Lupin III (ルパン三世 Rupan Sansei) 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.[1] 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,[2] 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[3], 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.[4] On July 12, 2011, Discotek announced they licensed the first series for a North American DVD release in spring 2012.[5]
Contents |
| # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | "Is Lupin Burning...?!" "Rupan wa Moeteiru ka...?!" (ルパンは燃えているか...?!) |
1971-10-24 |
| The Hida Speedway has been completed and Lupin is looking to take top prize at the first race. The race is actually a trap designed by the Scorpion Gang who are intent on killing Lupin and eliminating all criminal competition. | ||
| 02 | "The Man They Called a Magician" "Majutsushi to Yobareta Otoko" (魔術師と呼ばれた男) |
1971-10-31 |
| Fujiko has stolen something from a man named Pycal, and he wants it back. Pycal is a magician who is able to shoot flames from his hands, walk on air, and deflect bullets with ease. Lupin goes up against Pycal in hopes of saving Fujiko. | ||
| 03 | "Farewell My Beloved Witch" "Saraba Itoshiki Majo" (さらば愛しき魔女) |
1971-11-07 |
| A boat collision ruins Lupin and Fujiko's quiet boating expedition. They discover a woman named Linda in the other boat just as gunmen on a larger boat attack them. After avoiding the gunboat, they learn that Linda is the assistant to a world-renowned expert on nuclear fission. She lived on an island with the doctor, which also housed the "Kirein Killers" ("Killers of the Sea"). Lupin and Jigen try to storm the island to save the Doctor and discover Linda's mysterious secret. | ||
| 04 | "One Chance to Breakout" "Datsugoku no Chance wa Ichido" (脱獄のチャンスは一度) |
1971-11-14 |
| Lupin and Fujiko successfully pull off a heist; that is, until Zenigata manages to shoot Lupin with a tranquilizer dart. Zenigata hauls Lupin off to jail. Despite Fujiko's best efforts, she cannot break Lupin out of prison, and Jigen provides no help, claiming that Lupin can leave whenever he wants. One year passes, and Lupin's still in jail with his execution date getting closer. Fujiko and the others try to help Lupin get out of jail. | ||
| 05 | "The Coming of Goemon the Thirteenth" "13dai Goemon Tōjō" (十三代五ェ門登場) |
1971-11-21 |
| Goemon Ishikawa XIII is the thirteenth direct descendant of the famous samurai highwayman Ishikawa Goemon. Goemon's mentor has given him a mission; find Lupin and use the invincible Zantetsuken eliminate him. Neither Goemon nor Lupin know that Goemon's mentor and Fujiko are actually working together. | ||
| 06 | "Rainy Afternoons are Bad" "Ame no Gogo wa Yabai ze" (雨の午後はヤバイゼ) |
1971-11-28 |
| One rainy afternoon, a man seeks Lupin's help on behalf of a young woman. The woman is actually Fujiko, who is after a diamond known as "The Star of Killamanjaro". The diamond was implanted into the chest of a mob boss. This boss had his memory wiped but died days before it was to be restored. Now, Lupin and the gang are after the ambulance carrying the corpse and the diamond in it. Zenigata is in charge of the ambulance and its escort, and he attempts to prevent Lupin from stealing the diamond. | ||
| 07 | "A Wolf Calls a Wolf" "Ōkami wa Ōkami o Yobu" (狼は狼を呼ぶ) |
1971-12-05 |
| Three scrolls contain the secret of creating a blade like the Zantetsuken. Lupin wants to steal them as a matter of family pride because his grandfather, Arsene Lupin, stole them back in the 19th century. Lupin's father stole a dagger from a swordsman that was forged using the same process. The swordsman challenged Lupin II to a duel and lost. But, he managed to steal the scrolls for himself. Now, Lupin plans to steal the scrolls back, but to do so, he must face Goemon and Fujiko, who have their own plans for acquiring the scrolls. | ||
| 08 | "The All-Together Playing-Card Operation" "Zenin Shūgō Trump Sakusen" (全員集合トランプ作戦) |
1971-12-12 |
| Napoleon once owned a deck of fortune-telling cards that are now in the hands of a millionaire known as Mr. Gold. Lupin plans to steal them during Mr. Gold's birthday party, and Zenigata plans to stop him. Lupin succeeds in stealing the mysterious cards. | ||
| 09 | "Killer Sings the Blues" "Koroshiya wa Blues o Utau" (殺し屋はブルースを歌う) |
1971-12-19 |
| Lupin and the gang aim to steal the blue prints for a new computer. In their way is a man skilled with the machinegun and his hit-man partner named Poon, who used to be Fujiko's partner in the past. Lupin succeeds at his mission, but not before Poon and Fujiko come face to face. Poon's boss shoots Fujiko before they can have a proper reunion. Lupin manages to get Fujiko back to their hideout, but she is near death. Poon and his boss follow Lupin and manage to oust him from the hideout, which leaves the dying Fujiko inside. Lupin tries to get back to the hideout to save Fujiko's life. | ||
| 10 | "Hunt Down the Counterfeiter!" "Nisesatsutsukuri o Nerae!" (ニセ札つくりを狙え!) |
1971-12-26 |
| Lupin and Baron Ukraine are both after the world's most skilled counterfeiter. Lupin would have no problem beating the Baron, but the Baron has hired a man called Flinch along with Fujiko and gave them instructions to kill Lupin. | ||
| 11 | "When the Seventh Bridge Falls" "Nanabanme no Hashi ga Ochiru Toki" (7番目の橋が落ちるとき) |
1972-01-02 |
