Movie
Description
Daisuke Jigen is the sharp-shooting partner and closest confidant of the master thief Arsène Lupin III. Serving as the most frequent accomplice in Lupin's heists, Jigen brings a grounded, professional presence to the group, often acting as a voice of reason to temper Lupin's more impulsive and flamboyant schemes. While he expresses frequent annoyance at Lupin's womanizing and the chaos it causes, his loyalty to his partner is unwavering.
The character was conceived by series creator Monkey Punch with the image of an American gangster, drawing loose inspiration from actor James Coburn's performance in the film The Magnificent Seven. This design influence carries into Jigen's visual identity, which has remained remarkably consistent throughout the franchise. He is a tall, lean man with black hair, a short, uneven chin curtain beard, and his most prized possession, a black-banded fedora hat that he rarely removes, keeping his eyes obscured beneath its brim. Even when changing other elements of his attire, he typically retains this hat, only taking it off on formal occasions or as a sign of mourning.
Jigen's personality is a blend of cynicism, dry wit, and an ironic sense of humor hidden behind a gruff and often sullen demeanor. He is the consummate professional, displaying a cautious, analytical, and sensible approach to any job, which frequently puts him at odds with Lupin's riskier tendencies. Despite his complaints, he genuinely enjoys the thrill of the caper alongside his partners. He is also known to be a heavy smoker.
In terms of abilities, Jigen is defined by his peerless marksmanship. He is an expert with a wide variety of firearms, from revolvers to machine guns and sniper rifles, but his signature weapon and most prized possession is a Smith & Wesson Model 19 combat revolver. His skill borders on superhuman, featuring a 0.3-second quick-draw and the ability to perform impossible trick shots, such as deflecting a bullet by shooting it in mid-flight or using gunfire to jolt objects into enemies. He is also adept at hand-to-hand combat, capable of disabling an opponent with a single blow, and can pilot virtually any motorized vehicle.
Regarding his background, Jigen has a storied history before becoming a thief. According to various anime sources, he was born in the Bronx, New York, and was involved with the New York and Italian mafias from a young age. A defining tragedy from his past involved a woman named Cicciolina, the wife of his Italian mob boss. After the boss tried to kill Jigen and was accidentally killed by Cicciolina, Jigen took the gun from her hands, which became his signature weapon. Years later, Cicciolina, desiring to die, tried to force Jigen to shoot her. When he killed her, he discovered her gun was not loaded, and she had only wanted his assistance in her suicide. This event profoundly affected him and contributed to his decision to leave a life of organized crime to become a thief, later meeting and partnering with Lupin.
Key relationships define Jigen's role in the story. His partnership with Lupin III is one of deep, mutual trust and friendship that has been developed over many years, with him serving as Lupin's most reliable ally. With the samurai Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Jigen shares a relationship of mutual respect, with Goemon regarding the gunman as a fellow warrior. His relationship with Fujiko Mine is one of deep distrust. Jigen is highly suspicious of her motives, which often leads her to keep her distance, though they occasionally display a sibling-like rapport, such as when they bond over the shared annoyance of Lupin's antics. One of the few significant acts of care he shows for her occurs in The Mystery of Mamo, where he saves her from the film's antagonist, Mamo, an action likely motivated by his loyalty to Lupin. This film also notes his heavy smoking habit, with a companion booklet stating he smokes about 60 cigarettes a day. Among the group, Jigen is the least hesitant to take a human life, though he generally refuses to kill women and children.
The character was conceived by series creator Monkey Punch with the image of an American gangster, drawing loose inspiration from actor James Coburn's performance in the film The Magnificent Seven. This design influence carries into Jigen's visual identity, which has remained remarkably consistent throughout the franchise. He is a tall, lean man with black hair, a short, uneven chin curtain beard, and his most prized possession, a black-banded fedora hat that he rarely removes, keeping his eyes obscured beneath its brim. Even when changing other elements of his attire, he typically retains this hat, only taking it off on formal occasions or as a sign of mourning.
Jigen's personality is a blend of cynicism, dry wit, and an ironic sense of humor hidden behind a gruff and often sullen demeanor. He is the consummate professional, displaying a cautious, analytical, and sensible approach to any job, which frequently puts him at odds with Lupin's riskier tendencies. Despite his complaints, he genuinely enjoys the thrill of the caper alongside his partners. He is also known to be a heavy smoker.
In terms of abilities, Jigen is defined by his peerless marksmanship. He is an expert with a wide variety of firearms, from revolvers to machine guns and sniper rifles, but his signature weapon and most prized possession is a Smith & Wesson Model 19 combat revolver. His skill borders on superhuman, featuring a 0.3-second quick-draw and the ability to perform impossible trick shots, such as deflecting a bullet by shooting it in mid-flight or using gunfire to jolt objects into enemies. He is also adept at hand-to-hand combat, capable of disabling an opponent with a single blow, and can pilot virtually any motorized vehicle.
Regarding his background, Jigen has a storied history before becoming a thief. According to various anime sources, he was born in the Bronx, New York, and was involved with the New York and Italian mafias from a young age. A defining tragedy from his past involved a woman named Cicciolina, the wife of his Italian mob boss. After the boss tried to kill Jigen and was accidentally killed by Cicciolina, Jigen took the gun from her hands, which became his signature weapon. Years later, Cicciolina, desiring to die, tried to force Jigen to shoot her. When he killed her, he discovered her gun was not loaded, and she had only wanted his assistance in her suicide. This event profoundly affected him and contributed to his decision to leave a life of organized crime to become a thief, later meeting and partnering with Lupin.
Key relationships define Jigen's role in the story. His partnership with Lupin III is one of deep, mutual trust and friendship that has been developed over many years, with him serving as Lupin's most reliable ally. With the samurai Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Jigen shares a relationship of mutual respect, with Goemon regarding the gunman as a fellow warrior. His relationship with Fujiko Mine is one of deep distrust. Jigen is highly suspicious of her motives, which often leads her to keep her distance, though they occasionally display a sibling-like rapport, such as when they bond over the shared annoyance of Lupin's antics. One of the few significant acts of care he shows for her occurs in The Mystery of Mamo, where he saves her from the film's antagonist, Mamo, an action likely motivated by his loyalty to Lupin. This film also notes his heavy smoking habit, with a companion booklet stating he smokes about 60 cigarettes a day. Among the group, Jigen is the least hesitant to take a human life, though he generally refuses to kill women and children.