What is the best order to watch Lupin III (Lupin the 3rd)?

For first-timers, we recommend Release Order as it's the intended experience. For rewatches, Timeline/Chronological Order offers a fresh perspective by following the in-universe chronology.

How many titles are in Lupin III (Lupin the 3rd)?

Lupin III (Lupin the 3rd) currently includes content across multiple formats. Use the section filters to view specific content types and the order variants to choose your preferred viewing order.

Should I watch Lupin III (Lupin the 3rd) in release order or chronological order?

Release order is best for first-time viewers as it preserves the creators' intended narrative reveals. Chronological order is great for rewatches and understanding the timeline better.

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Lupin III (Lupin the 3rd)

edited 2026-05-21

A complete watch and reading order for the Lupin III franchise — Monkey Punch's iconic gentleman-thief anime spanning six main TV series from Part I (1971) through Part 6 (2021), five theatrical films including Hayao Miyazaki's Castle of Cagliostro, 30+ annual TV specials, the Fujiko Mine spinoff, and the Lupin the IIIrd theatrical short series. Tagged by era and format so you can follow the main series, landmark films, or the full franchise.

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Tags · [main-series][spinoff][theatrical][tv-special][manga][ova]

page order

main anime series8 items · 8 unwatched

01ANIME

1971The original 23-episode Lupin III anime series, broadcast on Yomiuri TV from October 1971 to March 1972. Gentleman-thief Arsène Lupin III —…

02ANIME

1977The 155-episode second Lupin III series, broadcast on Nippon TV from October 1977 to October 1980 and produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha. Lupin…

03ANIME

1984The 50-episode third Lupin III series, broadcast on Nippon TV from March 1984 to December 1985. Lupin swaps his jacket for a distinctive pin…

04ANIME

2012A 13-episode spinoff series broadcast on Nippon TV in 2012, retelling the early meetings of Lupin III, Jigen, Goemon, and Zenigata through t…

05ANIME

2015A 26-episode fourth series, produced as an Italian–Japanese co-production between TMS Entertainment and Telecom Animation Film for RAI 2 and…

06ANIME

2018A 24-episode fifth series broadcast on Nippon TV from April to September 2018, produced by TMS Entertainment. Lupin enters the age of smartp…

07ANIME

2021A 24-episode sixth series broadcast on Nippon TV from October 2021 to March 2022, produced by TMS Entertainment to mark the franchise's 50th…

08ANIME

2022A 6-episode prequel streaming series released in December 2022, produced by TMS Entertainment and directed by Takeshi Furuta. Set in 1960s J…

theatrical films5 items · 5 unwatched

annual tv specials1 items · 1 unwatched

lupin the iiird theatrical shorts & ovas4 items · 4 unwatched

manga2 items · 2 unwatched