This is a list of television specials of the Japanese media franchise Lupin III, based on the manga series by Monkey Punch that debuted in 1967. In a tradition that began in 1989 with Bye-Bye Liberty - Close Call!, every year since, till 2013, has featured a new 90 minute Lupin III anime television special that aired on NTV at 9:03 on Friday evening.
Each television special features its own plot, but the general theme centers on the adventures of Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief of Maurice Leblanc's series of novels. He is joined by Daisuke Jigen, crack-shot and Lupin's closest ally; Fujiko Mine, the femme fatale and Lupin's love interest who works against Lupin more often than with him; and Goemon Ishikawa XIII, a master swordsman and the descendant of Ishikawa Goemon, the legendary Japanese bandit. Lupin is often chased by Inspector Koichi Zenigata, the rather cynical detective who has made it his life mission to catch Lupin. The 2009 Lupin III vs. Detective Conan special is, as the title suggests, a crossover between Lupin III and Detective Conan and as such features characters from both series.
Manga Entertainment released the first special on VHS in the United Kingdom and Australia in 1996 as Goodbye Lady Liberty, using an English dub that they had created in London with an American-British cast. Funimation Entertainment purchased the North American distribution rights to specials five through twelve in 2002, in a package that also included the two theatrical films Farewell to Nostradamus and Dead or Alive. They re-titled several of the animations for their release. North American distributor Discotek Media released Episode 0: First Contact in 2010, the first and second television specials in 2014 (with the former including its UK dub), and the third and fourth in 2015, and the fifth, thirteenth and fifteenth specials in 2016 (with the fifth including its Funimation dub). They also released the Lupin III vs. Detective Conan special and its theatrical film sequel on October 27, 2015.
Reception
The Lupin III television specials released by Funimation have received reviews varying from positive to mixed. The most well-received seems to be Island of Assassins, with Chris Beveridge of Mania.com describing it as "the best non-TV Lupin experience ... since The Castle of Cagliostro", Missed by a Dollar received an eight out of ten rating by IGN's Jeremy Mullin, who stated it starts off as seemingly a simple heist film, but turns out to have plenty of twists. The least well-received of Funimation's releases is Secret of the Twilight Gemini, which received mixed reviews due to the animation and its B movie-style plot. Mania.com gave 2002's Episode 0: First Contact an A+ and hailed it as the best TV special made to date.
In 500 Essential Anime Movies Helen McCarthy called Liberty her personal favourite of the Lupin TV specials. She describes it as "light, funny and entertaining" and "terrific entertainment".