RIP Monkey Punch

[Michael Hopcroft]

Manga creator Kazuhiko Katō, known by his pen name Monkey Punch, has died at the age of 81. You may not know the name, or even the pseudonym, but I'm pretty sure you know about his most significant creation -- globetrotting master thief Lupin III in the series of the same name.

 

For almost half a century Lupin has confounded adversaries (like Zenigata, the Interpol agent obsessed with his capture), tried to bed nubile women (and usually failed), made enormous scores only to see them slip away, and slip in and out of the clutches of the lovely, lethal Fujiko (who may or may not have returned his affections depending on her mood and the needs of whatever scheme she was hatching). Lupin has starred in several television series and several movies. This number included The Castle of Cagliostro, the spectacular adventure that was the first feature directed by Hayao Miyazaki (and which still holds up amazingly well today after nearly forty years). The heady blend of high adventure and lowbrow comedy has been enjoyed by generations, both in Japan and around the world.