many of us here at Crunchyroll, it was one of our earliest anime, if not an actual gateway series.

  Today, we here at Crunchyroll News and Features are taking a look back at our favorite films and episodes, as well as what made us love this crazy series. We'd love to hear from the rest of you, too: tell us in the comments what makes you love the Lupin Gang and what story you loved most. If you're new to the series, we hope this encourages you to check out one of the standards of anime.

  Thanks to everyone on the team who took part and shared their memories!

    Paul: The true genius of Lupin III is that the characters are archetypal, and so they can map onto whatever story the writers and directors want to tell, from slapstick nonsense to hard-boiled, noir-style thrillers filled with murder and gratuitous nudity. Lupin, like Batman, means something different to everyone, and there is so much more to the character than simply “red jacket”, “blue jacket”, “green jacket”, etc.

  My first experience with Lupin III was The Castle of Cagliostro, and I've got a lot of time for The Woman Called Fujiko Mine and Jigen's Gravestone, but I'm sure everyone and their cousin has some kind words to spare for those entries, so I'll devote a few phrases to the weirder animated entries: The Fuma Conspiracy, The Mystery of Mamo, and The Legend of the Gold of Babylon.

  Although I own two different DVD releases of The Fuma Conspiracy, I remember almost nothing about the film itself except that it involves Goemon getting engaged, the entire film is basically an extended (and exquisitely animated) chase scene, and the AnimEigo release had to fudge Lupin's name as “Rupan” because of the lawsuit with Maurice Leblanc's estate.

  The Mystery of Mamo has clones, a giant space brain, ridiculous cameos and product placement that got scrubbed from the Geneon release, like 6 different English dubs, and perhaps the single greatest visual rhyme in anime cinema history, which juxtaposes Lupin teasing Fujiko's nipple with world leaders pushing the Big Red Button for a nuclear missile strike.

  The Legend of the Gold of Babylon is so goddamned weird that is makes The Mystery of Mamo seem “two bedroom one bath white picket fence in the suburbs” mundane by comparison. I haven't managed to sit through the entire film in one viewing, but it's co-directed by Seijun Suzuki and it's arguably the most divisive work in the entire Lupin III franchise, so it merits a mention.

  But none of these wild and woolly adventures would exist without the original manga from Kazuhiko Katou, aka “Monkey Punch”, and while straight manga Lupin with no chaser is way too raw for me, it's the primordial essence from which all other interpretations of the characters spring, and the world is a smaller, meaner, and pettier place without Lupin's creator in it.

    Carlos: I’ve always loved the phantom thief genre in any medium. I loved it as a Super Sentai, adored it when Persona 5, and of course, couldn’t get enough of it in the eclectic series of Lupin the 3rd.

  Kazuhiko Katou’s legacy has truly been immortalized in Lupin’s escapades, being one of the earliest examples of the phantom thief trend in Japan and modernizing Arsene Lupin’s adventures for generations of fans to enjoy. The anime world has lost an old time visionary, but he left us with his timeless classic that I’ve loved for so long, and will enjoy for years to come. Whenever I sing “Memory of Smile,” I’ll raise a glass to Monkey Punch.

    Noelle: My first introduction to the series was Castle of Cagliostro, having also grown up on Ghibli, and something about that was just so fun and enjoyable.

  The Detective Conan crossovers are also a bit of lighthearted fun- Lupin exists everywhere!

  All Lupin works embody the phantom thief sub-genre, but instead of being something heavy and ominous, they are free-spirited. Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon all have chips on their shoulders, but that doesn’t stop them from causing trouble and generally having a good time while doing so. Every installment is witty, clever, and I’m always eager to see how the gang will come out on top.

  The truest Lupin installment that greatly stuck with me is of course, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, which ranks as one of my favorite anime series to this day. It doesn’t focus on Lupin himself but Fujiko, and her adventures of self-discovery and living her own life. This one was a far more serious series, especially compared to the far more carefree Lupin series that I’d been exposed to, but it worked.

