[10] Created by DiC Audiovisuel, with Rintaro directing, and character designs by Shingo Araki; two scripts were written, and one episode was fully animated with a music and sound effects track, but the voice-overs were never recorded. [3], Monkey Punch combined elements of Arsène Lupin with James Bond to develop the character of Lupin III and made him a "carefree fellow". Animated Adaptation: Lupin III began as a manga series, with stories that rarely lasted more than a single chapter. The project is a collaboration between NTV, WOWOW and Hulu Japan and stars Ryohei Suzuki, Atsuko Maeda and Takahiro Miura. He then meets Interpol Inspector Koichi Zenigata, who informs him that Michael, using the alias Georgio Zhang, is arranging a major auction with Momrachiao Pramuk, the chairman of Navarone Security and a crime lord in secret. On August 27, 2004, Futabasha launched Lupin III Official Magazine, a quarterly publication of Lupin III manga by various authors. Lupin, who has been spying on the pair, tells Michael that no matter who wins the auction, he will steal the necklace. The voice acting (in both Japanese and English versions) and soundtracks (especially those composed by Yuji Ohno) of the anime adaptations have also received similar compliments; however, several of the franchise's installments, most specifically the television specials, have been criticized for being formulaic. [24] A crossover special titled Lupin the 3rd vs. Detective Conan, featuring characters from both Lupin III and Detective Conan, aired on March 27, 2009, attracting a record audience share of 19.5. [53] A follow-up by the same staff entitled Goemon Ishikawa's Spray of Blood was released on February 4, 2017. He included the series in his list of 50 essential manga. [105][106] The film was the best-selling anime DVD in May 2001, and the third best selling in June. Bramhall criticized the inclusion of Goemon, “for no other reason than he’s obviously also from the manga”, the convoluted and exposition-heavy storyline, and described the action scenes as “the Hallmark Channel versions of the back seat car fight from The Raid 2, the Donnie Yen vs. Wu Jing fight from Sha Po Lang, and the car chase from The Matrix Reloaded”, lamenting that Japan’s need for its mainstream films to be shown on television as holiday specials frequently results in derivative and diluted productions. The plates were limited to 3000 across 4 categories with 2500 plates reserved for 50cc vehicles. Originally the series was only expected to last three months, but due to its popularity, Monkey Punch continued to draw it. [7] Another influence on the manga was Mad magazine. Fujiko takes the necklace and escapes while Lupin and Jigen escape together in their Fiat 500. [56] The second OVA, Return of the Magician was released on April 3, 2002 as part of the 30th anniversary of the first television series and features the return of one of the original villains of the series, the magician Pycal. They note that the first series is of a serious style, closer to the original manga with a dark tone and that it focuses on disputes between Lupin and other criminals. He also expressed that there was difficulty in having Lupin being clearly defined as the film’s protagonist instead of Michael Lee, a character who was created for the film to "drive the story". Lupin the … [55], Several original video animations (OVAs) based on Lupin III have been produced. Pramuk traps the pair in the vault, intending to suffocate them. [26], The second Lupin III television series began airing on NTV on October 3, 1977. [7], Monkey Punch has said that he believes the story can never end but that if he had to, both Zenigata and Lupin would have to end as equals. T he greatest trick by Lupin, a new French series on Netflix, is disguising substantiveness in plain sight.The show, created by the British showrunner George Kay and inspired by … Lupin III is not only a bad adaptation but a bad film in general. But one of the longest running adaptations is a Japanese creation, depicting the adventures of Lupin III (the thief’s grandson) via comics, movies and numerous anime series. [66], WhiteLight Entertainment, a production company owned by Gerald R. Molen, purchased the live-action theatrical rights to Lupin III in 2003. [19] It then made its International release at LA EigaFest 2014 on September 15, 2015. The video, which is set to the band's version of the anime's theme song, promoted the Lupin the Third Dance & Drive official covers & remixes CD. [82], To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the series, a live concert was held on September 8, 2007 performed by Yuji Ohno and the Lupintic Sixteen; a concert DVD was released in Japan on December 21, 2007. [121][122] Video game designer Hideo Kojima compared the personality of Lupin with Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid, stating that in "MGS, Snake became this sharp-tongued, Lupin III-like guy who flirted with women and told lots of jokes". However, he