This manga was in production the same year the Part 2 Red Jacket anime aired, being written 10 years after the original manga. I've read claims that this was a continuation of the anime series. It's hard to say if Monkey Punch was writing the source material for the show, or if the show influenced him to remake the Lupinverse after the changes the show had brought to his characters. There are even a few chapters in here that ended up in Lupin III Part 3 Pink Jacket anime, as did the character designs.

The Lupin Gang show up a lot more & are now officially "friends" with Lupin actually showing concern for his cohoards, & them only stabbing him in the back lightly to teach him a lesson for his own good. Goemon is more calm like in the anime, Jigen has finally become the quickdraw he is in the anime, & Fujiko is no longer every single woman in the series, but Lupin's ever-backstabbing employee with whom he has a vitriolic relationship. Lupin & Zenigata remain unchanged, & the stories are longer & a lot funnier.

Lupin is still is hypocrate in this series. We ended the original manga with him suddenly deciding that he was never a killer of the innocent, unless it was in self defence, but in volume 2 chapter 12, not only do they bring up the Lupin School from volume 1 that teaches assassination techniques, but Lupin breaks a man's neck, & the only thing that man was going to do was throw him outside. He's still a scumbag too, attempting to rape a highschool sophomore who tried to seduce Goemon.

At some point in the orifginal series, Monkey Punch realized Lupin was an asshole & turned him into a sort of punching bag for the world to shit on who wins some & looses some. That Pink Jacket episode of Season 5 where Jigen & Fujiko bond over a shared interest in torturing Lupin; they have the same vibes in this series.

Lupin IV from "Lupin Kozou" appears in a chapter that addresses the existance of multiple Fujiko Mine's & has no resolution, making me wonder if she really is a bunch of clones. Then the chapter where a clone of Lupin was made made me wonder even more.

If you're wondering about the crossdressing tag, Lupin & Fujiko frequently disguise themselves as the oppisite sex wearing full bodysuits.

This manga franchise kills more dogs than Jojo's Bizarre Adventures.

... Last updated on February 6th, 2021, 6:51am