  I’d usually watch Lupin whenever I wanted something that I know I’d enjoy, but also makes me feel good. There aren’t many series that manage to do both.

Rest in peace, Monkey Punch.

    Nicole: It’s been hard to reconcile with the fact that Monkey Punch is gone... My first encounter with Lupin came from Castle of Cagliostro, where I immediately fell in love with the Miyazaki directed version of Lupin as a dashing thief and the misfits that followed him around. I remember hearing from a lot of people when I first wanted to expand that “Oh that isn’t really Lupin, that’s a sanitized version of him,” and over the years I kind of find myself disagreeing with that more and more. Lupin is a lot of things to a lot of different people, and I think Monkey Punch really created a unique and amazing set of characters that various directors then worked with and left their mark on. I still find myself rewatching Cagliostro whenever I get a chance, and I find it an amazing ‘first anime’ movie to show to people who have never really seen much anime at all before.

  The Lupin TV series are filled with so many amazing episodes, and when I originally drafted up a top ten list last year, I ended up starting to rewatch the whole thing again. Even though some adaptations of Lupin are a bit better than others, I would say that anyone who likes the idea of a master thief and his madcap capers will find a lot to love almost anywhere in this series, and I hope that maybe in this sad circumstance of Monkey Punch’s passing, people will get curious enough to investigate the series and fall in love with it too.

  Some of my favorite Lupin memories and moments, aside from Cagliostro, have to be those dealing with Zenigata. As much as I love the Lupin crew, there’s just something charming and attractive about Zenigata’s character that always made him so much fun to watch. As I mentioned in my list, there are a lot of interpretations of Zenigata, but I always prefer the hard-boiled, semi-noir detective version of him that episodes like “Until the Full Moon Passes” or “The Woman the Old Man Fell in Love With” depict. I think the reason I always liked Zenigata so much is that he’s really important for Lupin to play off of, and without Zenigata, I don’t think you’d really enjoy Lupin as much as a character! The moments where the two of them really face off, or even work together, are some of the most magical moments in the series overall; on that note, I really recommend curious viewers to check out “The End of Lupin III”, another great pick.

  Finally, I’ve come to appreciate the Miyazaki influence in Lupin more over the years, and realize that without Monkey Punch, we probably wouldn’t have Studio Ghibli today; those who are curious to see where Miyazaki got some of his original directing starts might want to check out his Lupin episodes, and of those, “Farewell, my Beloved Lupin” is amazing (and keen Miyazaki fans might see a lot of similar designs here to later movies!) and of course the amazing Miyazaki take on Fujiko in “Wings of Death: Albatross”! I’m sure there’s so much more I could talk about or recommend, but I’ll just say that Lupin, in all of his incarnations, is worth it, with something for everyone, from various movies and tv shows to spin-offs like the amazing Woman Called Fujiko Mine, I hope that creators will keep honoring the vision and memory of Monkey Punch and deliver us more amazing Lupin content in the future.

    Joseph: Like many people, my first exposure to Lupin as a character was in Miyazaki's Castle of Cagliostro feature, which I still think is his best movie as a director. That characterization of Lupin, I would go on to learn, is just one of many, and I would soon see just how different his origins were when Tokyopop started publishing Monkey Punch’s original Lupin manga in English. Looking back, it's probably not the best representation overall, but it's still interesting to see how the character has evolved since those rough early days.

  The next time I caught him in action was back when Part 2 would air on Adult Swim—*checks paper* almost SIXTEEN YEARS ago?—and I've kept up with him and the rest of the gang irregularly over the years. My favorite thing about the franchise is just how flexible it is in general. While the broad strokes of each character may remain along the same lines depending on the jacket du jour, Lupin offers up a distinct canvas on which artists can apply their own unique sensibilities. I especially appreciate stuff like 2012’s The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, which is about as decadently artsy as Lupin gets.