considered it a successful plot device in once chapter that while it may take several attempts to understand, eventually pays off. [11] In late 2009, ex-astronaut Buzz Aldrin, along with his then-wife Lois Cannon and daughter Lisa Cannon, sued WhiteLight and Guardian Pictures for breach of contract and fraud, as he had invested $200,000 into the production companies on the pretext that they were using the funds to make films that were never produced, including Lupin III. The ten shorts were released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on December 19, 2012. Lupin was given a red color jacket which Monkey Punch believes is a flashy, sexy color. In France, the series was known as Edgar, Detective Cambrioleur (Edgar, Detective Burglar) with Lupin himself renamed "Edgar de la Cambriole" (Edgar of Burglary). [54] Another, Fujiko Mine's Lie, was released on May 31, 2019. Within two years of the initial serials, a pilot cartoon was made in an attempt to garner interest for an adaptation as either a movie or TV series. [70], Two stage adaptations have been produced. [85][86][87], The Lupin III franchise has experienced lasting popularity in Japan; the manga was listed in 38th place on Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs' 2007 list of the top 50 manga series. [22], Writing for Kotaku, Richard Eisenbeis described Lupin the 3rd as “both a Terrible Adaptation and a Horrible Film”, criticizing the script’s numerous plot holes (namely the absurdity behind the buy/sell auction between Michael and Pramuk, in which a live studio audience becomes a “room full of witnesses for illegal dealings”), Kitamura’s “nauseating” direction of the action scenes, and the impractical costumes worn by Lupin, Saber and Maria. The tradition started with Bye Bye, Lady Liberty on April 4, 1989. Later, Lupin unsuccessfully tries to get Fujiko to wear the Crimson Heart, and Zenigata returns to pursue them. The comedy heist movie was first released in Japanese theaters back in December 2019, and the film is the latest adaptation for the long-running manga--which started way back in 1967. [12] Because of budget problems, TMS decided not to employ the regular voice cast from the television series and theatrical movies; instead, they hired a different cast to save money. [37][38] Manga Entertainment released a similar set in the United Kingdom on September 16, while Hanabee released the series in a two-part combo set in Australasia, the first on October 16 and the second on November 20. Originally the intention was to keep the blood ties between the two fictional characters secret, however he was convinced by others not to do so. [65] Two new television specials aired in 2019. [29] Voice director Richard Epcar stated in 2014 that the remainder of the series was not distributed by Pioneer because they lost the license. [100] Both Chris Beveridge of Mania.com and Mike Crandol of ANN disliked the dub of the second television series because Pioneer Entertainment used many modern references and updated dialogue for a series that was released in the late 1970s, although the series itself received a positive overall review from both reviewers. They would either both fail, both win or both get very old. This series was broadcast for 50 episodes and ended on November 6, 1985. Elusiveness of the Fog, the nineteenth Lupin III TV special, uses a time machine to jump ahead to 2883 and glimpse Lupin XXXIII, a.k.a. It was the last Lupin animation to feature Makio Inoue as Goemon, Eiko Masuyama as Fujiko Mine and Gorō Naya as Inspector Zenigata. Kitamura later hired Los Angeles-based journalist Joseph "Joey" O’Bryan – who he described as his "strongest weapon" – to co-write the screenplay with him. Monkey Punch is a resident of the city and the plates were commissioned for the 60th anniversary of being awarded city status. Unlike the majority of the Lupin III anime adaptations which trade on toothless ribald humor, Fujiko Mine makes good on the promise of sex and violence while remaining true to … [59], A memorial episode titled Is Lupin Still Burning? Audience opinions were mixed, with some viewing the film as “an enjoyable time to be had to the whole family”, while others viewed it as part of a “terrible live-action adaptation trend that has been going on through the years”. In a way, Lupin itself pulls a heist on its audience. [81] Lupin the 3rd Original Soundtrack, released on April 8, 2003, is a collection of fifteen themes from the second television series performed by Yuji Ohno with his jazz group You & the Explosion Band. [24] In 2009, the Southern California-based United Television Broadcasting network began airing subtitled episodes from all three series on their UTBHollywood channel. However, this is contrasted by the appeal of Zenigata's strict personality. One such example is the Moai statue in Shibuya, which was taken elsewhere for cleaning on December 7, but was replaced by the calling card of the master thief that read "Thanks for the Moai". A trio of thugs