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ルパン三世傑作集 [Lupin Sansei Kessaku-shū] #1
Lupin III (Lupin the Third) – Anthology 1: Best of-Sammelband des Gentleman der Einbrecher
Manga-Klassiker des größten Diebs der Welt, LUPIN THE THIRD, in einer kuratierten Sammelausgabe.
Dieser Sammelband erschien 2019 zu Ehren des verstorbenen Zeichners Monkey Punch (1937-2019).
Zwölf der All-Time-Best-Classics des schrägen, aber sehr liebenswerten Gentleman-Verbrechers Arsène Lupin wurden für diesen Band exklusiv zusammengestellt und neu übersetzt.
LUPIN THE THIRD, hat ganze Generationen Manga- und Anime-Autoren beeinflusst.
Betrachtet man den Helden der Serie, Arsène Lupin, genauer, haben wir es mit einer frechen Mischung aus James Bond und Dylan Dog zu tun - mit einer gehörigen Portion Sorglos-Frosting on Top!
Arsène ist Spross langen Reihe von Dieben. Wie seine Vorfahren bestiehlt er diejenigen, die mehr als Genug auf ihrem Bankkonto haben, aber meist mit mehr als üblen Charakterzügen ausgestattet sind.
Wo ein Dieb, wenn auch Gentleman, da ein Gegenspieler, der alles versucht Lupin zu erwischen – im Falle von Lupin ist das Inspector Koichi Zenigata.
Ein Klassiker, der in jedem Manga-Regal einen Platz finden sollte!
Weitere
- Anime extrem erfolgreich
- Lieblingsheld des Gentleman-Verbrechers aus der Netflix-Serie LUPIN mit Omar Sy
- Extrem witzig
- Ab 15 Jahren
- Für Jungs, Mädchen, alle Geschlechter und jeden Manga-Fan
Dieser Sammelband erschien 2019 zu Ehren des verstorbenen Zeichners Monkey Punch (1937-2019).
Zwölf der All-Time-Best-Classics des schrägen, aber sehr liebenswerten Gentleman-Verbrechers Arsène Lupin wurden für diesen Band exklusiv zusammengestellt und neu übersetzt.
LUPIN THE THIRD, hat ganze Generationen Manga- und Anime-Autoren beeinflusst.
Betrachtet man den Helden der Serie, Arsène Lupin, genauer, haben wir es mit einer frechen Mischung aus James Bond und Dylan Dog zu tun - mit einer gehörigen Portion Sorglos-Frosting on Top!
Arsène ist Spross langen Reihe von Dieben. Wie seine Vorfahren bestiehlt er diejenigen, die mehr als Genug auf ihrem Bankkonto haben, aber meist mit mehr als üblen Charakterzügen ausgestattet sind.
Wo ein Dieb, wenn auch Gentleman, da ein Gegenspieler, der alles versucht Lupin zu erwischen – im Falle von Lupin ist das Inspector Koichi Zenigata.
Ein Klassiker, der in jedem Manga-Regal einen Platz finden sollte!
Weitere
- Anime extrem erfolgreich
- Lieblingsheld des Gentleman-Verbrechers aus der Netflix-Serie LUPIN mit Omar Sy
- Extrem witzig
- Ab 15 Jahren
- Für Jungs, Mädchen, alle Geschlechter und jeden Manga-Fan
Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2019
24 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Monkey Punch
202 books42 followersKazuhiko Katō known by the pen name Monkey Punch (モンキー・パンチ) was a Japanese manga artist, best known for his series Lupin III.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
April 23, 2023
A manga from the late '60s, it certainly reads that way. It's surprising how much overlap there is thematically and visually with western underground comix - lots of busty ladies, and men hounding after them.
The art also reminds me a lot of European comics art, leaning towards the cartoony.
The stories are okay, they didn't blow me away. There are a lot of characters, there are a lot of disguises, there are a lot of double crossings and plot twists.
It's an interesting read for the art, which is just so different to most manga I've seen, but not so much for the stories themselves.
(Picked up a review copy through Edelweiss)
The art also reminds me a lot of European comics art, leaning towards the cartoony.
The stories are okay, they didn't blow me away. There are a lot of characters, there are a lot of disguises, there are a lot of double crossings and plot twists.
It's an interesting read for the art, which is just so different to most manga I've seen, but not so much for the stories themselves.
(Picked up a review copy through Edelweiss)
October 27, 2021
The thing about manga from the 1960s is that...it really feels like it's from the 1960s. You have to go into this as if it were a vintage Bond film, aware that attitudes and, to a degree, humor are going to be a little bit uncomfortable and far from what we deem as "okay" in today's world. That caveat mentioned, this is still an awfully fun look at anime and manga's greatest thief, and most of the stories - from closer to the 1970s-80s - hold up as goofy spy capers. If you only know Lupin from anime, this may be a bit of a shock (that Fujiko sex marionette...), but it's still an entertaining romp, albeit one that's definitely far from politically correct.
