In the 2002 prequel film "Lupin III: Episode 0 'First Contact'", Daisuke Jigen is portrayed as a highly skilled professional gunman working as a bodyguard and trigger-man for a high-profile New York Mafia boss. His life at this point is described as calm and uninteresting, a routine existence where he earns good money and possesses freedom, yet feels a distinct lack of purpose or spark. This mundane existence is challenged with the arrival of Arsène Lupin III, who breaks into the boss's villa, successfully evading Jigen's bullets and escaping. Although Jigen technically wins the encounter by protecting his employer and the treasure, he is left intrigued by the mysterious intruder identified as Lupin the Third. Initially cast as a rival and adversary assigned to eliminate Lupin, Jigen undergoes a significant shift as the narrative progresses. He is portrayed as reluctant and dismissive of Lupin's early attempts at befriending him, leading to scenes filled with tension and banter. A recurring visual metaphor throughout their interactions involves Lupin attempting to light Jigen's cigarette, a gesture Jigen repeatedly refuses by turning away or spitting out the cigarette, symbolizing his resistance to forming a connection. The turning point in their relationship occurs when Lupin proves himself by saving Jigen and risking his own safety, prompting a change in the gunman's perspective. By the film's conclusion, Jigen chooses to partner with his former target, finding the thief more entertaining and forming the core of what becomes an unbreakable partnership. This film establishes Jigen's foundational role as the pragmatic, skilled, and eventually loyal partner who balances Lupin's impulsiveness. His notable abilities, which are on full display, include marksmanship that borders on superhuman, capable of performing a 0.3-second quick-draw and handling a variety of firearms with extreme proficiency. His preferred weapon, a Smith & Wesson Model 19 revolver, is kept in a holster at the back of his belt. He is also a skilled driver and pilot, and physically, he is depicted as tall and lean with a signature broad-brimmed fedora that partly conceals his eyes, dark suits, and a distinct beard.