For over 50 years, anime fans have enjoyed the exploits of one Arsene Lupin III, thanks to the hit manga Lupin the Third by Monkey Punch and its plethora of anime adaptations. 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 femme-fatale Fujiko, gun-toting Jigen and the eternally-determined Inspector Zenigata.

With the upcoming CGI-film Lupin III: The First, many are being introduced to the franchise for the first time. If you want to become a Lupin the Third fan, where should you start watching?

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Should You Start at the Beginning?

With many franchises, it's tempting to just say, "Start at the beginning!" In this case, that means either the Monkey Punch manga or the first anime adaptation, Lupin the Third: Part I. In both cases, while this is the logical starting point, it also might not be the best point for new entrants to the series.

The original manga, which ran for 94 chapters collected in 14 volumes, is a classic, but it's also dated. Modern readers unaccustomed to retro manga from this era might find Monkey Punch's style a little too stilted to their liking. However, the bigger issue is that the original manga conflicts tonally with modern Lupin thanks to its focus on crime over humor. This is mainly because Monkey Punch based his Lupin on the classic French gentleman thief character, Arsene Lupin, as well as on James Bond. In order to pay tribute to both, Monkey Punch played up the womanizing thief angle more than the zany adventure angle.

Likewise, the 1971 anime, Lupin the Third: Part I, is far less fun and more intense than later installments. Initially, Part I was directed by Masaaki Ōsumi, but he was replaced by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata midway through the 23 episode series. Under its new directors, second half of the series moved more towards adventure-driven episodes, but the Green Suit era of Part I is generally edgier than later Lupin affairs. The earlier episodes are a poor introduction to Lupin as it exists today, but if you want to see the progression of Lupin's character over time, this is a good place to start.

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The Two Best Entry Points

Lupin the Third covered in stacks of money in the cab of a car

Many fans seem to agree that the two best points to get into the series are 1977's Lupin the Third: Part II and 2015's Lupin the Third: Part IV.

Lupin the Third: Part II was the start of the Red Suit era of Lupin, and built off the strengths of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata's work on Part I (Miyazaki directed two episodes of Part II as well under the pseudonym "Tsutomu Teruki"). The series presented a far more lively spirit of adventure to Lupin's character, softening his morality in the process. While Part II still presents Lupin as essentially selfish and self-serving, there is a lot more heart to his character than before, which would carry through in later series.

However, when Miyazaki made the film The Castle of Cagliostro, he made Lupin an even more good-hearted character, arguably pushing Lupin's morality a little too far out of a character. It's wise to watch Castle of Cagliostro after Part II for this reason, since it might be more jarring to see Lupin's more morally gray actions in the series coming off the film. It also doesn't help that, since Cagliostro sees Lupin wearing his Part I Green Suit, it feels aesthetically divorced from Part II.

By contrast, Lupin the Third: Part IV: The Italian Adventure is a more modern reimagining of the character. While the previous Lupin stories were more episodic in nature, this series is one complete narrative spread over 26 episodes. The 2015 series successfully tells a self-contained story that requires little background knowledge to appreciate or understand what's happening.

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Where to Go Next?

Two other TV series in the franchse come highly recommended, but require some background knowledge of the characters and their relationships to fully appreciate. 2012's Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine is directed by Yuri on Ice!!! director Sayo Yamamoto. The series centers on Fujiko, offering a neo-noir interpretation of Lupin's world. It is far darker and more sexually explicit than any other TV version of Lupin the Third.  It's also incredibly well-animated. A trilogy of movies directed by Takeshi Koike (Jigen's Gravestone, Goemon's Blood Spray and Fujiko's Lie) spun off from the show and continued its dark aesthetic.

Lupin the Third: Part V builds off the momentum of Part IV, taking place in France rather than Italy and featuring similar character designs. If you started with Part IV, Part V is a natural point of continuation. After these particular adventures, it's possible to enjoy shows that build on the established lore of Lupin, or at least require some familiarity with the franchise. However, there are some Lupin adventures that you can push off to the end of your journey.

Lupin the Third: Part III, the Pink Suit series, deviates far from the norm. Character designs and personalities veered off-model frequently. One issue is that the multitude of different animation studios, directors, and key animators for Part III clashed stylistically with one another. That said, the film Legend of the Gold of Babylon, which adds a flavor of neo-noir to Lupin's narrative thanks to Tokyo Drifter director Seijun Suzuki, is worth watching.

Multiple OVAs and television specials exist, most of which operate under the assumption the viewer is familiar with the Lupin franchise. Of note is the crossover Lupin the 3rd vs. Detective Conan, which started first as a television special before becoming a theatrical film. There are numerous other OVAs and films worth checking out after, but again, only after you gained an experience with Lupin.

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