December 18, 2021
The only drawback to this book is that it will leave you wanting more! I hope one day they rerelease the series in English again! Till then this collection isn't a bad place to start! I throughly enjoyed every part of this!
January 30, 2022
A fun collection featuring the beloved crew
May 9, 2023
Ich habs zwar schnell durchgelesen, aber es hat mir aus verschiedenen Gründen nicht so gut gefallen:
1. Das Frauenbild: 🤮
2. Der Zeichenstil: 👵🏼
3. Die Handlung: 😵💫
1. Das Frauenbild: 🤮
2. Der Zeichenstil: 👵🏼
3. Die Handlung: 😵💫
January 6, 2022
The adventures of master thief Lupin III and his partners in crime, Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko. This is a best of collection that was originally released after the author passed away in 2019.
The stories jump back and forth between the original Lupin III (1967-1969) series and the New Lupin III (1977-1981) series. The first story in this collection “Lupin Family Reunion” is from New Lupin III and was placed first as all the main characters appear. The second story “The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III” is the first story from 1967.
The stories involve slapstick humor, wild chases, crazy heists, and double crosses. I love the art style and use of panels. Monkey Punch stated that he was influenced by Tom and Jerry cartoons, Mad Magazine, and the art of Mort Drucker, and it really shows.
I rate the stories from 3 to 5 but the art I give a solid 5.
One thing to be aware of is that the manga can be pretty risqué, which is quite different from the anime. That doesn't bother me personally but unfortunately there is also a scene in one story that depicts a rape.
The stories jump back and forth between the original Lupin III (1967-1969) series and the New Lupin III (1977-1981) series. The first story in this collection “Lupin Family Reunion” is from New Lupin III and was placed first as all the main characters appear. The second story “The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III” is the first story from 1967.
The stories involve slapstick humor, wild chases, crazy heists, and double crosses. I love the art style and use of panels. Monkey Punch stated that he was influenced by Tom and Jerry cartoons, Mad Magazine, and the art of Mort Drucker, and it really shows.
I rate the stories from 3 to 5 but the art I give a solid 5.
One thing to be aware of is that the manga can be pretty risqué, which is quite different from the anime. That doesn't bother me personally but unfortunately there is also a scene in one story that depicts a rape.
March 22, 2025
After years of loving the Lupin III anime series, it was a real thrill to finally read the original manga. Monkey Punch's cartoons are certainly a wild ride. As the editor suggests in his touching tribute, this book serves as a great appetizer. I enjoyed it in the moment, but it left me hungry for more.
February 9, 2022
I liked the actual heist focused stories, but so much of it was just inexplicable misogyny and horniness.
February 23, 2024
Never read Lupin before but I am a huge fan of the Miyazaki film classic Castle of Cagliostro so I decided to give this collection a shot. Boy is this a bizarre manga and a very disappointing read with it being downright confusing at times with washed and barely visible artwork on many pages and also, the absolute worst part of all, there are censored panels!! Literally sections of the pages have a character removed because of some very questionable situations. I am not a fan of censorship at all. Very huge letdown
August 23, 2022
Not used to the older Manga style, but nice to see some of the Manga for once.
April 30, 2022
I've on/ly seen a handful of Lupin III episodes, but I'm well aware of the character's decades-long history and how beloved he is, so I was curious to read this "collection of twelve classic stories from throughout Lupin's history."
While the back cover informs the reader of creator Monkey Punch's 2019 passing, and it's obvious the audience for this is going to be people who are, like me, at least aware of Lupin's long existence, it would have been nice if there was any way to tell when each story had been originally published. For one thing, it would've been nice to know if I was reading them in chronological order (and could therefore trace art and character evolution). For another, there's also no way to know the societal and cultural attitudes when each story was initially published. The only date in the entire book is on the copyright page, showing that this collection was first published in Japan in 2019: that's supremely unhelpful.
For all I knew, Lupin could've originated in the 80s, which is when I thought that the Castle of Cagliostro movie came out (having now visited Wikipedia, I know it came out in 1979); turns out the first manga started in 1967. I can guess, from the fashions, that at least one story in this collection is from the late 60s to early 70s, but that's the closest I can get without looking up each story individually, and that's a really annoying position to be in as a reader.
Not just for trivia reasons: the treatment of women in this book, who can be smart but only when they're sexy (and frequently nude), and are some points are forced into sex, just screams dated (we usually have different ways of being misogynistic now!).
I liked the concept of the book--master thief stories are always fun, I enjoy a series of standalone stories, it's a great physical edition with a nice, solid hardcover and non-flimsy pages--but the lack of anything to let the reader orient themself makes it hard to enjoy or recommend.
It's easy to tell from the art that these stories are from different points in time (although without dates, I have no way of gauging how Monkey Punch's style evolved through any particular period of time). Some stories that look and feel older to me were visually confusing: more little details that don't seem to have held up well (or possibly they didn't translate well to the smaller format?), characters don't always look consistent and I sometimes had trouble telling them apart.
