If you are interested in both anime and video-games, you likely know of the Persona franchise. Persona 5, a stylish JRPG that shoves nihilistic romanticism and sanctimonious progressivism down your throat at every scene, uses Arsene Lupin as an ideological symbol throughout the game. In this context, the gentleman thief is akin to Milton’s Lucifer; speaking truth to power and standing up for your own ideals. To the writers of Persona 5, the objective truth of one’s ideals is irrelevant—and actually nonexistent—as the only real truth is that which you find subjectively within yourself. Of course, as with most casual nihilists, this theory of moral relativism becomes inconsistent as they simultaneously preach about the evils of greedy corporations and nationalist politicians. Now, this is all relevant to Lupin the Third because these are exactly the themes shoehorned into many of the franchise’s specials and shows.
Lupin, as a ne’er-do-well who breaks from the norms both legal and moral of society at large, is to many writers the symbol of this self-reverential romanticism. These writers translate the selfless hero of Miyazaki’s film through an ideological lens, creating an unlikely political idealist. Thus we can find Lupin and his gang helping an Islamic monarch prevail against American-backed revolution [Part 5], assisting Fidel Castro to retain command of Cuba [The Woman Called Fujiko Mine], sympathizing with a super-AI’s mission to redistribute Amazon boxes around the globe to create an equitable society [Goodbye Partner], and saving the world from a clone of Leonardo Da Vinci—actually I don’t even remember what that was about [Part 4]. Now, is this all Miyazaki’s fault? Not quite, as long-running franchises inevitably become corrupted by ideological/bad writers. However, the stage was set by The Castle of Cagliostro by making Lupin the Third as a character live for anything more than the craving for treasure and the lust for women. Once Miyazaki made Lupin any more morally complex than the cartoon clown, the floodgates were opened to writers who take themselves far too seriously.
I’d like to rescue The Castle of Cagliostro from such an ideological interpretation. The audience sees it for the joyful mystery adventure that it is. Even the writers know that the fun simplicity of the series is what keeps people coming back, not the subtexts they impose on it. However, the subtexts keep appearing as the franchise continues through the years, and it is grating. Hayao Miyazaki created a Lupin film with a set-up subtly different from previous shows; Lupin isn’t after any riches, but is only interested in solving a mystery of international political intrigue. Greed has completely disappeared from him as a character motivation, yet he finds joy in the thrill of the heist. Spontaneously, he is thrust into a romantic damsel-rescue mission (a Lady Clarisse) by way of an incredible car chase—yet there is none of the lustful, womanizing Lupin here. Instead, he is paying a debt to Clarisse for selflessly saving his life a decade before.
It’s also clear that Lupin has more noble sentiments as he actively strives to ruin the antagonist Count—an over-the-top cruel and wealthy aristocrat akin to the original Lupin villains—not to mention the intentionally corny speech about “releasing girls about to be forced into marriage to run free in green fields.” Despite Fujiko's reference to Lupin's womanizing past, his relations with Clarisse are almost ridiculously chaste. The fact that the mysteries of counterfeit currency and the house of Cagliostro are solved is utterly secondary to Lupin’s goodwill towards Clarisse. He’s a romantic hero; a knight in shining armor who believes in the cardinal virtues—objective morality—yet who takes absolute pleasure in the arts of strategizing, infiltrating, and escaping. In short, he is a hero who thoroughly enjoys his trade; not a world-saving idealist who just happens to be a master thief on the side.
What is the genius of the Lupin III franchise? The heroism or the heists? The convoluted intrigues or the simple adventures? I think most long-time fans would agree that it’s the latter in both cases. Miyazaki managed to craft an incredible story that perfectly balanced heroism with entertaining antics, alongside a perfect score and glorious Ghibli-quality backdrops. Given many Lupin III iterations that followed Cagliostro, it’s clear that most writers can never manage that balance—Miyazaki is exceptional. The key was in keeping Lupin's heroism simple and traditional, not radical and of apocalyptic consequence. My solution for new writers would be to move away from the convoluted plots that twist and contort to fit a philosophical subtext. Instead, focus on the thrilling antics of the master thief, the gunslinger, the samurai, the femme fatale, and the stubborn detective—all the while sprinkling some of that Miyazaki charm, and maybe just a touch of Miyazaki heroism, onto the characters. Keep it simple, keep it traditional. Remember, you're writing about the Lupin gang, not about pressing geo-political issues. Don't project your political resentments onto the plot, and don't overburden it with absurd forays into the supernatural or sci-fi. Even the lamest writers can manage that. Of course, who’s gonna listen to me? They don’t read MAL.
