History Anime / LupinZero

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* AdaptationExpansion: Episode 3 is an adaptation of the manga chapter "Lupin III vs Arsène Lupin", in which the aging Lupin I gives his young grandson one final challenge that will determine whether or not he's worthy to receive his estate... [[spoiler:which turns out to be an underhanded ploy to acquire a new heart]]. The anime expands upon this basic premise, turning Lupin I's challenge to his grandson into a contest among multiple thieves.

* ChivalrousPervert: The teenage Lupin definitely falls into this camp, unlike some iterations of the character. Though the series doesn't dive into Lupin's relationship with women that much in favor of developing his relationship with Jigen, he's still very good friends with Yoko and respects Shinobu's authority to ''some'' extent... though this doesn't stop him from [[spoiler: peeking at Shinobu's lingerie, which actually helps clue him in to the fact that the "Shinobu" that confronts him and Jigen at the end of episode 5 and tries to lead him astray at the start of episode 6 is really Lupin II in disguise, as his dad wasn't wearing the kind of undergarments she usually does]].

* DepravedBisexual: Lupin I is hedonistic DirtyOldMan with a harem that includes both women and men.

* GiveHimANormalLife: It's revealed that Lupin's father left him behind in Japan, ostensibly to be raised by his maid, Shinobu, so that he wouldn't grow up to be a thief like Lupin I and II.
* GoodParents: [[ParentalNeglect While he hardly goes about it]] [[ControlFreak in the best manner]], it's evident that Lupin II does care about his son. He outright rescued him from his abusive grandfather's TrainingFromHell, wanted him to live an honest, less dangerous lifestyle than that of a thief, and certainly cares for his safety more than his grandfather, [[spoiler: who was perfectly willing to potentially get his grandson killed to get his heart and extend his lifespan, whereas II made getting his son out of the range of the atomic bomb he stole and sold a priority.]] Additionally, [[spoiler: when Lupin declares his intent to become Lupin III and beats his father's challenge to steal his Walther, he willingly divulges the info on the bombs' location, gives him some advice for his new lifestyle, and even bequeaths his Walther to him.]]

** In episode 6, [[spoiler: to commemorate his first heist as "Lupin III"]], Lupin dons what would become his iconic Green Jacket era outfit. Jigen, while not going as far as to wear a suit, tie and fedora, gets in on this by donning a blue dress shirt with a leather jacket and black trousers to go with his cap, giving off the impression of his own trademark appearance.

* TheSyndicate: [[spoiler: Shinobu briefly mentions the establishing of a "Lupin Empire" headed by Lupin II in episode 5.]]
* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Downplayed; while the middle school-aged Lupin and Jigen are more rebellious than outright troubled, they still smoke, drink and use firearms despite how much younger they are in this series.

** The scene from the finale where Yoko leans in and kisses Lupin on the forehead [[spoiler:right before she commits suicide]] isa direct homage to the ending scene of ''Anime/TheCastleOfCagliostro'', where Lupin gives Clarisse a forehead kiss just before departing.

** The scene from the finale where Yoko leans in and kisses Lupin on the forehead [[spoiler:right before she commits suicide]] isa direct homage to the ending scene of ''Anime/TheCastleOfCalgiostro'', where Lupin gives Clarisse a forehead kiss just before departing.

* BiTheWay: In episode 5 Lupin I's harem is very briefly shown to have been swapped out with too younger men.

* BitheWay: In episode 5 Lupin I's harem is very briefly shown to have been swapped out with too younger men.

* WouldHurtAChild: Shinobu ([[spoiler:Actually Lupin II in disguise]]) has no qualms about shooting Jigen even if he stands down from their MexicanStandOff, seeing him as a bad influence who'll steer Lupin into the life of crime his father wants him to avoid.

* ChivalrousPervert: The teenaged Lupin definitely falls into this camp, unlike some iterations of the character. Though the series doesn't dive into Lupin's relationship with women that much in favor of developing his relationship with Jigen, he's still very good friends with Yoko and respects Shinobu's authority to ''some'' extent... though this doesn't stop him from [[spoiler: peeking at Shinobu's lingerie, which actually helps clue him in to the fact that the "Shinobu" that confronts him and Jigen at the end of episode 5 and tries to lead him astray at the start of episode 6 is really Lupin II in disguise, as his dad wasn't wearing the kind of undergarments she usually does]].

** In the third episode, it's noted that the female thief, Phoolan, has quickly fallen behind the other competitors, and she's the last to arrive at location where the prize is supposedly being held. She also acts strangely protective of Lupin, in contrast to the ruthlessness of the other two thieves. [[spoiler:At the very end of the episode, Lupin finds the real Phoolan BoundAndGagged in the forest, with it being revealed that she was [[MuggedForDisguise intercepted and replaced by Lupin II]] while en route to prize.]]