I did find the collection interesting, because Lupin is such a big, classic name if you're into anime or manga, and after the first story in the collection (which depicts at one point a marionette Lupin having sex with a passive marionette Fujiko) I wasn't surprised by later sexual content, but the publisher does its readers a disservice by essentially throwing them in with no introduction, no notes, no nothing to help them keep up.
While the back cover informs the reader of creator Monkey Punch's 2019 passing, and it's obvious the audience for this is going to be people who are, like me, at least aware of Lupin's long existence, it would have been nice if there was any way to tell when each story had been originally published. For one thing, it would've been nice to know if I was reading them in chronological order (and could therefore trace art and character evolution). For another, there's also no way to know the societal and cultural attitudes when each story was initially published. The only date in the entire book is on the copyright page, showing that this collection was first published in Japan in 2019: that's supremely unhelpful.
For all I knew, Lupin could've originated in the 80s, which is when I thought that the Castle of Cagliostro movie came out (having now visited Wikipedia, I know it came out in 1979); turns out the first manga started in 1967. I can guess, from the fashions, that at least one story in this collection is from the late 60s to early 70s, but that's the closest I can get without looking up each story individually, and that's a really annoying position to be in as a reader.
Not just for trivia reasons: the treatment of women in this book, who can be smart but only when they're sexy (and frequently nude), and are some points are forced into sex, just screams dated (we usually have different ways of being misogynistic now!).
I liked the concept of the book--master thief stories are always fun, I enjoy a series of standalone stories, it's a great physical edition with a nice, solid hardcover and non-flimsy pages--but the lack of anything to let the reader orient themself makes it hard to enjoy or recommend.
It's easy to tell from the art that these stories are from different points in time (although without dates, I have no way of gauging how Monkey Punch's style evolved through any particular period of time). Some stories that look and feel older to me were visually confusing: more little details that don't seem to have held up well (or possibly they didn't translate well to the smaller format?), characters don't always look consistent and I sometimes had trouble telling them apart.
I did find the collection interesting, because Lupin is such a big, classic name if you're into anime or manga, and after the first story in the collection (which depicts at one point a marionette Lupin having sex with a passive marionette Fujiko) I wasn't surprised by later sexual content, but the publisher does its readers a disservice by essentially throwing them in with no introduction, no notes, no nothing to help them keep up.
January 6, 2023
Auch wenn er Anime von Lupin III zu meiner Jugend gehörte, muss ich gestehen, dass ich bis zu dieser Anthology noch nie einen Manga über den Nachfahren von Arsene Lupin gelesen hatte. Um so neugieriger war ich nun, denn ich ging allein mit einem locker 20 Jahre alten Erinnerungen in den Band.
Diese waren aber wohl nicht so groß, denn ich hatte schon bei der ersten Story ein wenig mit den Namen der Charaktere zu kämpfen. Dies legte sich jedoch mit der Zeit, da Charaktere wie Inspektor Zenigata regelmäßig dabei waren. Womit ich eher zu kämpfen hatte, waren die Wesenszüge der Charaktere, da diese doch sehr stereotypisch waren. Also Männer benahmen sich wie Helden und Frauen spielten das zarte Geschlecht. Zwar gab es hier auch Ausnahmen, aber der Großteil spielte sich in dieser Verteilung ab. Dies dürfte aber vorallem daran liegen, dass die ersten Bände bereits 1967 herausgebracht wurden. Ein wenig Nachsicht sollte man hier also zeigen.
Natürlich drehte sich bei Lupin nicht alles um Frauen, sondern eben um seine Diebeszüge. Und die waren ehrlich gesagt unglaublich kreativ und teils mega witzig. Dies lag aber auch am Zeichenstil, der aus meiner Sicht sehr cartoonlastig war. Mit Mangas der heutigen Zeit lässt es sich auf jeden Fall nicht vergleichen, da dieser Band deutlich überspitzter war. Das passte aber auch, obwohl ich mir an einigen rasanten Stellen einen klareren Stil gewünscht hätte. Trotzdem muss ich, dem leider schon verstorbenen, Zeichner Monkey Punch meinen Respekt zollen, denn er erschuf hier wirklich etwas Einmaliges. Zudem dürfte es zeigen, wie wandelbar unsere Ansichten sind, wenn es um Themen wie Frauen oder Klischees geht. Ich werde mir auf jeden Fall weitere Bände von Lupin III ansehen, denn ich würde gerne noch ein paar Raubzüge von ihm erleben.
