Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
SCLFI
Releasing prior to 1974 and Space Battleship Yamato, Lupin III commits fully to its episodic format. Apart from the introduction of two side characters, it has essentially zero enduring changes that occur within its overarching story, allowing it to focus on refining its episode scripts with no secondary concerns. It takes these circumstances of production to a conclusion of pure chaos, but only for roughly its opening 9 episodes, after which point its main director was fired and replaced by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, whose approach does not substantially reconfigure the character of the series, but it does eliminate the anarchic energy that it held previously for something more plain.
The disconnect between the two halves of Lupin is best encapsulated through its opening. The firs…
Read at the sourceHypn0s_X
Lupin III – My All-Time Favorite Anime
I’ve watched a lot of anime over the years, but nothing has ever topped Lupin III (1971) for me. There's just something about it, the vibe, the characters, the music that hits exactly right. It’s one of those rare shows that feels effortlessly cool without even trying.
Lupin himself is the definition of a charming rogue. He’s goofy, brilliant, unpredictable, and somehow always one step ahead, even when it looks like he’s totally blown it. The chemistry between him and the rest of the gang Jigen, Goemon, Fujiko, and poor Inspector Zenigata is perfect. Whether they’re pulling off wild heists or just getting into trouble for the fun of it, it’s always entertaining.
What I really love is how every episode feels like its own little adventure. Some are l…
Read at the sourcechubbierpenguin7
Given the success that Takahata and Miyazaki would achieve following their work on this series, it seems a bit superfluous to heap praise on them for their work here, but there is such a massive uptick in quality in the show the moment that they take over that it just has to be mentioned. The first few episodes of this first green jacket series are borderline unwatchable. The plots are incoherent, there is nothing intelligent or even interesting about the way Lupin and his cohorts behave, and Fujiko is nothing more than a sexy monster who serves no purpose other than to titillate viewers and to openly and obviously betray Lupin for God knows what reason. I know Monkey Punch would disagree with me, but the second half of this series is exactly what Lupin should be, and I loved every minute…
Read at the sourcePanwig
all legends have a beginning and this is the beginning of Lupin The Third, The legendary first series ,He influenced a lot in the industry, being a fundamental piece for the seinen genre, influencing works such as cowboy bebop as well as the career of hayao miyazaki, it is true that animation may not look so much after 50 years, but the stories are extremely original and ahead of its time, It is surprising that the franchise has managed to last to this day, but with a tremendous start I already understand why
10/10 and an absolute classic
It also has a song in Spanish with which I laughed too much
Read at the sourceojmendez
Last year in my review for Lupin the third Plot Film. I gave my backstory with the franchise & mentioned that I had regain my interested in the franchise's titular character. I have seen Castle of Caglioastro and the three OVAs directed by Takeshi Koike of Redline fame. So far have enjoyed what's I've seen. I wanted to watch the first Lupin the third series.
The first thing I notice is how James Bond influence the anime is in it's earlier episodes with it's villains, traps, Femme fatal & adult themes. It has a serious tone with silly moments sprinkled thru out. Which I frequently enjoyed. As the anime goes on it starts to shift it's tone to a more comedic goofy tone dropping the serious tone. Which I was a little disappointed about.
The Episodes for me started off really strong in the beg…
Read at the sourceRiiakuma
Watching this anime in 2020 made me think that I would find this really outdated or difficult watching because of how I am used to modern anime style and high quality. Despite this anime being made in the 70s it’s an absolute stunner even now. Of course there are lags and sometimes delay in animation when a character speaks but I always remember how limited in technology and how difficult it would be to create a smooth animation at that time so I really don’t think too harshly of those small errors.
Lupin the third part 1 is definitely a must watch. It’s comedic and entertaining story keeps anyone on their feet and some episodes really stick to you. I definitely could see how close Jigen and Lupin are and it’s a friendship that can’t be broken so easily. I really love the episodes when y…
Read at the sourceasei
I started to watch Lupin III in search of an answer, how this franchise can be so old and vast. Why people still watch it. I expected Lupin to be some kind of anti-Bond. He is a lover, adventurer, a gentleman and a thief. Of course, I got what I expected. I liked a bit more serious tone, more mature, as much seinen as show potentially could be. And yet, despite everything above first 5 or so episodes were pretty boring.
