Lupin ZERO debuts at Anime NYC!
The upcoming spin-off show, Lupin ZERO, has made quite a splash at this year’s Anime NYC convention, with some lucky fans able to catch a glimpse of the show first-hand.
The six-episode ONA (original net animation) miniseries, which is to release online starting December 16th, premiered at the event on Friday the 18th of November 2022. Attendees, who were able to gain access to the panel through preregistrations and a lottery draw system, saw the first thirty-minute episode in full, with Japanese voice acting and English subtitles.
During the premiere, attendees also learnt more about the voice talent behind this more youthful Lupin and his friends.
Due to the time shift and nature of ZERO—for the first time since Farewell to Nostradamus, series veteran Kanichi Kurita will not be playing Lupin III in the Japanese language dub. Instead, Lupin is voiced by Tasuku Hatanaka, who at the age of twenty-eight, is already an experienced member of the voice acting industry, starring in My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Yu-Gi-Oh, and more.
The event also shone the spotlight on a young Daisuke Jigen (voiced by Shunsuke Takeuchi), who meets our tiny hero for the first time (an alternate origins’ story, if you will)!
Lupin strikes up a conversation with Jigen at a nightclub, however during their talk, Jigen concludes that Lupin is simply a privileged and naïve child from a well-to-do family, and doesn’t want anything to do with him. However, while helping the nightclub singer Yoko, who is being pursued by the yakuza, Jigen learns that his new “friend” is a descendant of the legendary thief… a moment that helps define the rest of their lives.
Partly inspired by the original Young Lupin III stories by Monkey Punch, LUPIN Zero features a mischievous Lupin in his youth, and will follow along on his many misadventures. The show is set in Tokyo during the 1960s, and the animation adapts a stylized look to it, mimicking the 1971 television series Lupin III: Part 1.
While not involved with Part 6 or the upcoming VS Cat’s Eye, Telecom Animation, who are creating this short series, have contributed to the Lupin franchise in recent years with Part 4, Part 5, and the Lupin the IIIRD film trilogy.
You can catch the whole six-episode series in selected territories starting December 16th 2022. Those living within the United States will be able to tune into the show via streaming service HIDIVE, with details for other territories to be announced closer to the air date.
For now, check out the below interview with the new cast members for young Lupin and Jigen, via TMS Japan’s official YouTube channel. If you are okay with spoilers, you can feel free to check out Anime News Network’s review of a standard definition screener version of the episode by clicking here.
Wondering where you can watch Lupin ZERO in your country of residence? Not to fear!
We will have an article detailing where to watch Lupin ZERO across all participating territories coming to the Lupin Central website a few days prior to December the 16th—so stay tuned!