Fazit:
Sagen wir es wie es ist, dieser Band spiegelt eine andere Zeit wider. Trotzdem ist er, gerade wenn es um Lupin´s Raubzüge geht, ein absolutes Highlight, da hier Unmengen an Ideen und Kreativität einfloss. Auch der Humor ist nicht zu verachten, denn wenn man sich auf ihn einlässt, kann man hier vom Grinsen bis zum herzhaften Lachanfall alles erleben. Kritik kann ich nur an der Darstellung von Frauen und dem Zeichenstil äußern, denn mit beiden hatte ich hin und wieder zu kämpfen.
Diese waren aber wohl nicht so groß, denn ich hatte schon bei der ersten Story ein wenig mit den Namen der Charaktere zu kämpfen. Dies legte sich jedoch mit der Zeit, da Charaktere wie Inspektor Zenigata regelmäßig dabei waren. Womit ich eher zu kämpfen hatte, waren die Wesenszüge der Charaktere, da diese doch sehr stereotypisch waren. Also Männer benahmen sich wie Helden und Frauen spielten das zarte Geschlecht. Zwar gab es hier auch Ausnahmen, aber der Großteil spielte sich in dieser Verteilung ab. Dies dürfte aber vorallem daran liegen, dass die ersten Bände bereits 1967 herausgebracht wurden. Ein wenig Nachsicht sollte man hier also zeigen.
Natürlich drehte sich bei Lupin nicht alles um Frauen, sondern eben um seine Diebeszüge. Und die waren ehrlich gesagt unglaublich kreativ und teils mega witzig. Dies lag aber auch am Zeichenstil, der aus meiner Sicht sehr cartoonlastig war. Mit Mangas der heutigen Zeit lässt es sich auf jeden Fall nicht vergleichen, da dieser Band deutlich überspitzter war. Das passte aber auch, obwohl ich mir an einigen rasanten Stellen einen klareren Stil gewünscht hätte. Trotzdem muss ich, dem leider schon verstorbenen, Zeichner Monkey Punch meinen Respekt zollen, denn er erschuf hier wirklich etwas Einmaliges. Zudem dürfte es zeigen, wie wandelbar unsere Ansichten sind, wenn es um Themen wie Frauen oder Klischees geht. Ich werde mir auf jeden Fall weitere Bände von Lupin III ansehen, denn ich würde gerne noch ein paar Raubzüge von ihm erleben.
Fazit:
Sagen wir es wie es ist, dieser Band spiegelt eine andere Zeit wider. Trotzdem ist er, gerade wenn es um Lupin´s Raubzüge geht, ein absolutes Highlight, da hier Unmengen an Ideen und Kreativität einfloss. Auch der Humor ist nicht zu verachten, denn wenn man sich auf ihn einlässt, kann man hier vom Grinsen bis zum herzhaften Lachanfall alles erleben. Kritik kann ich nur an der Darstellung von Frauen und dem Zeichenstil äußern, denn mit beiden hatte ich hin und wieder zu kämpfen.
October 11, 2021
I love Lupin III, getting a chance to see Monkey Punch do whatever nonsense he put into it all was fun. Who would've guessed the Tom and Jerry influences could fit so well into crime drama and heists. In fact some of his ideas still stick around today. Like how nobody really knows anything about Lupin's true identity.
But despite all the slapstick I come to love in media, I also have to recognize some of the shortcomings. I've seen episodes built off of the source material and they've been handled better. Like the initial introduction and the episode featuring Goemon's debut; the anime gave that a proper ending. Also the one featuring that stage magic assassin being a rapist and inflicting Stockholm Syndrome onto his victim.
But beyond that I liked the goofy and thrilling scenes that Monkey Punch added. It feels like he was just having a good time with Lupin and the entire gang. The anime versions will always be superior, but it's important to highlight what came before.
But despite all the slapstick I come to love in media, I also have to recognize some of the shortcomings. I've seen episodes built off of the source material and they've been handled better. Like the initial introduction and the episode featuring Goemon's debut; the anime gave that a proper ending. Also the one featuring that stage magic assassin being a rapist and inflicting Stockholm Syndrome onto his victim.
But beyond that I liked the goofy and thrilling scenes that Monkey Punch added. It feels like he was just having a good time with Lupin and the entire gang. The anime versions will always be superior, but it's important to highlight what came before.
January 29, 2024
A best of classic rogue antics
For those that have not seen or read any of the adventures of master thief Lupin the 3rd I must add this disclaimer first. The material is of a bygone age riddled with sexism, nudity, murder and violence including some images of rape though the male is removed from the scene. Honestly having seen the anime first I was surprised how far Monkey Punch took some of the manga like an instance of where a father supposedly hid something important in the same story the rape occurred in. The only thing that really bothered me is sometimes Inspector Zenigata who is Lupin's nemesis tended to look a lot like him at times.
Being a best of collection this volume contains stories from the original Lupin III and the New Lupin III manga so below I will give you an idea of what to expect without to much spoilage. In addition to these classic chapters there is a tribute to Monkey Punch between the 6th and 7th story you may enjoy if you are a fan but don't need to read to enjoy the stories if you don't want to. Of course if you have seen the animated series some of these might be familiar to you anyway so I hope some of your favorite moments made the book. :)
Lupin Family Reunion (Starting out the collection begins at the beginning of the New Lupin III manga instead of the original as the old gang gets together after being apart for 5 years. However things are not always what they seem to be in this world.)