When the director changed the story changed as well. The show got to be more family-friendly, with less and less erotic connotations, less serious and more comedic. My opinion is ambivalent on this. At some point, I felt that it turned to be a kids show as if I watch a cartoon for 5-year-olds. But I have to say I started to enjoy the show more since the middle of the seas…
Read at the sourcegarthol
Lupin the Third: Part 1 is an absolutely charming and educational anime that all people interested in the history of anime or of a huge Japanese franchise should absolutely watch. It holds up very well in certain parts, but its awkward mix of maturity and childishness is overall a mixed bag that depends on your personal tastes.
As many others have mentioned, this is not only the first official Lupin release, but also the least consistent. It starts out as a gritty and dark crime drama focusing on womanizer thief Lupin the Third and his sharpshooter partner Daisuke Jigen, but slowly progresses into a fun and friendly crime-based comedy that seems to work more like an animated sitcom than the thriller it, at first, set out to be. This is apparently due to network ratings, which showed the f…
Read at the sourcecloudflowe
Lupin III changed the market for anime by introducing a cast of adult characters with adult stories and problems, attempting to breathe maturity into a medium whose initial visionary created in the shadow of the legendary Walt Disney.
The show narrates the escapades of the titular phantom thief, his right hand man Jigen, and his lady friend Fujiko. Heist, capers, and kidnappings abound as the gang seeks out their latest thrill.
Part 1 of this watershed franchise is where Lupin first leapt onto broadcast television. Its sound design and animation unfortunately reflect the times more than the capability of its staff, but with older productions from anime’s very infancy a certain unrefinement is to be expected by the viewer. Part 1’s production does the job: it conveys its narrative with e…
Read at the sourceglawktalk
Lupin the Third is great for any age and I love the 70's and 60's jokes/humor that you just don't see nowadays. The only critiscism i have is I wish there were more two part episodes so that they could build a little more suspense. The episode where lupin stays in prison for a whole year is truly a wonderful piece of art, and it really is great for the character development of one of the best Anime/Manga characters ever designed. I give it a 9 because it's basically impossible for an Anime to get a 10 in my view.
Read at the sourceBowlingJD
This is the first animated series with the amazing third generation thief, Lupin with his gang of buds Goemon the samurai and Jigen the marksman. Also, one can't forget about the mystery cunning and sexy woman that is Fujiko Mine whom Lupin is totally weak in the knees for.
Lupin III is episodic in every sense, and if James Bond was a thief, he would be Lupin. This is a fantastic show with each episode keeping your interest in the crew, and when will Inspector Zenigata (whom has devoted his entire life to catching Lupin) finally put the cuffs on Lupin.
Each character is totally lovable and once you watch a few episodes you will quickly realize how this show even stands up today. The art style stands the test of time, music is wonderful, and really pushes the boundaries of the time in which…
Read at the sourceliteraturenerd
Overview:
Red jacket? Green jacket? Who gives a shit?! Ok, now that I am done quoting Happy Gilmore, I will review what is without a doubt one of the most famous and beloved anime of all time...in Japan... and pretty much nowhere else.
Background info:
Lupin the 3rd started way back in the early 1970s and was created by the legendary mangaka known only as "monkey punch". Yep, that's really what he calls himself. Lupin was created as a spoof/ homage of the character Arsene Lupin, who was a gentlemen spy in a series of French novels that were popular in the late 1800s and ran alongside the Sherlock Holmes stories. Along with spoofing low brow adventure novels from 1800s France, Lupin also takes a lot of inspiration from James Bond and the spy movies and novels that were extremely popular…
Read at the sourceArea51
Lupin the Third came into the realm of animation nearly a decade after the release of Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy anime. Lupin III is known as a classic to anyone who understands the history of the anime scene in Japan. This age of animation was a time when children grew up with the adventures of immoral ne’er-do-wells shooting off Walthers, a time when intelligent dogs with speech impediments were best friends with stoners, a time when sailors ate spinach to beat up kidnappers; It was an age when children wanted to grow up to be great heroes. Unfortunately the days of courageous, green-jacketed thieves like Lupin have been replaced with an era of black-haired trench-coated teenagers and mentally-troubled orphans. 60’s children, you are sorely missed.
Lupin III is the episodic adventures of…
Read at the sourceAnimeObasan
I started with Lupin back when it was run late night on Adult Swim. I was iffy about it based on the strange animation style. And I wasn't too crazy that the show seemed to be just about a thief and an inept detective. But this first series that started it all is worth watching as a fan of the Lupin franchise.
