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Collegues, Creatives, Fans Remember Lupin the Third Creator Monkey Punch
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
One of manga's most iconic creators, Monkey Punch (real name: Kazuhiko Katō) , passed away on April 11 due to pneumonia at the age of 81. The Lupin the Third creator's death was formally announced yesterday, and colleagues, voice actors, and fans across the world remembered how Katō and Lupin the Third touched their life.
The official Twitter account for the Lupin the Third anime franchise expressed the staff's condolances and gratitude for Monkey Punch's work.
4月11日「ルパン三世」原作者 モンキー・パンチ先生がご逝去されました。
— アニメ「ルパン三世」公式 (@lupin_anime) April 16, 2019
生前は多くの魅力的なキャラクターを生み出し、映画「ルパン三世 DEAD OR ALIVE」ではアニメーション監督としてもご活躍くださいました。
謹んで哀悼の意を表すとともに感謝を申し上げます。
ありがとうございました。合掌 pic.twitter.com/h45Mj6c7SQ
Lupin the Third: Part 5 scriptwriter Ichiro Okouchi wrote that working with Monkey Punch was a "great honor and joy".
モンキー・パンチ先生が亡くなりました。
— 大河内 一楼 (@ichirou_o) April 17, 2019
最後の最後に、お仕事を御一緒できたことは、とても光栄で幸せなことでした。
心より、ご冥福をお祈りします。 pic.twitter.com/83OcF98s4T
Novelist Keiichi Sigsawa (Kino's Journey, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online) wrote that he won't forget the many ideas that Lupin the 3rd imparted on him since childhood.
"I was really honored to write a script for Lupin the 3rd: Part 5," Sigsawa said.
Goemon voice actor Makio Inoue described Monkey Punch as one of manga and anime's "brightest stars" and he is indebted to the series. Inoue had voiced Goemon for 33 years. He decided to spend the day off social media.
Actor Tadanobu Asano starred as Inspector Zenigata in 2014's live-action Lupin III film. He shared a photo of himself in costume with Monkey Punch on social media. The tweet says: "Monkey Punch-sensei, thank you very much."
モンキーパンチ先生
— 浅野忠信 ASANO TADANOBU (@asano_tadanobu) April 17, 2019
ありがとうございました pic.twitter.com/hzLYiKQuNR
Rumiko Tezuka, the daughter of acclaimed manga creator Osamu Tezuka, thanked Monkey Punch for all of his help with her father. She thanked him for his help with exhibitions
"Will you meet my father and play piano together again in Heaven? From the bottom of my heart, I hope you rest in peace," she wrote.
父娘ともお世話になりましたモンキー・パンチ先生。あらためてアトム展へのご出展、そしてキチムシでの貴重なコラボレーションの出品をありがとうございました。天国でまたピアノを弾く手塚とお会いしてるでしょうか。心からご冥福をお祈り申し上げます。 pic.twitter.com/4VfAHoY7dn
— 手塚るみ子 (@musicrobita) April 17, 2019
モンキー・パンチ先生が『私のアトム展』へ出展された作品はアトムに憧れていた先生自身の若き姿でした。この時は先生の思いまではまだ伺えず解らないままでした。(続) pic.twitter.com/fcVciPXqSr
— 手塚るみ子 (@musicrobita) April 16, 2019
Kōji Yoshimoto, the artist of The Untold Story: How Tezuka created his "Black Jack," is working on another manga depicting the creation of the Weekly Manga Action magazine. He was surprised to learn Monkey Punch had passed away since he was working on the creator's contribution to the manga when he learned the news.
"Without Lupin the 3rd, I think Japan's youth manga would not have developed how it is now. Lupin the 3rd III is eternal," Yoshimoto said.
Goemon Ishikawa voice actor Daisuke Namikawa described Monkey Punch as the type of person that makes people smile naturally.
"I wish I could talk to you again like we did at the event in Hamanaka [Monkey Punch's hometown]," he said.
Namikawa has voiced Goemon since 2011 after debuting in the role in Lupin the 3rd: Blood Seal of the Eternal Mermaid. He promised to continue to do his best "make the world created by Monkey Punch-sensei be the best."
Lupin voice actor Kanichi Kurita reflected on his 20 years voicing the titular thief.
"Monkey Punch had been the same since the first day I met him. He was always smiling, gentle, and warm. In my seemingly endless days of anxiety and pressure, I was saved by sensei who treated me with a smile. He'd say, 'Don't worry about anything,' and I felt protected."
We Never Learn manga creator Taishi Tsutsui shared fan art of Lupin and his thoughts on growing up with the series.
中学生の時、突然訪ねた厚かましいぼくに快くサインをしてくださったこと、漫画家の夢を話すとスタッフさんと共に楽しそうに鼓舞してくださったことが忘れられません。一生の思い出です。
— 筒井 大志@ぼく勉アニメ4/6開始!11巻4/4発売! (@Taishi_Tsutsui) April 16, 2019
本当に、本当に残念でなりません。モンキーパンチ先生、心からご冥福をお祈りいたします。 pic.twitter.com/SGsqiDlEo9
When I was in junior high, Monkey Punch happily signed something for brazen me who saw him suddenly. I'll never forget when I talked about my dream of being a manga creator with him and his staff and he beamed encouragement. it was the memory of a lifetime. Truly, I absolutely will never regret it. Monkey Punch-sensei, I sincerely pray for your happiness.
