Lupin III

Anime Voice Talent Highlight #4: Yasuo Yamada

#4: Yasuo Yamada It may seem silly to highlight a voice talent who's known for playing one particular role, but when this particular VA's performance in the role is so iconic, and has spanned decades in that role, it's perfectly appropriate to me. Especially when the character he's known for playing is a favorite anime character: Arsène Lupin III! How do I describe Yasuo Yamada's Lupin voice? It's hard, because his Lupin adapts to the tone of the feature. The first television series had a bit of a darker tone to it than the rest of the franchise, much like the manga it was spawned from, until later episodes. Lupin's voice changed subtly throughout the show, but Yamada always played him cooly but with a bit of playfulness.

Sideburns and Stealing: Lupin III, The World's Greatest Thief

Stealing. Good or bad? In the Bible, the Eighth Commandment says, "Thou shall not steal." But what if you're just so very good at it? As good as say, Lupin III? In 1967, Kazuhiko Katō, authoring manga under the peculiar pen name Monkey Punch, concieved of a character who was the grandson of the author Maurice Leblanc's Arsène Lupin. His manga, Lupin III, influenced by the novels and the art styles of Mad Magazine's Mort Drucker and Sergio Aragonés, ran in Weekly Manga Action magazine and became extremely popular. It eventually spawned numerous animated features, including three television series, five theatrical animated films, a live-action movie, and several television specials, which have become an annual Japanese television tradition. What is the appeal of this franchise? What is it that keeps Lupin III on the mind of the Japanese?

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