STORY: An inept detective? Well, I suppose that depends on the director or writer. In quite a bit of the first Lupin series Zenigata is a VERY good investigator who just happens to be dealing with someone who is even better. There's an episode where Zenigata captures Lupin and keeps a watchful eye on him for years, only for Lupin to get his revenge as he's going to the gallows. It really made me go, "wow!" Both Lupin and Zenigata were very well developed so early on.
CHARACTERS:…
Read at the sourceFOXHOUNDER1014
Like most fans of Lupin III, my first experience with the titular thief was with Hayao Miyazaki’s debut film “The Castle of Cagliostro.” It was simply a masterpiece with great action scenes, likeable characters, a heartwarming story, and excellent pacing. I consider Cagliostro to be one of the finest adventure films (animated or live-action) ever created and stands on my personal list of top movies. Anxious for more, I looked into the series and was amazed at how deep and spreading the franchise’s roots were. Lupin III is perhaps the most well-known and popular anime character of all time in Japan. There have been various manga series, three television shows, one live-action movie, five animated films, various other animations, and yearly television specials that remain popular with the Ja…
Read at the sourceggultra2764
This is where things began for the famous Lupin III franchise starting from here all the way to the franchise's most recent adaptation, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, over the span of 40 years. It also has some notoriety to it with the differences in series direction, story setup and presentation thanks to the very concept of the series. Lupin III was one of the very first TV anime titles geared for an older audience, which is most certainly shown with the title's focus on a criminal in the form of international thief Lupin, scenes of violence that showed characters killed onscreen, sexual innuendo and content compliments of Lupin's perversion and Fujiko's seductive charm and a gritty look into the criminal underworld that Lupin and his group are regularly involved with. The show's concept…
Read at the sourceserowenczak
One of the few original anime that are still as good now as they were back then. If you are a person that likes mystery anime and enjoys perverted quirky humor than this is the anime for you. I encourage everyone to watch it, it's very lighthearted and doesn't take any serious commitment. For the most part each episode is independent of the others and can be watched in any order. There isn't any deep story or heavy themes it's just a fun action and mystery anime with hilarious situations and witty dialogue.
Read at the sourcevytah
Rather than reviewing this series as a prelude to the whole franchise (like reviewers before), I'd prefer to review the series and just the series.
Lupin III is a master thief, a unsuccessful womaniser, a mad genius capable of stealing anything and escaping from anywhere, companied by his gang, and chased by Zenigata like Bugs Bunny by Elmer Fudd.
In overall, very enjoyable comedy series.
STORY: 8/10
There's no overall spanning story, each episode can by watched separately. After first three episodes, which have a weird feel, next twenty are typical thievish things. Lupin either tries to steal something, tries to escape from jail, or tries to escape from people who are after his life. To achieve this, he makes a plan involving disguise, misdirection, violence, explosives and a lot of aw…
Read at the sourcePsycho_Sanji
The one that started it all.
This is a legendary anime series about some instant classic characters, the Lupin gang. This is amazingly ahead of it's time, being the first anime starring criminals, the first gritty comparatively more realistic anime with guns and such. Not just for anime, it's ahead of it's time in general.
Most importantly, it's still a joy to watch nearly 40 years later. Lupin is the cool, laid back antihero. This laid back style, helped by the very cool soundtrack, is still influential today in titles like Cowboy Bebop. Lupin has other sides to him too of course, he has an ego, and he'll laugh like a maniac and take on any challenge. And of course, he gets pretty excited when there are ladies around, especially Fujiko.
The supporting characters are great here. You hav…
Read at the sourceRedward
Its the one that started it all. Sure, the manga is where Lupin was truly born, but in terms of beginning a legacy, the first television series can take a good chunk of the glory. While its impossible to review this without comparisons and/or contrasts to the second and third series, Lupin III has done enough to give itself its own limelight.
On its own, Lupin III lays down a solid effort. There is action, intrigue, and betrayal...all of which would become staples of the Lupin franchise. The characters that will go on to become some of the most famous in anime history are established here. And while the animation is undoubtedly telling of its' age, the standard for long, lanky legs and hairy hands is set. With all the good foundation that Lupin III sets for the franchise, there is, thankf…
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