led by Michael - Royal, Saber and Maria - steal the necklace and kill Jiro and Dawson, apparently in revenge for "Edward Lam", resulting in the disbanding of The Works. [58] A parody flash anime titled Lupin Shanshei (ルパンしゃんしぇい, Rupan Shanshei) was produced by animator Frogman and his studio DLE Inc. in collaboration with TMS. Lupin the Third Part I is a Japanese anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment.It is the first television anime series adaptation of the Lupin III manga created by Monkey Punch.The series was originally broadcast as simply Lupin III (Japanese: ルパン三世, Hepburn: Rupan Sansei) between October 24, 1971 and March 26, 1972. [28] The first 79 episodes were released on 15 DVDs and 26 episodes (the first 27, excluding the third episode) aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The comedy heist movie was first released in Japanese theaters back in December 2019, and the film is the latest adaptation … The project was cancelled due to Leblanc's estate wanting a large amount of money for use of the Arsène Lupin name in France. [24] 2007's Elusiveness of the Fog was broadcast on July 27 as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of the original manga, featuring the return of a villain from the original television series, Kyousuke Mamo. [24], A film to be directed by Mamoru Oshii was planned and widely advertised for a summer 1985 release. In 1971, Monkey Punch’s action manga Lupin III got a TV anime adaptation. It was serialized by Futabasha in Weekly Manga Action in 94 chapters from August 10, 1967. He rated the series four out of four stars. Lupin the 3rd (ルパン三世, Rupan Sansei) is a 2014 Japanese heist film directed by Ryuhei Kitamura based on the manga of the same name by Monkey Punch, starring an ensemble cast led by Shun Oguri, Jerry Yan, Tetsuji Tamayama, Gō Ayano, Meisa Kuroki and Tadanobu Asano. ← Previous. [31] The Discotek release utilized the existing Pioneer dub for the first 79 episodes and the Streamline dub for episodes 145 and 155; a new English dub was not created for the remaining episodes. [33], The third Lupin III television series, called Lupin III Part III, began airing on YTV on March 3, 1984. [13], Filming began on October 3, 2013, and included scenes shot in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines, before moving to Thailand for two months. Tabuchi-kun!! The cast features Shun Oguri as Lupin, Meisa Kuroki as Fujiko, Tetsuji Tamayama as Jigen, Gō Ayano as Goemon, and Tadanobu Asano as Zenigata. [3] In the manga they operated individually, however in the anime adaptations the group tend to work together. While Lupin, Fujiko, Jigen and Goemon frequently operate together for their own goals, the author considers them not to be a true group as they have their own individual interests. The televised series proved to be popular, prompting the creation of a second series as well as a feature-length film. Additional chapters known as Lupin III New Adventures were released from August 12, 1971. Monkey Punch, the creator of the original manga, expressed no desire in being involved in the production of the film. It is set in France, the home of the main character's grandfather and namesake,[45] and aired on NTV from April 4 to September 18, 2018. This series was broadcast for 155 episodes, with the last one airing on October 6, 1980. [20][21] Tokyopop later cancelled the series due to low sales. It was included in the first DVD/Blu-ray set of the Part 5 anime on July 25, 2018. Areas frequently targeted for criticism were Ryuhei Kitamura's direction, the film's supporting characters, screenplay, cinematography and editing (especially in the action scenes), costume design and soundtrack. [35] Funimation Entertainment simulcast the series on their website and Nico Nico with English subtitles,[36] before releasing it on Blu-ray/DVD on August 20, 2013 with an English-language dub. Creating a new female character each week was too difficult for Monkey Punch so she evolved into a single character who changes style frequently. Director of "Lupin the Third," Ryuhei Kitamura What's Up Hollywood2", Lupin the 3rd vs. Detective Conan: The Movie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lupin_the_3rd_(film)&oldid=1008689620, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 February 2021, at 15:25. [115], Critical reception of the 2014 live-action film was generally negative among Japanese and Western film critics, especially following the film's showing at LA EigaFest. Various iconic anime directors, including Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Seijun Suzuki and Sayo Yamamoto, have put their own spin on the classic character and his companions: the samurai-wannabe Goemon, the … [67], A new live-action film, titled simply Lupin the 3rd and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, was released on August 30, 2014. Lupin beats his fellow Works members Fujiko Mine (his would-be lover), Pierre (a computer genius) and Jiro to the theft of an