* GoodParents: [[ParentalNeglect While he hardly goes about it]] [[ControlFreak in the best manner]], it's evident that Lupin II does care about his son. He outright rescued him from his abusive grandfather's TrainingFromHell, wanted him to live an honest, less dangerous lifestyle than that of a thief, and certainly cares for his safety more than his grandfather, [[spoiler: who was perfectly willing to potentially get his grandson killed to get his heart and extend his lifespan, whereas II made getting his son out of the range of the atomic bomb he stole and sold a priority.]] Additionally, [[spoiler: when Lupin declares his intent to become Lupin III and beats his father's challenge to steal his Walther, he willingly divulges the info on the bombs location, gives him some advice for his new lifestyle, and even bequeaths his Walther to him.]]
* HollywoodNatives: Marinal Zochile Npakakokka, the young shaman girl from episode 2. Her garb and tribal face paint mark her as coming from an indeterminate country somewhere in the Americas, but her language, name and cultural mannerisms don't really map onto any real world Indigenous tribe.

* IJustWantToBeFree: Lupin's arc throughout this is essentially him realizing this. Growing up, he was given TrainingFromHell by his grandfather, including having his meals locked in a safe for him to unlock, to become a great thief until his father stole him away in an attempt to force him into an honest life with the help/enforcement of [[NinjaMaid Shinobu]]. This causes Lupin to resent the both of them for trying to control the way he lives, leading to him being a top student who nevertheless engages in a lot of delinquency because he can't outright rebel against one of them without playing into the hands of the other. It's only when [[spoiler: Jigen refuses to stand down from his MexicanStandOff with Shinobu due to finding it exciting, that Lupin realises that he's always been a ThrillSeeker and so proclaims that he'll become Lupin III not to please his grandfather or spite his father, [[ItAmusedMe but because he realises that he'll enjoy the life of constantly living life on the edge.]]]]

* LikeFatherLikeSon: Evidently, the third of the Lupin line got his womanizing habits from somewhere, with his grandfather having a harem of naked men and women at his bedside almost constantly and his father attempting to get handsy with Shinobu at one point before she elbows him.

* WhamEpisode: Episode 5, "The Man Who Operates in Secret". [[spoiler: Lupin II returns to Tokyo to steal a nuclear cannon from the stationed US military on behalf of a revolutionary force seeking to seize control of Japan's government, and it turns out that Yoko has secretly been working with their leader, Gaucho, this whole time. Jigen is hired by a group of yakuza contracted by the government to assist in their raid of Lupin II's estate, with the goal naturally being finding the man himself. Things soon come to a head at a rooftop standoff between Jigen, the young Lupin, and Shinobu, who's come alongside his father to relocate the family elsewhere. The excitement leads Lupin to realize just how much he enjoys living life on the edge, and he resolves to finally claim the title of "Lupin III" and become a thief -- but only so that he can go wherever and do whatever he wants, starting with his very first heist as a pro thief: '''Jigen's heart''', the culmination of nearly ''half a century'' of ShipTeases. Some time after, at a US military boat stolen by the revolutionaries, Gaucho receives Lupin III's signature calling card, telling him that he'll be coming to claim the "songstress" the following morning.]]

* NamedByTheAdaptation: Shinobu roughly corresponds to Lupin's unnamed housekeeper [[spoiler:and Lupin II's secret accomplice]] (previously dubbed "Miss K" in Tokyopop's translation) from the flashback chapters of the original manga.

* BrandX: Close-ups of Jigen's signature revolver show it's a Smith & ''Maxon'', complete with a simplified version of the Smith & Wesson logo that has the W flipped upside down.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: In the third episode, it's noted that the female thief, Phoolan, has quickly fallen behind the other competitors, and she's the last to arrive at location where the prize is supposedly being held. She also acts strangely protective of Lupin, in contrast to the ruthlessness of the other two thieves. [[spoiler:At the very end of the episode, Lupin finds the real Phoolan BoundAndGagged in the forest, with it being revealed that she was [[MuggedForDisguise intercepted and replaced by Lupin II]] while en route to prize.]]

* KnightTemplarParent: Well, KnightTemplar ParentalSubstitute. [[spoiler: When she and Jigen get into a MexicanStandOff during a {{Yakuza}} raid on the mansion, Shinobu states she has no issue shooting Jigen even if she knows he wouldn't actually shoot Lupin, since she sees him as a bad influence who could lead him to the life of crime his father wants him to avoid.]]

* WhamEpisode: Episode 5, "The Man Who Operates in Secret". [[spoiler: Lupin II returns to Tokyo to steal a nuclear cannon from the stationed US military on behalf of a revolutionary force seeking to seize control of Japan's government, and it turns out that Yoko has secretly been working with their leader, Gaucho, this whole time. Jigen is hired by a group of yakuza contracted by the government to assist in their raid of Lupin II's estate, with the goal naturally being finding the man himself. Things soon come to a head at a rooftop standoff between Jigen, the young Lupin, and Shinobu, who's come alongside his father to relocate the family elsewhere. The excitement leads Lupin to realize just how much he enjoys living life on the edge, and he resolves to finally claim the title of "Lupin III" and become a thief -- but only so that he can go wherever and do whatever he wants, starting with his very first heist as a pro thief: '''Jigen's heart''', the culmination of nearly ''half a century'' of ShipTeases. Soon after, at a US military boat stolen by the revolutionaries, Gaucho receives Lupin III's signature calling card, telling him that he'll be coming to claim the "songstress" the following morning.]]

* ShoutOut: Phoolan, the female thief in Episode 3, is named after [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoolan_Devi Phoolan Devi]], known as the Bandit Queen of India.