Lupin the Third Part 3

Lupin the Third Part 3, often referred to as the pink jacket series, debuted in 1984 as the third television iteration of Monkey Punch's iconic gentleman thief. Produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha, the series arrived during a period of transition for the franchise, attempting to balance the slapstick, episodic comedy of the earlier series with a distinct, more vibrant visual aesthetic that leaned into the bold, colorful animation trends of the mid-1980s.

The character designs for this series were largely overseen by Tsutomu Shibutani, who aimed to modernize the cast for a contemporary audience, resulting in the series' signature bright pink jacket for Lupin. While it initially faced scrutiny from longtime fans accustomed to the gritty tone of the first series or the polished adventure of the second, it has since been reassessed as a unique, experimental chapter in the Lupin canon that captures the playful, surrealist energy prevalent in the anime productions of that decade.