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Lupin the Third Part 1

Lupin the Third Part 1

1971–1972Ended1 season23 episodes~23 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

Follow the exciting adventures of Arsene Lupin III, the grandson of the world's greatest thief, Arsene Lupin. Together with Daisuke Jigen, Goemon Ishikawa and his love interest Fujiko Mine, he carries out the greatest robberies of all time, all the while evading the control of Inspector Koichi Zenigata.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Lupin the Third Part 1?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Lupin the Third Part 1 streaming on Crunchyroll via Prime Video, HIDIVE via Prime Video, Hulu, Pluto TV (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Highlights

What stands out about Lupin the Third Part 1?

Lupin the Third Part 1 earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Fun.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Lupin the Third Part 1 worth watching?

Lupin the Third Part 1's Midcredits score is the 85th percentile of all shows, from 2.9K ratings across 2 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

85th percentile

Better received than 85% of shows

87th percentile among Animation72nd percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)84th
Approval (how many liked it)81st

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

79 /100

84th percentile of all shows

87th percentile among Animation75th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

84% liked it

81st percentile of all shows

86th percentile among Animation68th percentile among 1970s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

75th percentile

2.8K ratings across platforms

70th percentile among Animation61st percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 19% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A landmark anime series that defined the adult-oriented crime caper genre with a mix of gritty and lighthearted episodes.

Fans praised

  • groundbreaking adult-oriented anime
  • dark noir tone balanced with action-comedy
  • memorable character dynamics between the gang

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

Episodes

6 seasons

Part 6 · 2021 · 24 episodes

  • S6E1

    Enter Sherlock Holmes

    Oct 17, 202125 min
  • S6E2

    The Detective and the Crook

    Oct 24, 202125 min
  • S6E3

    Adventure Along the (Bogus) Transcontinental Railroad

    Oct 31, 202125 min
  • S6E4

    The Killers in the Diner

    Nov 7, 202125 min
  • S6E5

    The Imperial City Dreams of Thieves, Part One

    Nov 14, 202125 min
  • S6E6

    The Imperial City Dreams of Thieves, Part Two

    Nov 21, 202125 min

Watch experience

What is Lupin the Third Part 1 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ThrillingJoyful
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Adventurous · 15% of showsPlayfulWry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Episodic · 11% of shows: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Frame story · 3% of shows: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.SerializedOne continuous story
ToneVaried tone: early episodes are grittier and more serious, later ones more lighthearted and comedic; overall the show maintains a playful, adventurous tone with a knowing wink at its own antics.
The rideWhile individual episodes vary, the overall feel is a energetic blend of action and levity sustained across the series' run.
StructureEach episode is a self-contained caper with a recurring cast and setup. Some episodes use a frame story device to introduce the tale.
Episode formatWhile each episode is a self-contained caper, the series follows a serialized arc of Lupin's ongoing rivalry with Inspector Zenigata and relationships with his crew.
Season formatThe series features the same cast and ongoing pursuit dynamic across all episodes, with no major reset between episodes or seasons.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunRousing · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer entertained and grinning, with a sense of excitement and admiration for the clever heists and charismatic characters.
How it ends · evidence
Cyclical ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.

12% of shows fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEpisodic series where each episode features Lupin and his crew pulling off heists, outwitting Inspector Zenigata, and getting into humorous escapades. The typical episode blends comedy and adventure with a caper structure.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7% (this title)
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

IdentityLoyalty · 7% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores Lupin's identity as a thief and his chosen code, as well as the loyalty among his crew and his adversarial yet respectful bond with Zenigata.
StanceThe series celebrates the thrill of the caper and the cleverness of its protagonist, framing the thief as a charismatic antihero rather than condemning his actions.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanIn transitStylized realism
JazzSupportive music · original score
SettingA globe-trotting series following a master thief and his crew as they pull off heists, pursued by an inspector.
MusicA jazzy score that underscores the cool, stylish tone of the series.

Content guide

Is Lupin the Third Part 1 okay for kids?

TV-PG

Lupin the Third Part 1 is rated TV-PG. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (44/100), sexual content at moderate (42/100), language at minimal (11/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (47/100) and frightening material at mild (22/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 12 other countries
  • Canada14+
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoAA
  • Portugal12AP
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (22 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Lupin the Third Part 1 have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Lupin the Third Part 1?

Cast

Yasuo Yamada
as Arsène Lupin III
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Tony Oliver
as Arsène Lupin III
Kiyoshi Kobayashi
as Daisuke Jigen
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Richard Epcar
as Daisuke Jigen
Michelle Ruff
as Fujiko Mine
Yukiko Nikaidô
as Fujiko Mine
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Gorô Naya
as Inspector Kouichi Zenigata
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Chikao Ôtsuka
as Ishikawa Goemon XIII
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Lex Lang
as Goemon Ishikawa XIII
Doug Erholtz
as Inspector Kouichi Zenigata

Crew

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What are shows like Lupin the Third Part 1?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Lupin the Third Part 1 include Cat's Eye (1983), Black Cat (2005) and Let This Grieving Soul Retire! (2024).

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