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While anime has only really been a force in the Western media market since the 90s, the history of anime actually goes way farther back than that. There’s a lot of classic anime out there which predates the period of anime’s appearance on international TVs, but much of it doesn’t get the respect it deserves. I was once one of those people, too, but one series–Lupin III–helped me to realize the value that these classic anime still hold.
The amount of anime in existence exploded in the late 90s and early 2000s, just in time for the medium’s rise in the US and other international markets. Since then, there’s been an abundance of quality series to choose from, something that’s only gotten easier as streaming services like Crunchyroll emerged, offering easy access to hundreds or even thousands of titles. However, in this era of abundance, it’s easy to forget where anime started, and all the steps it took along the way to get here. Some franchises from the early days of anime are still out there, likeLupin III, and watching their newer series can be a great gateway to the classic content.
Why I Was Wrong to Brush Off Lupin III
An Anime’s Age Isn’t An Indicator of Quality
When I first got started with anime at a young age, I wanted to know about the history of the medium, and that’s when I learned about the big series from the 70s that helped to define what anime is.However, my initial attempts to dive into these earlier series were often met with failure; the art style wasn’t what I had in my mind as “anime,” and so these series didn’t feel quite right to me.Of course, my experience with anime was fairly limited at that time; it really needed to look likePokémon, to use my own personal point of reference from then.
I had more success watching series from the 90s which were deemed classics,such asNeon Genesis Evangelion, as these had a more familiar art style. I also got into plenty of (then) contemporary series, likeBleachandInuyashathanks to Adult Swim. But it took a long time before I even attempted to go back to some of those 70s classics and find out what they were about. In my head, at least, their older art styles just weren’t as appealing to me as more modern series, but that was really because of the narrow idea I had of what anime was.
Anime’s Style Has Evolved Greatly Over the Years
What’s Now Thought of as “Anime” Style Took a Long Time to Be Defined
It may be hard to believe now, but anime’s original art styles often took heavily from Disney films, which were some of the best animated content at the time.By the 70s, it had evolved into some unique styles all its own, but these art styles are still quite different from what fans would recognize today as anime.Lupin IIIis a great example, because it very much has a distinctive style that’s instantly recognizable asLupin, and when it came to reviving the series in the modern day, that art style was preserved because of how iconic it had become in Japan.
Animation is and has always been difficult and expensive, and many classic anime have dealt with that by using low framerates, still frames with minimal movement, and reused animation–all things that can easily get on an attentive fan’s nerves. While these tricks have mostly gone away in the modern anime landscape, they still remain to some extent as vestiges of the early days of the medium. These days, still frames are often meant to emulate specific manga panels, reinforcing anime’s connection to its printed cousin.
WhenLupinIIIcame back in the early 2010s with Part 4, I decided this was probably my best chance to find out what the big deal with the series was. I watched and enjoyed Part 4 quite a bit, but it still wasn’t enough to get me to go back and watch the originals. However, that would all change after a conversation with a younger anime fan, one who refused to even watch 90s classics because they had become so used to wide screen, digitally animated series that the older hand-drawn style was too rough for them.I was baffled as to how someone could just dismiss so many great series over something so trivial–until I realized I had been doing the same thing.
The Anime Classics of Yesteryear Deserve a Chance
There’s More to a Good Anime Than Animation Quality
Determined this time to actually engage with some classic series, I started withGalaxy Express 999, just on a whim. While the animation certainly could be a bit rough and stilted at times, I was absolutely entranced by the story, and it had a surprising depth that its goofy premise concealed. It’sone of the best space operas ever, and I couldn’t believe I had ignored it for so long. My success withGalaxy Express 999finally prompted me to check out the earlierLupin IIIseries.
Lupin IIIis quite a long series at this point, and even now I haven’t watched it all, but I was pleased to find that Lupin and his gang were just as endearing in their early days as they were in Part 4–and in many ways, more so.While it is a bit dated, the series is still funny even to a modern-day audience because it relies on a universal sort of comedy, and plays with many spy, crime and detective tropes that are still as active as ever. Much of the action is still exciting, even if it’s not as beautifully animated as a modern anime might be. Besides that, the older style has a charm of its own that I’ve grown to appreciate.
It’s important for fans of anime to understand the history of the medium, just like it is for fans of film. A classic is a classic, regardless of era, and that means that anime fans should be willing to give them a shot.If you’re thinking about checking outLupin III, go for part 2–you won’t regret it!
Lupin the 3rd Part 1
Cast
Lupin the 3rd Part 1 is the inaugural series based on Monkey Punch’s manga, featuring the master thief Arsène Lupin III. Released in 1971, the series follows Lupin and his associates—sharpshooter Daisuke Jigen, samurai Goemon Ishikawa XIII, and femme fatale Fujiko Mine—as they undertake daring heists and evade the relentless Inspector Zenigata. Bridging action with humor, the show set the stage for the long-running Lupin the 3rd franchise.
