How to Watch Lupin the Third in Order (With Movies)

Lupin the Third, also known as Lupin III, is an anime series that hasn't managed to gain much popularity outside of Japan. However, the series has been running for decades and still manages to churn out engaging content. The story follows a gang of thieves who often steal precious objects. Regardless of the basic concept, the episodes never become repetitive or boring and will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Unlike most anime, Lupin III is episodic, which means every episode is a fulfilling story. The series is like a sitcom where the only thing that connects the events of the series is the main cast. One quirky element about the anime is that you can guess the tone of an episode by the protagonist Lupin's jacket color!

Green jacket from Part I represents a carefree Lupin III, while the red jacket in Part II signifies that the part is funny and absurd. The pink jacket in Part III portrays a goofier and cartoonish side of the show, and the blue jacket in modern Lupin symbolizes a more serious tone of the show. Fans looking to watch Lupin III can check it out on Pluto TV or Tubi, where the series is available.

Lupin III has no specific chronology, so it doesn’t matter where you start. Fans who wish to start watching the series from Part V will miss a few call-backs that the new episodes make to the older series. However, if you haven't watched the older series, you won't notice them since they aren't related to the main plotline. The movies, OVAs, and specials are standalone and can be watched anytime.

Check out the full list of Lupin the Third episodes, OVAs, movies, specials, and the release order to watch below:

Release Order for Lupin III

TV Series

• Lupin III: Part I (1971) 
• Lupin III: Part II (1977)
• Lupin III: Part III (1984)
• The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (2012)
• Lupin III: Part IV: The Italian Adventure (2015) 
• Lupin III: Part V (2018)

Movies

• Lupin the IIIrd: Chikemuri no Ishikawa Goemon
• Lupin III: Pilot Film (1969)
• Lupin III: The Secret of Mamo (1978)
• Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
• Lupin III: Babylon no Ougon Densetsu (1985)
• Lupin III: The Fuma Conspiracy (1987)
• Lupin III: Dead or Alive (1996)
• Lupin III: Farewell to Nostradamus (1995)
• Lupin III vs. Detective Conan: The Movie (2013)
• Lupin III: Jigen’s Gravestone (2014)
• Lupin the IIIrd: Chikemuri no Ishikawa (2017)
• Lupin the IIIrd: Mine Fujiko no Uso (2019)
• Lupin III: The First (2019)

OVAs

• Lupin III: Ikiteita Majutsushi (2002)
• Lupin III: Green vs. Red (2008)
• Lupin the Third: Is Lupin Still Burning? (2018)

Specials

• Lupin III: Goodbye Lady Liberty (1989)
• Lupin III: Hemingway Paper no Nazo (1990)
• Lupin III: Napoleon (1991)
• Lupin III: Bank of Liberty (1992)
• Lupin III: Voyage to Danger (1993)
• Lupin III: Dragon of Doom (1994)
• Lupin III: Harimao no Zaihou wo Oe!! (1995)
• Lupin III: Twilight Gemini no Himitsu (1996)
• Lupin III: Island of Assassins (1997)
• Lupin III: Crisis in Tokyo (1998)
• Lupin III: The Columbus Files (1999)
• Lupin III: Missed by a Dollar (2000)
• Lupin III: Alcatraz Connection (2001)
• Lupin III Episode 0: The First Contact (2002)
• Lupin III: Operation Return the Treasure (2003)
• Lupin III: Nusumareta Lupin (2004)
• Lupin III: Tenshi no Tactics – Yume no Kakera wa Koroshi no Kaori (2005)
• Lupin III: Seven Days Rhapsody (2006)
• Lupin III: Elusiveness of the Fog (2007)
• Lupin III: Sweet Lost Night – Mahou no Lamp wa Akumu no Yokan (2008)
• Lupin III vs. Detective Conan (2009)
• Lupin III: The Last Job (2010)
• Lupin III: Chi no Kokuin – Eien no Mermaid (2011)
• Lupin III: Touhou Kenbunroku – Another Page (2012)
• Lupin VIII (2012)
• Lupin III: Lupin Ikka Seizoroi (2012)
• Lupin III 3DCG (2012)
• Lupin III: Princess of the Breeze – Kakusareta Kuuchuu Toshi (2013)
• Lupin III: Italian Game (2015)
• Lupin III: Goodbye Partner (2019)
• Lupin III: Prison of the Past (2019)

Since the series consists of standalone episodes, the watch order for the anime is a little more flexible than others. Here are the three different ways you can watch Lupin III:

1. Lupin III: Part I (1971) is the chronological approach to starting the series. While the animation may seem somewhat outdated, the series is the beginning of the franchise and defines many aspects of it, as is seen in the later series.
2. Fans who aren't sure about committing to the long-running series immediately can start with the movie Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979). The film is the directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki, the man behind the widely known Studio Ghibli.
3. Fans who wish to watch new-age modern animation can start the series from Lupin Part V (2018). In addition to the incredible animation, the series features storylines that are more relevant to modern-day viewers.

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