The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III (Inspector Zenigata raids a party due to news that Lupin would be there to steal an important blueprint.)
1 Man, 180 Roles (Lupin has been working on a plan to break a master lock picker from jail and it is time to put the final detail to rest.)
The Magician (A seemingly magical adversary is on the trail of Lupin because he has a set of mystery slides that hold his most extraordinary feat.)
Spaghetti Jigens (Lupin steals an incredible treasure but he needs to hurry if he plans to escape which is not easy considering his loyal friend Jigens has some old business with a rival old western style.)
The Coming of Goemon (Goemon before he joins Lupin's group leading to a hot conclusion.)
Death Match!! Fujiko vs Lupin the Brat (This one surprised me considering I never heard of this seemingly time displaced youth before but this story is still pretty cool.)
Dead Heat (A bank heist and a car race Lupin style.)
Lupin's Lullaby (Lupin discovers a connection to his grandfather and an intruder that attempts to steal from him.)
The Lupin Who Loved Me🖤 (Zenigata gets help to attempt to stop Lupin's epic armored truck robbery and train get away.)
Treasure Hunt Part 1 and 2 (Lupin is offered a chance to overcome a trap laden ruins to prove his skills and to potentially gain great riches. There are a lot of dangers and ocassionally humourous moments to enjoy.)
For those that have not seen or read any of the adventures of master thief Lupin the 3rd I must add this disclaimer first. The material is of a bygone age riddled with sexism, nudity, murder and violence including some images of rape though the male is removed from the scene. Honestly having seen the anime first I was surprised how far Monkey Punch took some of the manga like an instance of where a father supposedly hid something important in the same story the rape occurred in. The only thing that really bothered me is sometimes Inspector Zenigata who is Lupin's nemesis tended to look a lot like him at times.
Being a best of collection this volume contains stories from the original Lupin III and the New Lupin III manga so below I will give you an idea of what to expect without to much spoilage. In addition to these classic chapters there is a tribute to Monkey Punch between the 6th and 7th story you may enjoy if you are a fan but don't need to read to enjoy the stories if you don't want to. Of course if you have seen the animated series some of these might be familiar to you anyway so I hope some of your favorite moments made the book. :)
Lupin Family Reunion (Starting out the collection begins at the beginning of the New Lupin III manga instead of the original as the old gang gets together after being apart for 5 years. However things are not always what they seem to be in this world.)
The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III (Inspector Zenigata raids a party due to news that Lupin would be there to steal an important blueprint.)
1 Man, 180 Roles (Lupin has been working on a plan to break a master lock picker from jail and it is time to put the final detail to rest.)
The Magician (A seemingly magical adversary is on the trail of Lupin because he has a set of mystery slides that hold his most extraordinary feat.)
Spaghetti Jigens (Lupin steals an incredible treasure but he needs to hurry if he plans to escape which is not easy considering his loyal friend Jigens has some old business with a rival old western style.)
The Coming of Goemon (Goemon before he joins Lupin's group leading to a hot conclusion.)
Death Match!! Fujiko vs Lupin the Brat (This one surprised me considering I never heard of this seemingly time displaced youth before but this story is still pretty cool.)
Dead Heat (A bank heist and a car race Lupin style.)
Lupin's Lullaby (Lupin discovers a connection to his grandfather and an intruder that attempts to steal from him.)
The Lupin Who Loved Me🖤 (Zenigata gets help to attempt to stop Lupin's epic armored truck robbery and train get away.)
Treasure Hunt Part 1 and 2 (Lupin is offered a chance to overcome a trap laden ruins to prove his skills and to potentially gain great riches. There are a lot of dangers and ocassionally humourous moments to enjoy.)
April 19, 2022
The first thing that took me by surprise was how small the book is. I know, I know a) Manga is small and b) check the dimensions before ordering - but with this being a celebration collection of Lupin III and Monkey Punch (the creator of thee Manga who passed away in 2019) I expected a bigger sized format which would have been nice to highlight the art and make the text easier to read.
The other thing that took me by surprise was they don't even print the stories in chronological order and highlight the lack of organization is the FORWARD being placed in the middle of the book (is that a Japanese tradition?) which then explains "yeah - these are out of order because I felt like it".
How are the stories? Some are REALLY clever and made me understand how Lupin III became such a big hit. Some were REALLY confusing and made me wonder "if these are the BEST - what crap didn't make it into this collection?" Another problem is we get one story of Lupin the Brat but no context to who or why he is. Maybe fans know all about him but this is my first collection of the Manga so I had no context. I also was sad that after reading the book there were no stories that made me feel like I knew Lupin any better than I did from watching the Anime. The Anime actually does a much better job of making you feel you understand the character and his motivations. After reading this book I didn't know if he was a thief - treasure hunter - or mischief maker. If he is good or bad. Why his friends are his friends.
