Dec 19

Dec 19 Review: Lupin III “Greatest Heists” Manga Collection

Back in December 2020, American publishing company Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they were to bring a brand-new compilation of classic Monkey Punch tales to western shores.

Previously released in Japan and France as a tribute to Monkey Punch after the creator’s passing in 2019, the Greatest Heists collection includes a carefully curated list of Lupin III stories, taken from two distinct eras of the original manga. While it is compact in size, the hard cover book is filled with plenty of content, including a fresh English translation and tribute to Monkey Punch by Futabasha Publishers Managing Editor, Ryuichi Endo.

Said story content spans a large timeline of Monkey Punch work. This includes the original series, which ran from 1967 to 1969, all the way up to the latter released Shin Lupin (New Lupin III), which ran from 1977 to 1981. It even features a brief appearance of Lupin III’s son, prior to his starring role in the spin-off series Lupin III Jr. New Lupin III has been known in the west as Lupin III: World's Most Wanted, which was the title given to the series when printed by TOKYOPOP during the mid-naughties.

A second collection, while already released in Japan, has yet to be announced for the west.

After months of waiting, I finally received my copy in the mail last week. It has been a pleasure to sit down and flick through it on rainy afternoons, with a coffee and (sometimes) a snack!

Please note that despite writing up quick spoiler free impressions of each chapter, the main focus of my review below is regarding presentation, localisation, and content as a whole.

Content warning: This review contains mention and description concerning the act of rape.

For starters, the presentation of Greatest Heists is lovely.

The quality of the hard cover and pages feel nice, with a textured effect on each sheet. There’s a handy guide on what direction to read, just in case you are brand new to the concept of Japanese manga. The red inlet stuck to the back of the hard cover works well against the blue, and it has a very Lupin look to it (red jacket, blue background, like the cover artwork itself)!

The page size is slightly larger than the original TOKYOPOP version, and as a result, the quality of the print looks clearer. Monkey Punch’s early work certainly benefits from the additional boost in size, as some sketchier drawings in particular are now easier to read. There was also a slight yellow hue on the pages of the TOKYOPOP release, at least judging by my own personal collection, and that is something that is not present here. The panels look better for it, with some nice vibrant whites and blacks helping to showcase the master’s lovely art.

If I were to nitpick, I would mention that the logo on the front slightly bleeds over the binding, which looks a little messy. This is a small concern, though, and it doesn’t detract from how colourful and eye-catching the outer shell appears.

The cover, of course, features classic artwork of Lupin, as illustrated by Monkey Punch. It's clean, simple, and works well.

As mentioned earlier, Futabasha Publishers Managing Editor, Ryuichi Endo, has a letter to Monkey Punch featured in this book.

Endo assisted in compiling the original Japanese version of the collection, pulling together the stories included and fleshing out the structure. Rather than going in release order, as mentioned in his letter, Endo decided to instead order chapters in a way that would be sympathetic to new readers. As a result, new chapters tend to jump around the timeline a fair bit – for example, opening with the first strip from New Lupin III, before moving onto the debut strip from the original Lupin III.

Having original and New Lupin III chapters mixed together almost feels like Part 1, going from Masaaki Ōsumi to Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata episodes, and witnessing the tonal change between the two. It works here, though, and serves as a fun new way to read through classic tales.

Let us take a quick look at the selection of included stories:

