Lupin III manga creator Monkey Punch dies at 81

April 17, 2019

Tokyo--Monkey Punch, the author of the Lupin III manga series, died of pneumonia last Thursday, it was learned Wednesday. He was 81.

Born in the northernmost Japan prefecture of Hokkaido, Monkey Punch, whose real name was Kazuhiko Kato, moved to Tokyo after finishing high school to make his debut as a manga artist.

In 1967, a magazine started publishing the Lupin III series, featuring a phantom thief travelling all over the world. The series won great popularity and was made into a television anime in 1971.

Based on the original manga created by Monkey Punch, many Lupin III movies and feature-length TV programs were produced, including the Castle of Cagliostro, a 1979 movie directed by Japanese anime giant Hayao Miyazaki.

Lupin III became one of the best-known Japanese manga series, with its stories and unique characters, such as Daisuke Jigen and Fujiko Mine, appealing across the generations.

Monkey Punch won various awards, including a special Tokyo Anime Award. Jiji Press