The art? Very good but - as some have warned - very racy - so much so they literally REMOVED the male figure forcing sex on women and had a caption "male figure removed from this drawing" so we get a naked woman being forced to have sex with...empty air. Not good. Not good that Monkey Punch thought that type of behaviour was acceptable to put in his Manga (even in the 60's) and not good they did such a clunky "fix".
Overall - I still prefer the Anime that drew me to this collection but I enjoyed seeing the inspiration for those Anime and it was interesting how others (the Anime writers) treated the characters with more thought than the creator did. He was more interested in clever twists than creating well rounded characters.
The other thing that took me by surprise was they don't even print the stories in chronological order and highlight the lack of organization is the FORWARD being placed in the middle of the book (is that a Japanese tradition?) which then explains "yeah - these are out of order because I felt like it".
How are the stories? Some are REALLY clever and made me understand how Lupin III became such a big hit. Some were REALLY confusing and made me wonder "if these are the BEST - what crap didn't make it into this collection?" Another problem is we get one story of Lupin the Brat but no context to who or why he is. Maybe fans know all about him but this is my first collection of the Manga so I had no context. I also was sad that after reading the book there were no stories that made me feel like I knew Lupin any better than I did from watching the Anime. The Anime actually does a much better job of making you feel you understand the character and his motivations. After reading this book I didn't know if he was a thief - treasure hunter - or mischief maker. If he is good or bad. Why his friends are his friends.
The art? Very good but - as some have warned - very racy - so much so they literally REMOVED the male figure forcing sex on women and had a caption "male figure removed from this drawing" so we get a naked woman being forced to have sex with...empty air. Not good. Not good that Monkey Punch thought that type of behaviour was acceptable to put in his Manga (even in the 60's) and not good they did such a clunky "fix".
Overall - I still prefer the Anime that drew me to this collection but I enjoyed seeing the inspiration for those Anime and it was interesting how others (the Anime writers) treated the characters with more thought than the creator did. He was more interested in clever twists than creating well rounded characters.
February 22, 2022
Lupin the Thirds Greatest Heists is something of a mixed bag. For starters, Seven Seas Publishing have done a fantastic job with this set; it is truly gorgeous! However, it's content isn't exactly of the same high quality.
The stories inside this collection range from good to mediocre,all the way down to completely superfluous. I'm not sure what Ryuichi Endo was thinking when he compiled this collection, but surely he could have done better than this? Also, why is this 'Best Of' only 286 pages long? Surely Monkey Punch's legacy is worthy of a giant 500 page omnibus?
Unfortunately, Lupin is something of a relic from a bygone age. Today's manga fan has little interest in short standalone stories, and would rather have something bigger to sink their teeth into. The stories may be funny, but they don't really go anywhere. They just end, and are shortly forgotten. The artwork is also crude and incredibly dated.
This collection is also swarming with the sort of material that is certain to offend your average politically correct human being. In particular, Monkey Punch's work often comes across as highly sexist. Women are there only as object of lust and desire, and are sexualised at every given opportunity. And that's before you take into account the multiple rape scenes. Also, if the twist at the end of 'The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III' doesn't offend you, then I honestly don't know what will.
I love Lupin, but if anything, this collection only serves to lessen his legacy! 2/5
Below I have listed the stories in order of my personal preference:
1. The Magician
2. 1 Man, 180 Roles
3. Lupin Family Reunion
4. Death Match!! Fujiko VS. Lupin the Brat
5. Lupin's Lullaby
6. Dead Heat
7. The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III
8. The Lupin Who Loved Me <3
9. The Coming of Goemon
10. Treasure Hunt (Part 1&2)
11. Spaghetti Jigen
The stories inside this collection range from good to mediocre,all the way down to completely superfluous. I'm not sure what Ryuichi Endo was thinking when he compiled this collection, but surely he could have done better than this? Also, why is this 'Best Of' only 286 pages long? Surely Monkey Punch's legacy is worthy of a giant 500 page omnibus?
Unfortunately, Lupin is something of a relic from a bygone age. Today's manga fan has little interest in short standalone stories, and would rather have something bigger to sink their teeth into. The stories may be funny, but they don't really go anywhere. They just end, and are shortly forgotten. The artwork is also crude and incredibly dated.
This collection is also swarming with the sort of material that is certain to offend your average politically correct human being. In particular, Monkey Punch's work often comes across as highly sexist. Women are there only as object of lust and desire, and are sexualised at every given opportunity. And that's before you take into account the multiple rape scenes. Also, if the twist at the end of 'The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III' doesn't offend you, then I honestly don't know what will.