ancient Olympic medal in Singapore, but is forced to surrender it to his rival, Michael Lee, when he threatens to kill him and Fujiko. Lupin begrudgingly accepts, and enlists Goemon Ishikawa XIII into the gang. Monkey Punch and Yu Yamada (Shun Oguri's wife) make cameo appearances as a passenger and air hostess respectively on Lupin and Jigen's flight from Japan to Thailand. income - jacking the digital profits from a pack of dark web drug dealers who distribute narcotics online via an illegal marketplace called Like Part 4, the English dub was aired by Toonami. [4] Although financially successful, critical and audience opinions of the film were mixed to negative, with criticism frequently focusing on the film's derivative and convoluted narrative. [61], Between 1989 and 2013, a new animated television special by TMS Entertainment aired on NTV every year. Molen noted that the five main characters would be featured in an upcoming film, and that some creative licence would have to be taken to "make the story work". [9][10] This release date was later pushed back to 2009, by which point the film had still not formally entered production. It is the second live-action film adaptation of the manga, following Lupin III: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy (1974). [4][7] He believes the characters of Lupin and Fujiko are similar to the characters of D'Artagnan and Milady de Winter, and describes them as "Not necessarily lovers, not necessarily husband and wife, but more just having fun as man and woman with each other". The Fuma Conspiracy was shown in theaters in Japan on December 26, 1987 before being released to video on April 5, 1988. The aim of the Lupin III series was to produce a comedy adventure series that reflected the traits of Leblanc's character. [126] [42][43] It aired in the US on the Toonami block of Adult Swim starting in June 2017.[44]. It makes sense the Netflix series would film in the country. Monkey Punch enjoys puzzles and mysteries such as Columbo and Agatha Christie novels, and was also inspired by The Three Musketeers and the movies of Alfred Hitchcock. The first Lupin III theatrical feature was a live-action movie released on August 3, 1974. [104] While the film was not initially a box-office success, it gained popularity through numerous re-releases and was even voted as "the best anime in history" by the readers of Animage. [34], The fourth series, titled Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, aired on NTV for 13 episodes between April 4, 2012 and June 27, 2012. These include over 48 soundtrack albums by Takeo Yamashita and Yuji Ohno for the TV series, movies, and specials, as well as 15 collections of jazz arrangements by the Yuji Ohno trio, the Lupintic Five, and the Lupintic Sixteen. Lupin III was written and illustrated by Monkey Punch. While Lupin and the Japanese anime show Lupin the Third (or Lupin III) share a very similar title, the Netflix series is not actually based on the anime. Lupin the 3rd: Sideburn Club Mix is a collection of thirteen remixed themes from the first television series, which was released in conjunction with the first DVD volume on January 28, 2003. [25], Ryuhei Kitamura has stated in 2014 that a sequel is in development. [132][133] The exhibit then moved to Aomori's Sunroad shopping centre from December 21, 2013 until January 21, 2014. [24], Four years after the two series had a crossover TV special together, Lupin the 3rd vs. Detective Conan: The Movie was released on December 7, 2013, making it the first Lupin III theatrical feature in 17 years.[12]. If you give a big budget to people without any sense, you end up with an outlandish movie. The live-action Lupin stars Omar Sy as Assane Diop, a gentleman thief and master of deception, as he works to avenge his father after he was accused of stealing a necklace once belonging to Marie Antoinette. The series was broadcast for 23 episodes, with the last one airing on March 26, 1972. The Lupin III manga, which first appeared in Weekly Manga Action on August 10, 1967, spawned a media franchise that includes numerous manga, two versions of an animated pilot film, six animated television series, eleven theatrically-released animated films, two live-action films, five OVA works, twenty-seven animated television specials, two musicals, many music CDs, and several video games. [24], Paul Bramhall of Cityonfire.com rated the film 3/10, and described it as “a poorly executed retread of the 2012 Korean film The Thieves", noting that Kitamura’s film “steals” plot elements and character motivations from Choi Dong-hoon's film more than it does from Monkey Punch's manga. [83] Play the Lupin clips x parts, a compilation of Lupin animation clips set to music from the series, as well as the opening and ending credits from a number of Lupin III productions, was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in Japan on May 22, 2009. [24], The Lupin III Master File box set released in 2012 included a new short animation titled Lupin