Takeshi Koike Returns With ‘Lupin The IIIrd: Immortal Bloodline’
by Tito W. James
Created by the Mangaka Monkey Punch in the 1960s, Lupin the IIIrd is a long-running series focusing on a gang of unique criminals who pull off impossible heists all over the world. The core characters are Lupin, the master of disguise; the gunslinger Daisuke Jigen; the swordsman Goemon Ishikawa; and the femme fatale Fujiko Mine.
I was blown away by Takeshi Koike‘s Lupin OVA trilogy of: Daisuke Jigen’s Gravestone, Goemon Ishikawa’s Blood Spray and Fujiko’s Lie. Koike brought Lupin back to the Manga’s darker and sexually charged roots with a neo-grindhouse aesthetic. Now Koike is directing a full animated film titled Lupin The IIIrd: Immortal Bloodline. I can’t wait for this to be released to Western audiences.