I love Lupin, but if anything, this collection only serves to lessen his legacy! 2/5
Below I have listed the stories in order of my personal preference:
1. The Magician
2. 1 Man, 180 Roles
3. Lupin Family Reunion
4. Death Match!! Fujiko VS. Lupin the Brat
5. Lupin's Lullaby
6. Dead Heat
7. The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III
8. The Lupin Who Loved Me <3
9. The Coming of Goemon
10. Treasure Hunt (Part 1&2)
11. Spaghetti Jigen
February 23, 2023
Okay so as everyone knows, I have been on a Lupin III anime bender for the past two months (I have watched parts 4, 5, 6, 1 and am currently 20 eps into 2). So I figured I would give the manga a shot as well.
I definitely don't love it as much as the anime.
My biggest gripe about this collection is the frequent sexism and rape(!), specifically the fact that it's played for laughs or it's supposed to be sexy? Get outta here. This manga* is definitely showing its age in these respects. But I also blame the editor, because they had all of Lupin to pick from and chose to open this collection with two stories featuring non-con. Plus some more further in the collection. 😧
(*Parts 1 and 2 of the anime have their flaws too -- protagonists partake in raceface, nazi salute as a joke -- so just a heads up if you're interested.)
The other thing I don't like about the manga is that it's just not drawn very well. It's often unclear what is happening on certain panels, I was often confused just because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be seeing. I think this series could use some colouring, it would make scenes easier to read.
On the other hand, some things I liked: the drawing style reminded me a lot of old European style comics, like a mix of Lucky Luke and Rooie Oortjes. This European comic vibe also mixed well with the story, which takes place all over the world but mostly in Europe and Japan.
My favourite stories were "1 Man, 180 Roles", in which Lupin breaks a man out of jail, and the "Treasure Hunt" two-parter.
The story twist that will stay with me the longest takes place in "The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III", in which a man removes a microfilm out of a woman's vagina, which was put there by her father. I mean what the actual fuck.
I definitely don't love it as much as the anime.
My biggest gripe about this collection is the frequent sexism and rape(!), specifically the fact that it's played for laughs or it's supposed to be sexy? Get outta here. This manga* is definitely showing its age in these respects. But I also blame the editor, because they had all of Lupin to pick from and chose to open this collection with two stories featuring non-con. Plus some more further in the collection. 😧
(*Parts 1 and 2 of the anime have their flaws too -- protagonists partake in raceface, nazi salute as a joke -- so just a heads up if you're interested.)
The other thing I don't like about the manga is that it's just not drawn very well. It's often unclear what is happening on certain panels, I was often confused just because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be seeing. I think this series could use some colouring, it would make scenes easier to read.
On the other hand, some things I liked: the drawing style reminded me a lot of old European style comics, like a mix of Lucky Luke and Rooie Oortjes. This European comic vibe also mixed well with the story, which takes place all over the world but mostly in Europe and Japan.
My favourite stories were "1 Man, 180 Roles", in which Lupin breaks a man out of jail, and the "Treasure Hunt" two-parter.
The story twist that will stay with me the longest takes place in "The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III", in which a man removes a microfilm out of a woman's vagina, which was put there by her father. I mean what the actual fuck.
August 26, 2022
Sadly, the earlier stories by Monkey Punch really didn't age well. The person who selected these as representative of the series didn't do a good job of making the creator of the series look good. Part of the problem is that the series started in the 1960s, and didn't end for many years, but another part of it had to do with the really odd sexual content of some of the stories. One story was so sexually graphic that it was edited for this edition, but the one with the puppet sex was just creepy. A couple of sexual assaults were included, and just made the characters look like horrible people. I mean, technically they were horrible people, being thieves with a penchant for violence, but MORE horrible, I guess.
Anyone who has seen the better Lupin III anime but has never read the manga will not be well-served by beginning their manga exposure with this volume. Some of the stories in this collection really were very good, but some of the others were clunkers.
Anyone who has seen the better Lupin III anime but has never read the manga will not be well-served by beginning their manga exposure with this volume. Some of the stories in this collection really were very good, but some of the others were clunkers.
March 26, 2023
5/5 stars, but that’s not surprising considering my love of Lupin III anime. What was surprising was finding this at my local library, and how much I laughed out loud while reading. Monkey Punch’s art style is beautifully chaotic and instantly recognizable. Every frame is so animated despite its dormancy. Though these were only snippets of the characters I’ve known through the longer capacities of animation, their personalities still shine through the manga. Now, the feminist in me wants to be more sharply critical of Fujiko’s consistent sexualization, but her overwhelming badassery even in the short stories makes up for that. Such a quick little read, but made for a great laugh. I might have to go find a physical copy to stay permanently on my shelves.
Read
February 5, 2022It was really strange to find that Lupin the manga was very different from Lupin the anime. What I was expected was tales of elaborate heists and daring escapes. What I found was tales of the main cast fucking around and stealing things. while I was disappointed at first, by the time I finished the book, I found it to be very fun to read and the art work (which I originally found to be ugly and painful to look at) was beautiful in it's own unique way. I should mention that the humor wasn't to my liking but I get it's from the 1960's and this must've been the funniest shit back then.