Family Lineup (ルパン一家勢揃い, Rupan Ikka Seizoroi) where the veteran cast of Kanichi Kurita as Lupin, Kiyoshi Kobayashi as Jigen, Makio Inoue as Goemon, Eiko Masuyama as Fujiko, and Goro Naya as Zenigata reunited for the last time, after the later three were replaced for the previous year's TV special. However, the copyright has since expired, allowing foreign releases to use the Lupin name. [92] In 2001, the magazine Animage elected the original Lupin III TV series the ninth best anime production of all time. Principal photography concluded on December 26, 2013. It’s been a long time since that first Green Jacket installment, to the point that the show turns 50 this year. [22], Film critic Yuichi Maeda rated the film 3 out of 100 in an online review, writing “The exhibitionism of the movie, ‘Isn’t this action cool?’, ‘Isn’t this pose cool?’, ‘This line’, ‘This costume’, ‘This (etc)’ all feels extremely forced. It aired in Italy for 26 episodes on the Italia 1 channel between August 30, 2015 and November 30, 2015, while in Japan it aired for 24 episodes on NTV between October 1, 2015 and March 17, 2016. [101][102] Rob Lineberger of DVD Verdict wrote, "Lupin the Third is James Bond meets Charlie's Angels with Scooby-Doo sensibilities. Funimation Entertainment purchased the rights to several of the television specials and films in 2002, and the fourth television series in 2012. [90][91] The Castle of Cagliostro was in 5th place on Agency for Cultural Affairs' list of the best anime, while the original television series was in 50th place on the same list. [15] The first teaser for the film was released online on April 25, 2014,[16] while the full trailer was uploaded on June 25. Tokyopop licensed the series for North America, and released all 14 volumes between December 10, 2002 and July 6, 2004. #01: The World's Most Wanted", "Twitter Question Regarding Lupin III Part II English Dub", "Discotek Adds Lupin the Third Series 2 TV Anime", "Discotek to Release Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-chan, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, God Mazinger Anime on January 28", "ANIME NEWS: 'Lupin III Master File' Blu-ray, DVD hit stores in March", "Lupin III Part II Airs with Subs in Southern California", "New Lupin III TV Anime's Staff, Cast, Title Revealed", "Funimation to Simulcast New Lupin III TV Anime Series", "Funimation Reveals Dub Casts for Fujiko Mine, Eureka 7 AO, Michiko & Hatchin Anime", "Funimation Delays Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine by 3 Weeks", "No Delay for UK Release of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine", "Hanabee Announces Third Suprise [sic] Announcement - Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine", "2015 Lupin III TV Anime's New Video, Ending Theme Revealed", "Anime Limited Updates from MCM London Comic Con", "Discotek Licenses Lupin III: Part IV for 2017 Release With English Dub", "Lupin III: Part IV to Premiere on Toonami With English Dub", "Lupin III Gets 5th Anime Series Set in France", "Redline's Koike to Direct Lupin the IIIrd: Daisuke Jigen's Gravestone Film", "Lupin III Gets New Theatrical Anime Centering on Goemon on February 4", "Lupin the Third's CGI movie actually looks great", "So, Which Lupin the Third Anime Should You Watch Next? O’Bryan and Kitamura wrote three separate drafts, which were compiled by Yamamoto into a complete script. Michael places Lupin in the vault's safe and blows the vault door up, killing himself but saving Lupin. [134], In 2012, the Hokkaido Railway Company unveiled Lupin III-themed trains on their Hanasaki Line between Kushiro and Nemuro station, in honor of Monkey Punch, who is a native of Hokkaido. [138], This article is about the media franchise. [93] In 2012, 38.7% of people polled by Tokyo Polytechnic University named Lupin III as part of Cool Japan. The Pilot Film was created by Sugii, Yasuo Otsuka, Tsutomu Shibayama and Osamu Kobayashi, with supervision by Masaaki Ōsumi. ", "Lupin III Master File BD/DVD to Include New Anime Short", "Eagle Talon/Thermae Romae's Frogman, TMS Make Lupin III Parody Anime", "Lupin the 3rd Returning to Toonami with Special OVA", "Lupin III's Voice Cast Changed for 1st Time in 16 Years", "Attack on Titan's Yui Ishikawa Stars in 24th Lupin III TV Special", "Lupin the 3rd: Strange Psychokinetic Strategy", "Kill Bill's Tomoyasu Hotei Performs Live-Action Lupin III's Theme Song", "Madman Entertainment Acquisitions from Supanova Adelaide 2014", "Exclusive interview! [9] Many of the first volumes of the English edition of the Lupin III manga released by Tokyopop made it onto ICv2's list of top 50 graphic novels, as well as later volumes from the series. On January 8, 2016, a special tie-in with the Part IV TV series aired. [5][6][7], In 2003, Schindler’s List and Minority Report producer Gerald R. Molen, through his production company WhiteLight Entertainment, purchased the live-action film adaptation rights to the Lupin III franchise. However, despite his happiness at its success, he