Is Netflix’s Lupin based on the anime series? The live-action Lupin stars Omar Sy as Assane Diop, a gentleman thief and master of deception, as he works to avenge his father after he was accused of stealing a necklace once belonging to Marie Antoinette. While Lupin and the Japanese anime show Lupin the Third (or Lupin III) share a very similar title, the Netflix series is not actually based on the anime. However, the two shows do share a major connection.
Lupin the Third first premiered in October 1971 and was based on the manga series created by artist Kazuhiko Katō (under the pen name Monkey Punch) in 1967. The series, which is split into six different parts, spanned five decades, with the most recent installment airing in September 2018. To sum it all up, Lupin the Third follows the story of internationally wanted thief Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the famous gentleman thief from Maurice Leblanc’s novels. The anime was initially created as a comedy adventure that saw the titular character teaming up with other outlaws to pull off heists.
Meanwhile, Lupin draws its title and inspiration from Leblanc’s books, but the main character is not biologically related to the top hat-wearing character. Whereas readers can take Lupin the Third to be a continuation of Lupin’s bloodline and adventures by way of his grandson, Netflix’s Lupin is more of an original story that is influenced by Leblanc’s body of work and acts as social commentary about race, power, and class. Assane and Arsène Lupin III are both original characters that each bring something unique to their respective stories while honoring the novels that influenced them.
All that said, both series share the connection of Leblanc’s books about Arsène Lupin. Without these novels, the anime and live-action series simply wouldn’t exist, at least not in the way that fans know them today. For those who are unfamiliar with Arsène Lupin, the character made his debut in a series of short stories beginning with The Arrest of Arsène Lupin in 1905. The master of disguise and deception has since appeared in 17 novels and has even confronted Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes — whose name was changed to Herlock Sholmes after Doyle protested — in a couple of stories.
Lupin may not be focused on the titular character, but the Netflix series is so named because it sees Assane putting many of Arsène Lupin’s plots into action. As an example, Assane is able to enter and escape prison, a storyline that is loosely based on The Arrest of Arsène Lupin. Similarly, Lupin the Third mirrored the spirit, mystery, and adventure present throughout Leblanc’s books. Both projects are grounded in a love for the original gentleman thief, sharing the charisma, wit, and fun that made the original novels so engaging and popular. Ultimately, Leblanc's character proved to be enduring and lives on in both Lupin and the anime series.