If the world of anime could have its most famous thief, it would be none other than Arsene Lupin III, the grandson to the gentleman thief Arsene Lupin of Maurice Leblanc’s stories, who also stars in Lupin 3. In both the anime and manga, Lupin 3 follows the rather crazy adventures of Lupin III and his group of fellow thieves as they steal numerous artifacts around the globe.
Despite the first part of the anime having been released as far back as 1971, it earned critical acclaim among fans that it spawned five more anime arcs. As such, the current “Part 6” of the anime has been ongoing since 2021. However, of all seasons of the Lupin 3 anime, just which of them are the best for newcomers to see first and for older fans to rewatch?
6 Part 3 (1984)
Despite being the more obscure Lupin 3 season, Lupin 3 Part 3 is a good reflection of 1980s Japan, especially given its 1984 release. This 50-episode part tries to combine both the light-hearted elements of Part 2 with the trademark darker tone of Part 1, resulting in an anime season that pretty much gave it a mood that set it apart from the previous Lupin 3 iterations.
Also known as the Pink Jacket era, Part 3 also became notable for Lupin III’s pink jacket, something he wore for the entirety of the season. Unlike other seasons, Part 3 also had somewhat of a more playful take on the animation department, courtesy of director Yuzo Aoki giving the animation team more freedom in how they want to express Lupin’s adventures.
5 Part 4: The Italian Adventure (2015)
Although released in Fall 2015 in Japan, Lupin 3 Part 4: The Italian Adventure actually aired much earlier in the summer, appropriately in Italy. Fans who want a more modern take of the Lupin 3 formula should start with The Italian Adventure, while older fans will appreciate how modern animation and a modern storyline didn’t sacrifice the seasoned tropes the series was known for.
On top of the more modern “feel,” The Italian Adventure also introduces newcomer Rebecca Rossellini. Rebecca is first introduced as a wealthy heiress, but she eventually starts committing thefts to get out of her rather boring upper-class lifestyle. In a surprising twist, Rebecca becomes Lupin’s wife, introducing a new dynamic to the core cast.
4 Part 5: Misadventures In France (2018)
The next Lupin anime takes Lupin and the gang to where his origins began: France. Released in 2018, Lupin 3 Part 5: Misadventures In France continues Lupin’s international adventures, this time taking him and the group to France as they try to steal digital currency. Instead of pursuing an individual, Lupin instead pursues a dark web website, named Marco Polo. Also introduced in the anime is Ami Enan, a genius-level hacker who formerly worked for Marco Polo. She decides to work with Lupin and the gang after they rescue her from abduction.
Although Misadventures In France doesn’t stray too far from the formula set by The Italian Adventure, this season was an improvement for its new take on the episodic formula. This season splits episodes into arcs, all standalone but still with contributions to overarching arcs. More importantly, Part 5 dives deep into the relationship of Lupin and Fujiko, something not done in the previous seasons.
3 Part 6 (2021)
Of all parts of the Lupin anime, it’s perhaps Lupin 3 Part 6 that perhaps adds a lot of modern flavor into the series. Instead of having Lupin and his crew take on an individual or stealing yet another treasure, Part 6 will have Lupin and his friends solve a mystery - this time featuring the world’s greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes himself.
In Part 6, Lupin becomes the prime suspect of the murder of Dr. James Watson, the partner of Sherlock Holmes. And while Lupin has to prove his innocence, they would also have to steal a treasure from the Raven, a mysterious organization that seems to manipulate the British government from behind the scenes. While the anime is still ongoing, the mystery element of solving Dr. Watson’s murder adds quite a unique flair to the Lupin formula, and easily makes it a must-watch.
2 Part 2 (1977)
With an arc spanning a whopping 155 episodes, it’s no doubt that Lupin 3 Part 2 is likely the Lupin anime anyone is most familiar with. With its episodes encompassing the “Red Jacket” era, Part 2 takes a light-hearted approach to its stories, some of which adapt the original manga stories of Monkey Punch albeit with a lighter twist.
The lighter and more exaggerated animations made Part 2 more of a crime caper, and the series also became popular for its regular feature of pop culture references. However, Lupin fans would remember Part 2 to be the one where Hayao Miyazaki actually wrote two episodes (145 and 155), under the pseudonym Terekomu.
1 Part 1 (1971)
The series that started it all - Lupin 3 Part 1 is a classic take on the caper at its finest. The anime finally introduces Lupin 3rdfor the first time, who is the grandson of the legendary thief Arsene Lupin. He eventually assembles his rag-tag group of fellow thieves, starting with marksman Jigan and the femme fatale Fujiko. Surprisingly enough, swordsman Goemon begins as an antagonist and rival here before he and Lupin start a friendship. And, of course, Inspector Zenigata has been pursuing Lupin III ever since.
Taking cues from the original manga, Lupin 3 Part 1 is perhaps the most faithful adaptation of the Lupin character prior to any stylistic changes in subsequent arcs. Its first 12 episodes were arguably some of the darkest episodes of the entire franchise, with a lighter tone being used with the next episodes. Regardless, this darker tone gave fans a look into one of the many faces the Lupin anime could’ve had.
Lupin 3rd Part 6 began airing last October 2021.