Arsène Lupin III descends from Maurice Leblanc's fictional gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, created by manga artist Kazuhiko Kato under the pseudonym Monkey Punch in 1967. This character merges Leblanc's Lupin with James Bond traits, emerging as a carefree master thief specializing in international heists. His ethnic background remains ambiguous in official media; occasional claims of French-Japanese heritage typically serve as strategic deceptions rather than verified facts. Modern profiles consistently list his birthplace as unknown.
Lupin's personality shifts across media formats. Monkey Punch's original manga depicts him as remorseless, crude, and sexually aggressive—a lone underworld leader committing murder and violent crimes. Anime adaptations recast him as a chivalrous figure who avoids killing, aids vulnerable individuals, and opposes villains committing graver crimes than his thefts. Core traits endure: a childlike passion for challenges, humor as a defense mechanism, and primary motivation from heist thrills rather than possessing stolen goods. He frequently loses or discards loot post-theft, sometimes returning items to rightful owners.
His skills encompass superhuman disguise mastery allowing flawless impersonations, cat-like physical dexterity, and extensive scientific/technological knowledge for theft. Gadgets include grappling hook belts, robotic safe-cracking beetles, and customized firearms, though his plans prioritize improvisational genius over equipment. Despite average strength, his flexibility and speed enable effective combat evasion. He avoids killing as policy, particularly refusing to murder women except under extreme duress.
Relationships define his criminal endeavors. Daisuke Jigen—modeled after James Coburn—acts as his best friend and master marksman. Swordsman Goemon Ishikawa XIII offers Japanese cultural contrast to Lupin's Western influences; their dynamic evolves from enmity to reluctant partnership. Fujiko Mine functions as both love interest and frequent betrayer, exploiting Lupin's infatuation to hijack heists, though he consistently rescues her. Inspector Koichi Zenigata pursues Lupin globally as his Interpol rival, their "human Tom and Jerry" dynamic underscored by mutual respect.
In "Tokyo Crisis," Lupin pursues photographic plates tied to the Tokugawa fortune while navigating complications: Jigen's marksmanship impaired by toothache, Goemon's loss of his sword Zantetsuken, and Fujiko's shifting allegiances with antagonist Michael Suzuki. Demonstrating loyalty, Lupin aids his team's recovery of essential tools despite their initial unreliability. His tactical ingenuity surfaces in schemes like impersonating Suzuki's bodyguard to infiltrate Aquapolis' opening. The narrative highlights his moral ambiguity—profiting from theft while opposing Suzuki's human cloning—and prioritization of heist challenges over material gain, as he abandons the plates after succeeding.
Lupin's background features paternal figures shaping his methods. His grandfather Arsène Lupin built a global "Lupin Empire" through thefts but died penniless due to gambling addictions. Lupin III often references his grandfather's advice and attempts to complete failed family heists, including stealing the Mona Lisa—unachieved by both. His father, Lupin II, mirrored Arsène's womanizing and gambling, appearing sporadically in legacy thefts like stealing the Book of Secrets detailing Zantetsuken's creation. This lineage fuels Lupin III's identity as a third-generation thief upholding familial notoriety.
Character development across media reveals enduring contradictions: a self-serving thief exhibiting fierce loyalty; a lecherous womanizer displaying genuine chivalry; and a remorseless criminal adhering to personal ethics against killing. Sustained through 50+ years of stories, these complexities cement his status as a globally recognized antihero whose appeal lies in perpetual reinvention within consistent foundational traits.