Back لوبين الثالث Arabic Lupin III Catalan Lupin III German Lupeno la 3-a Esperanto Lupin III Spanish Lupin III French לופן השלישי (זיכיון) HE Lupin III (anime) Croatian Lupin III Italian ルパン三世 Japanese
| Lupin III | |
|---|---|
 The logo of the franchise | |
| Created by | Monkey Punch |
| Original work | Lupin III (1967–1969) |
| Owner | Monkey Punch Futabasha Chuokoron-Shinsha TMS Entertainment |
| Years | 1967–present |
| Print publications | |
| Comics | List of manga |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) | List of films |
| Short film(s) | Pilot Film |
| Animated series | List of animated series |
| Television special(s) | List of television specials |
| Direct-to-video | |
| Theatrical presentations | |
| Musical(s) | List of stage musicals |
| Games | |
| Video game(s) | List of video games |
| Audio | |
| Soundtrack(s) | List of soundtracks |
Lupin III (Japanese: ルパン三世, Hepburn: Rupan Sansei), also written as Lupin the Third, Lupin the 3rd, or Lupin the IIIrd, is a Japanese media franchise created by Monkey Punch. The series follows the endeavors of master thief Lupin III, grandson of gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, joined by his criminal gang. The original Lupin III manga began in Weekly Manga Action on August 10, 1967.
Over fifty years after its creation, Lupin III remains popular, with a seventh anime series airing in 2021 and new ONAs released in 2023. Critical reception of the franchise has been largely positive across its various incarnations, with the appeal of the lead characters being noted as the primary factor of the series' success. 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. The manga has also been noted by fans and critics for its darker tone compared to the anime, with its explicit depictions of sex and violence, as well as its black, fourth wall-breaking sense of humor, contrasting with the mostly family-friendly animated versions. For several years, issues relating to the copyright of Maurice Leblanc's intellectual property meant that the Lupin name was removed from its releases outside Japan, usually changed to "Rupan" or "Wolf". However, the copyright has since expired, allowing foreign releases to use the Lupin name.
Many different companies have owned the English-language distribution rights to various Lupin III properties at various times. Tokyopop acquired the license to the original manga in 2002, and later the second series in 2004. Seven Seas Entertainment licensed manga collections in 2020.[1] Funimation Entertainment dubbed and released several of the television specials and films from 2002 to 2006, and the fourth television series in 2013. Between 2003 and 2007, Geneon licensed and dubbed the first 79 episodes of the second television series, 26 of which were broadcast in the United States on Adult Swim in 2003 and 52 in Canada on G4techTV in 2007.[2] Discotek Media licensed the first six television series in the franchise and the first live-action film; they also own the rights to numerous other Lupin titles, including several previously released by other companies.
- ^ Sherman, Jennifer. "Seven Seas Licenses 12 Manga Including Lupin III Compilation, Seaside Stranger, Pompo: The Cinéphile". Anime News Network. Anime News Network LLC. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
- ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 516. ISBN 978-1476665993.