Fans and media companies across the world shared their memories of the Monkey Punch on social media, whether it was how his work influenced their own creations or encountering him at an event.
We're incredibly saddened to learn that Monkey Punch, the creator of Lupin the Third, has passed away. He created quite a legacy with Lupin and the gang, and we've been blessed to be able to contribute to that legacy even a little bit here at Discotek. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/BrKggsyfar
— 💿Discotek Media💿 (@discotekmedia) April 16, 2019
We're so saddened to hear the passing of LUPIN THE 3rd creator Monkey Punch. Thank you for the immeasurable joy and excitement you brought to us through Lupin and his gang. pic.twitter.com/SanuItMdCE
— TMS Entertainment (@tmsanime) April 16, 2019
RIP Monkey Punch, you gave us one of the most fun anime characters of all time, Lupin the Third. We've lost one of the great ones. pic.twitter.com/S0YE5Cxw18
— LORD DEATH DEMARCO (@Clarknova1) April 16, 2019
So sad to hear that Monkey Punch, the creator Lupin the Third, passed away last week.
— CHRIS SAMNEE (@ChrisSamnee) April 16, 2019
I can't count the hours of inspiration I've gleaned from his creations over the years. pic.twitter.com/ySRPoaLEWW
Monkey Punch is known as Lupin the Third but also The Technicolor Time Machine by Harry Harrison as he drew the cover & illustrations. Reiji Matsumoto, Shotaro Ishinomori, all those popular manga artists worked on Hayakawa SF novels. This novel led me to know who Harry Harrison was. pic.twitter.com/QBINmUt0Sn
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) April 17, 2019
Monkey Punch "had visited the 1979 Comic-Con and had spread favorable word about it back home. As a result, about thirty Japanese cartoonists, animators, and business agents decided to come to the 1980 Comic-Con to investigate the potential American market for Japanese cartoons." https://t.co/OYIVZx924h
— Lawrence Eng (@Lawmune) April 16, 2019
Lupin the Third has been a constant source of inspiration for my art for so many years.
— Steve Yurko 2K19 Deluxe Edition (@SteveYurko) April 16, 2019
Thank you, Monkey Punch! RIP pic.twitter.com/F87IF4LfBI
Thank you for inspiring generations of fans with your work. Thank you for everything, Monkey Punch. pic.twitter.com/lRJudj8Tak
— Crunchyroll (@Crunchyroll) April 17, 2019
RIP Monkey Punch, manga legend and creator of Lupin the Third. pic.twitter.com/OY5JMDOE6b
— NX (@NXOnNetflix) April 17, 2019
Following last night's news of the sad passing of Kazuhiko Kato - aka "Monkey Punch" - today on our blog Jonathan Clements examines the life and career of the renowned Lupin the 3rd creator.https://t.co/me6hlrhgh7 pic.twitter.com/5I6sAQ5B2F
— All The Anime (@AllTheAnime) April 17, 2019
Monkey Punch Lupin sketch he drew in my Vol. 1 of the Futabasha series manga, from A-kon 1994 pic.twitter.com/G5oSl2nnfj
— d.merrill_says_vote (@terebifunhouse) April 16, 2019
RIP Monkey Punch pic.twitter.com/DSGS6Yjbju
— Jonathan H. Gray 🤪 (@jongraywb) April 16, 2019
A shame to hear about Kazuhiko Kato, or more commonly known as Monkey Punch, the creator of Lupin the Third. After seeing The Castle of Cagliostro during the days when the Sci-Fi channel aired anime, I was hooked on his adventures. #RIPMonkeyPunch pic.twitter.com/OjOOXH5zDK
— MVMEntertainment (@MVM_UK) April 17, 2019
Monkey Punch launched Lupin the 3rd in Futabasha's Manga Action magazine in 1967. Due to the popularity of the series, the first Lupin the Third television anime adaptation premiered in 1971. The franchise has since inspired numerous television anime and films, as well as live-action works and games.
Beginning in the 1980s, Monkey Punch received honors such as Comic-Con International's Inkpot Award, Romics' Golden Romics, the Association of Media in Digital (AMD) Awards' Meritorious Service Award, and Tokyo Anime Award Festival's Meritorious Service Award. In recent years, Monkey Punch had been studying 3D art using CG, and he served as a guest lecturer for manga production at major universities.
Nippon Television "Friday Road SHOW!" program will air the first Lupin the Third film, Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo, on Friday in memory of Monkey Punch.
The Lupin the Third franchise's newest anime film, Lupin the IIIrd: Mine Fujiko no Uso (Lupin the IIIrd: Fujiko Mine's Lie), will open in Japan on May 31.
Source: Anime! Anime, Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web, (Link 2), Otakomu, Comic Natalie