February 16, 2022
I grew up with Lupin since I was a little kid and even though it showed it’s age, it never stopped being a fun ride. Though ppl will look back on these collected stories and have a different opinion of them, I do appreciate reading them as a means to go back to the characters’ roots. They kinda feel like “mini episodes” to be honest and though some of the plots of these stories seemed a bit far fetched and silly, isn’t that what builds Lupin’s world? But to sum it all up the stories were entertaining and did give me something to laugh at so check it out if you’re fan of the character or not.
March 25, 2022
Most of these stories are almost incomprehensible, and the collection itself doesn't help. Seems like you need to know who the characters are for any of these stories to make sense, and the collection just kind of assumes that the reader is already well versed in Lupin III lore, I guess. It serves as a very poor introduction to the manga.
The art is very hit or miss as well. Some stories are very well drawn, others are not, and some look like they were reprinted from pencil drafts or something. I don't know why, maybe Monkey Punch liked to experiment with different styles?
The art is very hit or miss as well. Some stories are very well drawn, others are not, and some look like they were reprinted from pencil drafts or something. I don't know why, maybe Monkey Punch liked to experiment with different styles?
April 4, 2023
I loved looking at all the inky, doodley ass art, but oh boy, Monkey Punch really does live up to his reputation as a dang freak. Some stories are very fun and charming, but I absolutely get people who don’t gel with any of it. As a fan of this franchise, it is very cool to see a version of these characters and stories where the core of what makes it work is there, but lacks the refinement of future collaborators. It’s just that what is rough about this collection of early work is VERY rough.
But for real, I sincerely love that Lupin looks different in every story. That’s so fun to me.
But for real, I sincerely love that Lupin looks different in every story. That’s so fun to me.
July 23, 2023
Lupin III eventually grew into an exciting heist/adventure series, but you wouldn't likely know it from this collection. Even as a long time fan of the series, I can't recommend it to anyone who isn't interested in the roots of the Lupin III franchise on a historical basis. The stories and art are both executed carelessly; this can be stylish and charming, and occasionally it is here. "The Magician", "Spaghetti Jigen", and "Lupin Family Reunion" are the better stories here; there's a certain energy and elan to be found here, but it hasn't yet developed into anything particularly exciting.
July 7, 2022
I love Lupin. But this was rough at times. Sexual Violence both used as a way to propel the stories of the men in the manga forward and also for jokes. A lot of objectification. And the stories featured in the collection at times just don't mesh very well.
But it also has some really great stories and some very funny jokes. It has a lot of the things that would later make Lupin the 3rd such a triumph, but it just doesn't quite know how to put together those pieces.
But it also has some really great stories and some very funny jokes. It has a lot of the things that would later make Lupin the 3rd such a triumph, but it just doesn't quite know how to put together those pieces.
May 7, 2023
If you have no idea who Lupin the III is, then this is a pretty good introduction to him. If your first introduction to the character was via Hayao Miyazaki, then . . . . well you're going to be disappointed. First off, comics are just a different medium than film, secondly, Hayao removed a lot of the "grey" aspects of the character.
Anyway, like I said, fun intro to the comics character, but there really isn't anything here that is "can't miss!"
Anyway, like I said, fun intro to the comics character, but there really isn't anything here that is "can't miss!"
March 20, 2023
2.5 ⭐️, not for me unfortunately..
Didn’t find it interesting , everything went in a rush.
Small stories that everything was just a bit of a mess ..
Some scenes were just not necessary
The art style is the reason for the stars,
nevertheless I’ll just won’t bother reading something that I don’t enjoy.
Didn’t find it interesting , everything went in a rush.
Small stories that everything was just a bit of a mess ..
Some scenes were just not necessary
The art style is the reason for the stars,
nevertheless I’ll just won’t bother reading something that I don’t enjoy.
June 2, 2023
Not really a collection for me, curated for first time Lupin readers rather than a collection of "best ofs." I can only hope that Seven Seas will do with Lupin what Drawn and Quarterly did with GeGeGe No Kitaro and start printing more serialized collections of Lupin because there's a lot of great Lupin stories previously published in the very-out-of-print collections by Tokyopop.
June 8, 2023
worth reading for the art but not so much the stories, though they're fun in their own way. originally ran in the '60s and you can definitely tell with the way the women are drawn/written/treated by other characters which is something to be aware of. if the art is something that interests you i recommend it but otherwise there's not a whole lot to say about it.
October 28, 2023
Ignoring the atrocious print job on this edition, the stories are definitely funny with a few elements that are dated and might be unacceptable for some. Coming back to the print quality, some panels are a bit difficult to comprehend due to the printing issues. Lack of definition, washed-out lines, and muddled grays will make it a hard read for new comers without reference materials.
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