Lupin Family Reunion
- A fantastic way to introduce new readers to Lupin III. Starting with a chapter from New Lupin III was a bold move from Endo, but those familiar with the anime will feel right at home with the characters straight out of the gate. This chapter was remade into an OVA in March 2012, as a send-off for veteran voice cast members Makio Inoue, Eiko Masuyama, Gorō Naya and Chikao Ōtsuka.
The Dashing Entrance of Lupin III
- The story that started it all – the first introduction of Lupin III. This is a classic, and still a good read. New readers may be a little confused regarding character appearance, especially when compared to how the gang look in both the anime and the chapter that came before it. It was essential for it to be included here, though, and I am happy with Endo’s decision to feature it in the second slot, after Lupin Family Reunion.
1 Man, 180 Roles
- My personal favourite chapter included in this collection. Taken from New Lupin III, 1 Man, 180 Roles is a lot of fun, and features some good banter between Lupin, Jigen, Goemon and Zenigata. Melon Cop, Zenigata’s assistant, makes his debut and only showing in this collection within this story, and the twists and turns along the way are sure to entertain. A classic and a great pick from Endo.
The Magician
- Those familiar with Part 1 will recognise this one. Lupin faces off with his greatest enemy yet, Pycal (referred to here as Baijiu, based on the alcoholic grain liquor). I personally love the line artwork in this chapter, but feel as if the content has not aged well. It contains rape, some vulgar imagery, and I think that the anime handled the story better. Pycal is such an iconic character in the franchise, it makes sense for Endo to showcase his origins here. I would have been happy to skip it, though.
Spaghetti Jigen
- A great chapter of which one of my favourite Part 2 episodes is based upon, The Combat Magnum Scattered in the Wasteland. This story presents a brilliant idea, but lacks some additional context from the animated version, which helped tell a more compelling tale. Jigen also seems to be fawned over by a woman, who feels a tad out of place. Still, it’s a classic, and deserves to be in this collection!
The Coming of Goemon
- Another early chapter of the original manga that Part 1 fans may recognise. This is one of my favourite original chapters, and Goemon is a lot of fun here. His facial expressions in particular are sure to give fans of the character a laugh. Happy to see it included!
Death Match!! Fujiko VS. Lupin the Brat
- Another one from New Lupin III. This chapter features Fujiko and a young boy, claiming to be her son, and accusing Fujiko of being a fraud. I thought the new English translation (more on that later in the review) worked particularly well here, and it is nice to see the origins of Lupin III Jr. ahead of his later spin-off series, also by Monkey Punch.
Dead Heat
- Another fantastic tale from the original series, of which Is Lupin Burning…?! from Part 1 is based upon. Unlike the anime, there are no uncomfortable Fujiko tickling scenes here, and her character comes off as much more capable. I prefer this manga version over the anime, and think fans will enjoy reading it.
Lupin's Lullaby
- New Lupin III is back again with another silly one. This chapter only includes three characters, and has a classic, funny Lupin style punchline at the end. It’s short and sweet, but an enjoyable palate cleanser.
The Lupin Who Loved Me
- Back to the original manga content again, for this slightly messy but exciting story. Again, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way, with a fun punchline at the end. The art can be a little tricky to follow at times, but I feel it nicely showcases how loose and fun Monkey Punch could be with his early work. It also includes the origins of Mr. Flinch, a name you may recognise from The Mystery of Mamo!
Treasure Hunt (Part 1 and Part 2)
- The final tale, a two parter from New Lupin III. These chapters will not blow any minds, but they serve as a simple, fun adventure through some gorgeous artwork and nice use of panelling. Yet again, a brilliant punchline at the end, and a very funny one at that. A superb way to close out the collection.

All in all, then, the collection features a great selection of classic Monkey Punch strips. The good far outweigh the bad, and there is sure to be something included here for everyone.

The newly translated English dialogue appears to be closer to Monkey Punch's original version than that of the TOKYOPOP releases.

Characters sound like you would expect. The text is clear and easy to read, with a good level of attention given to the original script. If you have heard Tony Oliver, Richard Epcar and the rest of the old Geneon dub cast voice the gang before, then it will be easy to imagine them as the characters here.

It is impossible, however, to pick a version that will please everyone.

While it was, at times, unnecessarily crass, the Seven Seas translation lacks some of the character from the TOKYOPOP text. Now iconic lines that, while may seem out of place when compared to the original text or anime, gave the previous translation some spunk. It often came across as sleazy at times, but many appreciate this additional attitude written into the characters.

Personally, I prefer this new one. It is more accurate, and less vulgar – I couldn’t get on with the original English language mangas, and I am now realizing, this is why.

One quick thing to note is that there also appears to be a mistake in Ryuichi Endo’s letter. “Zenigata” is written as “Zenigawa”, here. I am unsure if this mistake was made in translation, or, more likely, Endo’s original text. Either way, the letter is incredibly heartfelt, and shows what a professional and humble fellow Endo is. He has done a brilliant job at putting this collection together, and should be proud of his efforts.

Before wrapping up the review, I would like to mention content warnings.

I am surprised, due to the nature of a couple of the original Lupin III manga chapters, that one concerning rape is not included on the listing or cover of this book. There is one instance where, despite her protest, a male character has intercourse with a female, and another where things come extremely close.

In this version, and the original strip, Monkey Punch removes the male character from the latter mentioned scenario, only to show the woman. This censorship doesn’t justify the act of rape, and I personally feel like in 2021, no matter the author or the state of the world at the time, this needs calling out.

I do not believe we should run from our crimes, or censor history, but I would have appreciated a content warning on the back of the book with mention of this. It is 2021, please do better.

Greatest Heists is a fantastic way of experiencing the original manga series without having to spend an arm and a leg.

The breadth and variety of content included means it is likely to have at least one chapter you have not read before, helping to make this well worth your time.

It is apparent how carefully these were compiled, too. Opening up with Lupin Family Reunion is a clever way to introduce new readers to the characters. Seeing the inclusion of classics such as Dead Heat and Spaghetti Jigen later in the collection helps keep readers interested. I was also very pleased to see 1 Man, 108 Roles, another one of my personal favourites.

It’s a nice, curated way of getting a feel for Lupin and the gang’s origins. I do feel each chapter could have been introduced better, with perhaps information regarding original release (volume number and year). This is by no means an essential, though, and a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things.

The book is sure to delight new and old fans alike – just, please go in aware of the potentially triggering content the older chapters contain. I do hope we see more licenced Lupin III manga release outside of Japan in the years ahead.