On October 24th, 1971, an exciting new anime premiered based on the hitmanga "LUPIN III" by legendary creator Monkey Punch. For 50 years, the exploitsof master thief Lupin III and his gang of outlaw pals have thrilled andentertained audiences worldwide, spawning over 300 serialized episodes, morethan 10 feature films, dozens of standalone specials and OVAs, with even moreadventures currently in the works. As one of the most popular and prolificanimated franchises, it has evolved through the decades, capturing the hearts ofseveral generations.
It has inspired and launched the careers of film makers,storytellers, and animators around the world, most notably providing thedirectorial debut of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, PrincessMononoke) who directed perhaps the most recognized LUPIN THE 3rdfeature film, The Castle of Cagliostro.