The world’s greatest gentleman thief is celebrating a milestone…
On October 24th, 1971, an exciting new anime premiered based on the hit manga “LUPIN III” by legendary creator Monkey Punch. For 50 years, the exploits of master thief Lupin III and his gang of outlaw pals have thrilled and entertained audiences worldwide, spawning over 300 serialized episodes, more than 10 feature films, dozens of standalone specials and OVAs, with even more adventures currently in the works. As one of the most popular and prolific animated franchises, it has evolved through the decades, capturing the hearts of several generations.
Now, fifty years later, Magnetic Press and TMS Entertainment take an official look back at the animated history of this beloved character through the decades in a premium, comprehensive 50th Anniversary Art Book!
Image from LUPIN THE 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro, 1979.
Image from LUPIN THE 3rd PART 3, 1984.
Image from LUPIN THE IIIRD: Jigen’s Gravestone, 2014.
Image from LUPIN III: The First, 2019.
A Celebration in Premium Hardcover
Deluxe Limited Edition Slipcase Set
NOTE: Due to license restrictions, we cannot ship to Russia, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, or Japan.
Meet the gang
Character design sketch and screen image from LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6, 2021.
Lupin III
The grandson of the infamous “Gentleman Burglar” Arsène Lupin, Lupin III is the world’s most wanted master thief. His cavalier and lighthearted attitude hides a skillful craftiness and sharp wit that has saved him from numerous dangerous situations throughout the years. While the next big score and the thrill of the chase drive him from one adventure to the next, his heart often becomes the biggest hurdle when an innocent bystander enters the picture…
Character design sketch and screen image from LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6, 2021.
DAISUKE JIGEN
A smooth gunman and Lupin’s right hand on many of his heists and adventures. Despite Lupin’s often crazy plans and ideas, Jigen remains Lupin’s loyal and reliable partner to the end.
Character design sketch and screen image from LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6, 2021.
GOEMON ISHIKAWA
The 13th in a line of renegade samurai descended from the legendary outlaw hero Ishikawa Goemon. He quietly follows Lupin on his exploits, often lending a voice of morality when tactics are questionable.
Character design sketch and screen image from LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6, 2021.
FUJIKO MINE
A professional cat burglar and con artist. Her actions frequently lead to suspicion, as she has been known to make deals with their adversaries for her own personal gain. Lupin enjoys their game of wits, however.
Character design sketch and screen image from LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6, 2021.
INSPECTOR ZENIGATA
A Police Inspector who has made it his life’s mission to capture Lupin. While his dogged tenacity and lawfulness often cause the gang trouble, his pure code of ethics can sometimes make him useful in a jam…
Memorable Entries in the Series
- LUPIN THE 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro
- LUPIN THE 3rd PART 4
- LUPIN THE IIIRD Series
- LUPIN III: The First
- LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6
LUPIN THE 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro
Released in 1979, LUPIN THE 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro is perhaps the most widely recognized entry in the LUPIN THE 3rd franchise, notable for being the first feature film to be directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki (Co-founder of Studio Ghibli, and director of such celebrated anime classics as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and My Neighbor Totoro). Filled with Lupin III’s trademarked charm and over-the-top antics, it has inspired generations of animators, storytellers, and creators worldwide.
Image from LUPIN THE 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro, 1979.
LUPIN THE 3rd PART 4
After 30 years of feature films and standalone specials, Lupin returned to serialized episodic anime in 2015 with LUPIN THE 3rd PART 4, a 26-episode season that opened with Lupin’s wedding to Rebecca Rossellini, a thrill-seeker with a mysterious secret of her own. Lupin’s methods and agendas began to tackle contemporary issues and crimes, bringing the character fully into the 21st Century.
Screen image from LUPIN THE 3rd PART 4, 2015.