    Kara: I spent two semesters in my college's anime club my freshman year being generally okay with anime. It was Castle of Cagliostro that got me all the way in. I remember when I finished watching it, I turned to my friend and said, "I'm actually kind of sad there's no more movies with these characters in them." I had no idea how ridiculously wrong I was.

  I loved earlier specials and series, but what I'm loving now is the flexibility the characters have after 50 years. We had The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, which was downright surreal but ultimately rewarding when the other shoe drops. The new movies have been fantastic as they bring in a largely new cast. And for me, Part 5 was some of the most satisfying anime I've ever watched, Lupin or otherwise. It felt so in the spirit of Kato-sensei's original work, while still creating new riffs on it.

  For me, anything Lupin is my go-to on a bad day. I know it's going to be funny, I know the "good guys" (whether or not Zenigata sees it that way) will win the day, and I know there's a lot of heart in every single version. It's hard to believe the gang's creator has passed on, but I'm also glad he got to see his work beloved by the world, and that it will continue strong for new fans.

  Series available on Crunchyroll:

>> Part 1

>> Part 2

>> Part 3

>> Part 4

>> Part 5

-----

Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!   

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[dying-suffering-french-stalkers]

Hey! I want to get into Lupin III (the media, not the dude specifically). Can you give me some pointers where it’s best to start?

Hello Anon, I tried to answer this at length like three times but my laptop kept restarting hhhhhhhhhhh. Anyway, here's the much less polished typed-entirely-on-mobile version!

I recommend starting with two films: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) and The First (2019), in that order. The former was Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut and is many people's first exposure to the franchise. It's a truly beautiful film that inspired scores of animators and it established many hallmarks of the franchise going forward (including the iconic yellow Fiat). The latter is the newest film in the franchise, features the best 3D CG animation I've ever seen, and (in my opinion) is probably a better introduction to the main characters than Cagliostro, but since it borrows heavily from Cagliostro anyway, you really should see that one first. I recommend watching the subtitled Japanese version of Cagliostro (though I'm partial to the 2000 Manga Entertainment/David Hayter dub as well) and the English dub of The First (if you're an English speaker).

The same dub team who did The First is better known for their English dub of the Part 2 anime series. There are currently five animated Lupin series, or Parts (plus a spinoff miniseries but that's for later). (They are sometimes referred to by the jacket color Lupin wears in each (Green/teal = 1, Red = 2, Pink = 3, Blue = 4 and 5), though this can get wonky since the movies kind of just do whatever. There are sometimes tonal differences between jackets but don't worry about it.) Part 2 is considered the "classic" series, as it was the longest-running and most popular. It ran from 1977-1980 and consists of 155 episodes, two of which were guest-directed by Hayao Miyazaki and the first 79 of which were dubbed into English in the early 2000s. If you're an English speaker, I'd say the dub is ESSENTIAL viewing. That said, since this is a long-running comedy series from the 1970s, sometimes there's Bad Shit in there and there is NO SHAME in just skipping episodes you don't vibe with. There's no overarching plot in Part 2, so you won't miss anything if you see something Yikes and go "Absolutely not doing that today"; I know I skipped several. Don't be afraid to skip around or start another series while working your way through this one; I'm a long way from finishing it myself. This series is currently on Amazon Prime and is also free (with ads) on Crunchyroll, no account required. Amazon only has the dub, so if you want to keep watching the rest of the subbed episodes, you'll have to switch over to Crunchyroll or whatever.

I also recommend checking out Part 1, though I haven't yet finished it either. I highly recommend episodes 5 and 7 if nothing else, since they show Goemon's introduction into the gang. The style for this series is SO cool, I'm frankly obsessed with the visuals and the character design.

After you've checked out some episodes of those shows, there are about a billion movies and TV specials you can watch! Three of the most popular ones are The Fuma Conspiracy (GREAT animation, very Miyazaki-esque though he wasn't involved, focuses on Goemon), Tokyo Crisis (LOVE the dub for this one), and Farewell to Nostradamus (mediocre plot imho but it has some fun action sequences).