has expressed confusion over its popularity. [12][13] Three chapters were published in the British magazine Manga Mania between May and July 1996. [112][113] Mania.com gave 2002's Episode 0: First Contact an A+ and hailed it as the best TV special made to date. While meeting with her, Lupin is turned in to the police in Thailand. The all-female acting troupe Takarazuka Revue began a stage musical adaptation of the series on January 1, 2015. The film was also criticized for having most of its dialogue performed in English (resulting in poor delivery and intonation of numerous lines by its Asian cast members), and for overall squandering its potential as an adaptation of Monkey Punch's manga. [127], In 2009, Japanese-Canadian rock band Monkey Majik created an animated music video in which its members meet the Lupin III cast. [8] Monkey Punch said the appeal of drawing Lupin comes from the character being able to go anywhere without obstacles and being able to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. [95] Allen Divers of Anime News Network (ANN) praised the strong writing and action; however, he felt that the art was too primitive. Zenigata then discovers too late that the necklace and ruby given to him by Lupin were fakes. [9] Like the first series, the Tokyopop release was based on the Chuokoron Shinsha edition from 1990. The film is an origin story that presents its characters in a modernized context,[2][3] and follows the title character as he forms his thieving gang to steal a Cleopatran necklace while facing opposition from Michael Lee, his rival, and Pramuk, a crime boss. Lupin the 3rd premiered in Japan on August 30, 2014, and made its international premiere at LA EigaFest 2014. The series was created in 1965 by Japanese manga artist Kazuhiko Katō under the pen name Monkey Punch. Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of the fictional gentleman thief, Arsène Lupin, is considered the world's greatest thief, known for announcing his intentions to steal valuable objects by sending a calling card to their owners. [12], —Kitamura on the creation of Michael Lee[13], In 2011, Japanese producer Mataichirō Yamamoto acquired the adaptation rights, and hired Ryuhei Kitamura, with whom he had previously collaborated with on Azumi, to co-write a new screenplay with him and direct the film. [8] A year later, David Ranes and Chet Thomas were named as the film’s screenwriters, and the release date was set as being late spring 2006. [78][79][80], Geneon Entertainment has released two of the music CDs in the United States. Together with his fellows, he steals the World's notable treasures. It was serialized by Futabasha in Weekly Manga Action in 94 chapters from August 10, 1967. [21], Critical reception of Lupin the 3rd was generally negative among Japanese and Western film critics, especially following the film’s showing at LA EigaFest. In most adaptations, though (including a 2019 Japanese anime Lupin III: The First), Lupin is set during some period of French history. [4], Chris Beveridge of Mania.com gave The Castle of Cagliostro an "A+", although he disliked Manga Entertainment's use of PG-13 level language in the English dub. The film adaptation will follow an original story which depicts Lupin III's first work. The film was also criticized for having most of its dialogue performed in English (resulting in poor delivery and intonation of numerous lines by its Asian cast members), and for overall squandering its potential as an adaptation of Monkey Punch's manga. At a meeting of The Works, Fujiko is hailed as the culprit behind the theft (thanks to her machinations), and Thomas Dawson, the leader of the organization and Lupin's mentor, shows them the most valuable item in The Works' possession - the Crimson Heart of Cleopatra, a necklace commissioned by Mark Antony to symbolize his love for the Queen of the Nile. Since then, seven theatrical animated films based on Lupin III have been created by TMS Entertainment. [5], When Monkey Punch began Lupin III, he was already working on another series, Pinky Punky. Eisenbeis concluded his review by describing Lupin the 3rd as “nothing but a schlock action movie; and while 20 years ago it might have been acceptable among the horde of similar films, that boat has long since set sail”. It follows the adventures of Arsène Lupin III, grandson of the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin… The Tokyopop edition is adapted from the Chuokoron Shinsha edition from 1989. [10] Since then Lupin video games have been released for a number of platforms including Family Computer, Super Famicom, Sony PlayStation, Sony PlayStation 2, Sega Saturn, Nintendo DS and Sega Naomi. Lupin and Michael enter the Ark disguised as Zenigata and Commander Narong of the Thai Army, and upload a virus into the Ark's networks in the guise of a calling card from Lupin. [62], The 2011 special Blood Seal - Eternal Mermaid brought new voice actors for Fujiko, Zenigata and Goemon, the first change in 16 years.