| Someone is posing as Lupin and blowing up bridges, causing a lot of damage and injuries. Lupin and Jigen discover that the bomber is trying to force an armored car to travel along a route of his choosing. They track down the bomber, but he forces Lupin and Jigen to attempt to rob the armored car. He threatens to kill a girl he kidnapped named Lisa unless Lupin and Jigen perform the job. | ||
| 12 | "Who Had the Last Laugh?" "Dare ga Saigo ni Waratta ka?" (誰が最後に笑ったか) |
1972-01-09 |
| Fujiko is racing against a criminal organization to acquire a pair of gold statues that are owned by a snowbound village in the mountains. Lupin makes plans to acquire the statues, as well. The village elder considers selling the statues in an effort to help his village. | ||
| 13 | "Beware the Time Machine!" "Time Machine ni Ki o Tsukero!" (タイムマシンに気をつけろ!) |
1972-01-16 |
| Mamo Kyosuke claims that Lupin will disappear from the world in four days. He claims that he is a time traveller from 2874 seeking revenge. Apparently, Lupin XIII destroyed the Mamo clan on March, 2874. Kyosuke has travelled back in time to destroy Lupin III and prevent his clan's future destruction. Kyosuke backs his claims up by travelling into the past and killing the builder of a castle causing it to disappear in front of Lupin's eyes. | ||
| 14 | "The Emerald's Secret" "Emerald no Himitsu" (エメラルドの秘密) |
1972-01-23 |
| Lupin and Fujiko are both after the legendary Eye of the Nile emerald. It is going to be a wedding gift presented at a wedding being held on a yacht. Lupin and Fujiko learn that Catherine Burgess, Queen of Hollywood, has lured them there to liven up her otherwise dull wedding party. | ||
| 15 | "Let's Catch Lupin and Go to Europe" "Lupin o Tsukamaete Europe e Ikō" (ルパンを捕まえてヨーロッパへ行こう) |
1972-01-30 |
| Zenigata has been invited to an international police convention in Europe; his chief wants him to go, but Zenigata does not want to since Lupin has declared that he will steal a gold bust within the next three days. Zenigata vows to catch Lupin before going to the convention. Lupin learns of this and begins to hatch a scheme that involves him being captured by Zenigata intentionally. | ||
| 16 | "Operation Jewel Snatch" "Hōseki Yokodori Sakusen" (宝石横取り作戦) |
1972-02-06 |
| Fujiko goads Lupin into stealing a large shipment of diamonds. Lupin takes the task despite Jigen's protest that Fujiko is playing them for fools. Of course, Jigen is right. | ||
| 17 | "Lupin Caught in a Trap" "Wana ni Kakatta Lupin" (罠にかかったルパン) |
1972-02-13 |
| Fujiko invites Lupin and the gang to a famous night club owned by the sexy Hoshikage Rinko. Only Goemon refuses. This was a wise move as Rinko places timebombs on Fujiko, Jigen, and Lupin. They must cough up 3,000,000,000 JPY within twenty-four hours if they want the bombs removed. | ||
| 18 | "Keep an Eye on the Beauty Contest" "Bijin Contest o Mark se yo" (美人コンテストをマークせよ) |
1972-02-20 |
| Smith is an art thief that is selling stolen paintings under the guise of a beauty contest. | ||
| 19 | "Which of the Third Generation Will Win!" "Dotchi ga Katsu ka Sandaime!" (どっちが勝つか三代目!) |
1972-02-27 |
| Inspector Ganimard III is the grandson of Lupin I's archnemesis. He has come to Japan has the head of security for the 1972 France Fair but also intends to restore his family's honor by arresting Lupin III. Ganimard publicly baits Lupin into trying to steal the Fair's exhibits by insulting Lupin's family pride. Ganimard is convinced that reason and science will capture Lupin. | ||
| 20 | "Catch the Phony Lupin!" "Nise Lupin o Tsukamaero!" (ニセルパンを捕まえろ!) |
1972-03-05 |
| Someone is committing thefts under Lupin's name. Lupin follows the imposters back to their island hideout. He has apparently stumbled into a whole island of thieves. | ||
| 21 | "Rescue the Tomboy!" "Jajaumamusume o Tasukedase!" (ジャジャ馬娘を助けだせ!) |
1972-03-12 |
| Rie is being held captive though she does not realize it. She believes the man holding her is a friend of her father, Ken Makita. Lupin shows up to rescue her. Rie does not want to be rescued by Lupin and does not understand why he is trying to. Lupin's father was a friend of Rie's father. The "friend" is Jooji Takigawa; he is holding Rie hostage in an attempt to get her father out of retirement to do his bidding. | ||
| 22 | "The First Move Wins Computer Operation!" "Sente Hisshō Computer Sakusen!" (先手必勝コンピューター作戦!) |
1972-03-19 |
| Gordon, an FBI computer specialist, is in Japan to operate a computer capable of predicting crimes and deteriming how to stop them. The Metropolitan Police Department hopes that this will finally help them capture Lupin. Zenigata is unimpressed and warns that the machine will not be able to stop Lupin. For once, Zenigata and Lupin see eye to eye. Lupin sets out to prove that the computer is no match for his intellect. | ||
| 23 | "The Great Gold Showdown!" "Ōgon no Daishōbu!" (黄金の大勝負!) |
1972-03-26 |
| In the series finale a disputed horde of recently discovered ancient gold coins draws the attention of Lupin and company. As the ownership of the coins is disputed, Lupin decides to settle the matter on his own by stealing them from the Dai Nippon Bank. This time, Zenigata decides not to wait for Lupin to carry out the hit but to counterattack by locating and raiding his hideout. After a dispute with his chief, he also offers him a letter of resignation in case of a further failure, and vows to stop Lupin on his own in one final showdown. | ||
Notes:
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