The other most well-known Lupin movie (and the first one to be released, just a year before Castle of Cagliostro) is The Mystery of Mamo (1978). This is probably also required viewing, but uh. Imma keep it real with you, Chief: I have a REAL love-hate relationship with this one. The visuals are fucking PHENOMENAL, I cannot stress how cool this movie looks, but the plot...........sure is a thing that happens. I love the action sequences and the animation but I really don't care for other elements of this movie. I know a lot of people really like this one, so maybe you will too, Anon, but there's too much stuff in there that rubs me the wrong way for me to give it a shining recommendation. It's easily one of the most batshit movies I've seen, and it's got about 3 different English dubs to choose from if you decide not to watch the subbed version.

If you find that you like your Lupin content on the Darker and Edgier side, you might want to check out the miniseries The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (both dub and sub are great, but I really like the dub). It's...uh...kind of A Lot and I'd for SURE look up some episode descriptions or content warnings beforehand. I'm slowly working on a lengthy review/rant of my own with my likes and dislikes. The visuals are wildly different from any other Lupin series and it has a great soundtrack. Suffice it to say, when it's good, it's great, but when it's bad, hoooooooo BOY. Having a series focused more on Fujiko is really neat and we get some cool backstory elements for the other members of the gang (especially Jigen, surprisingly).

I have seen a number of other movies that I'd be glad to discuss with you over DMs, but this is about where my knowledge ends. I'm still in the process of watching the various shows & movies myself. I've heard good things about Part 4 and (again, subjective!) not-so-good things about Part 5; regardless, I know that Part 5 is definitely not the series to start with as it tries to get very Meta™. Part 3 has a very different visual style and a small, dedicated following, but I haven't checked it out yet.

In short, my recommendation is: The Castle of Cagliostro, The First, as many episodes of Parts 2 and 1 as you like, some movies, then branch out as you please! Feel free to DM me for more specific info.

[maixiem]

I LOVE YOUR LUPIN AND JIGENS!!! and I've never even seen lupin before but bc of your art and your love for these characters, I really want get into the series. where do I start? any tips/recs? :)

THIS IS M IDEAL ASK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PUT ME IN THE GROUND

okay little known fact about lupin iii its actually how hayao miyazaki got his start!!! he worked on the green jacket series as a codirector from episode 3 onwards!!!!! that’s why castle of cagliostro is one of his first films!!! he also directed plot of the fuma clan, ANOTHER lupin movie and select episode from the second series, red jacket!!!!!!!

part 1 is called green jacket, bc he has a green jacket. episode 1 is honestly kind of bad, i would suggest watching from episode 2 onwards...

as a series it’s very episodic!!!! there’s four main anime series

green jacket /1st series, iconic, most miyazaki episodes, i love almost everything about it

red jacket / 2nd series, baseline series for lupin-- it’s where the famous theme song gets introduced and we get the headlining music by yuuji ohno, but theres a lot of bad content. its more very much like scooby doo. theres like, 200 episodes. if you want recs for that series, i can tell you which episode sare worth your time.

pink jacket /3rd series. dont watch this? it’s ugly. in so many ways.

blue jacket/ 4th series. THE BEST INTRO TO THE SERIES. dont watch the dub, lupin has various licensing issues in the west bc of its copyright infrigement laden origins(another story for another time) so the music isn’t there and it’s just-- it deserves to be watched with its original score. 

the only movies worth watching that i’ve been able to even get a hold of are “episode 0″ and, ofc, castle of cagliostro. episode 0 is an “origin story” movie-- i like it a lot, tho its not the prettiest thing out there. the feature length films being released currently are a continuation of a spinoff series that surrounded fujiko mine, the main heroine of the franchise-- but they’re... not very good. in my opinion.

anyways, in short, start with blue jacket! its all on crunchyroll. oh, keep in mind that episode 24, as it’s listed on crunchyroll, is actually the season finale. the last 2 are OVA’s that were released sporadically in between when the show was actually being serialized in japan.