LUPINÂ THE IIIRD Series
A series of standalone films released between 2014 and 2019 focused on each of Lupin III’s partners — JIGEN’S GRAVESTONE, GOEMON’S BLOOD SPRAY, and FUJIKO’S LIE.
Directed by Takeshi Koike (best known in the US for Afro Samurai and Redline), each of these three tales sheds new light on the title characters’ pasts, told in a much more mature, gritty noir style.
Screen image from LUPIN THEÂ IIIrd: Jigen’s Gravestone, 2014.
LUPIN III: The First
Lupin III’s first theatrical outing in fully-rendered CGI, LUPIN III: The First was released in 2019, introducing the franchise to a new generation of fans around the world. Filled with all of the signature wit, humor, and thrills of LUPIN THE 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro, it marked a major milestone in the franchise.
Screen image from LUPIN III: The First, 2019.
LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6
Premiering October 2021 as part of Lupin’s 50th Anniversary, PART 6 continues the adventures of Lupin III and his gang in all-new adventures including an encounter with a (contemporary) Sherlock Holmes!
LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6 is now streaming on Sentai HIDIVE, with new episodes premiering weekly!
Screen image from LUPIN THE 3rd Part 6, 2021.
Illustration by Monkey Punch. © Monkey Punch
Born Kazuhiko Kato in 1937, Monkey Punch began his career as a manga author in the early 1960s. As his career started to take off he began to write under a penname suggested by his editor at the time: Monkey Punch. With his next work being the hit LUPIN III, the identity stuck with him for the rest of his career.
Debuting in Weekly Manga Action in 1967, it became so popular that it spawned a franchise. While he continued to create new stories and manga through the late 1990s, LUPIN III remained his most defining and successful works until his passing on April 11th, 2019.
Character Design from LUPIN THE 3rd PART 6, 2021.
Where to watch LUPIN THE 3RD
For all the latest information on LUPIN THE 3rd, including home video releases,
special screenings, and streaming news, visit TMSAnime.com/Lupin-the-3rd!
Many seasons, specials, and feature films in the LUPIN THE 3rd series are available on these streaming services (and more)! Check your local listings to see what’s available on your favorite platform!
The newest series “PART 6” is now streaming on Hidive!
About MAGNETIC PRESS LLC
MAGNETIC PRESS is a subsidiary of Polarity that publishes graphic novels, art books, and periodicals curated with a focus on internationally recognized content and talent, presented with premium quality design and production value. The Magnetic brand was founded by writer and video game veteran Mike Kennedy in 2013 as the independent publishing company Magnetic Press, Inc, featuring creators both new and established from around the world, sharing their stories with an English-language audience often for the first time. Their award-winning library includes such celebrated titles as the Love series of wordless wildlife graphic novels, as well as Eisner-nominated books Mister Invincible, Pistouvi, Irena, Stay, A Sea of Love, Watersnakes, Herakles, Doomboy, A Glance Backward, Little Tails, The Ghost of Gaudi, and Dave Dorman’s Wasted Lands Omnibus. Magnetic has earned a total of 23 Eisner Award nominations in their first six-of-six years of eligibility. Magnetic also won the Gold Medal of Excellence in the graphic novel category of the 2015 Independent Publisher Awards for Love: The Fox
About TMS ENTERTAINMENT USA, INC.
TMS Entertainment USA, Inc. is a subsidiary of TMS Entertainment Co., Ltd. (better known as TMS), one of the largest anime studios in Japan. With a strong focus on anime production, licensing, and distribution businesses, TMS boasts a library of over 12,000 episodes across a total of 420 titles that include much-loved anime titles such as Lupin the 3rd, Dr. STONE, and MEGALOBOX. For more information, visit www.tmsanime.com
Original comic books created by Monkey Punch.
© Monkey Punch All Rights Reserved.
© TMS All Rights Reserved.
© TMS/NTV All Rights Reserved.
© Monkey Punch / 2019 LUPIN THE 3rd Film Partners
© Monkey Punch/TMS/NTV