After the success of adapting One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender to live-action, there’s a perfect anime that Netflix should tackle next.
Netflix has made a habit of adapting popular anime into live-action films and shows for Western audiences, and it already has the perfect next subject after the success of One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Netflix has cultivated a strong roster of anime titles over the years. However, Netflix’s live-action anime adaptations stories to live-action have been a mixed bag. While One Piece is considered a goofy win for the streamer and the overall success of Avatar: The Last Airbender has placed it squarely into the streamer’s top ten, other anime adaptations weren’t so lucky.
The failures of shows like Cowboy Bebop and movies like Death Note shouldn’t scare Netflix off a veritable gold mine lying in wait though, as there’s one anime in particular that could use a Western adaptation. It would be the perfect opportunity for Netflix to fuse that exciting energy that comes from taking on a beloved property with their clear desire to produce a globe-trotting adventure series, as seen in their spectacle-driven swings like Heart of Stone and Red Notice. Lupin The Third checks all those boxes, and would make for an ideal adaptation.
Why Lupin The Third Deserves A Live-Action Adaption
Lupin’s Adventures Make Him An Ideal Character For Western Audiences
Lupin the Third would make for an ideal anime to adapt to live-action for Western audiences, thanks to a central premise and characters that allow for plenty of fun adventures. The various Lupin the Third manga, films, and TV shows follow the titular master thief. A cunning master of disguise and constant schemer, Lupin’s adventures take him around the world. Lupin does this largely for the thrill, as he often goes out of his way to announce his presence and take on impossible challenges. There is an inherent sense of fun and excitement baked into stories about Lupin.
The various adaptations of Lupin that have been produced since the character debuted over fifty years ago have taken the character across the world. Lupin is a supremely adaptable character, fitting into romantic adventures, cynical missions, and rousing spectacles with ease. The premise invites exploration and invention, as it’s not as dominated by a singular story. Lupin the Third can be very self-contained, with only the central characters continuing from mission to mission. This allows his adventures to continue on for as short or long as a prospective adaption could desire, instead of being beholden to a long-running overarching story.
Lupin The Third’s World Combies One Piece With James Bond
Lupin’s World, Allies, And Enemies All Elevate His Adventures
The world of Lupin the Third is one full of intrigue and secret treasure. Lupin’s world is full of other criminals to pit him against, allowing Lupin to always remain charming and likable by comparison. Lupin has come to blows with ruthless aristocrats in Hayao Miyazaki’s The Castle of Cagliostro, greedy Nazis of Lupin III: The First, and murderous Russian mercenaries in Missed By A Dollar. There’s a new heist always waiting around the corner, with the broad and colorful locales making for perfect places for massive set-pieces, highlighting the tech and techniques that Lupin can utilize in his adventures.
Lupin The Third has the globe-trotting elements of a James Bond, with the goofy sense of loopy fun found in One Piece. On top of the central character, Lupin’s adventures would be fleshed out by one of the best-supporting casts in anime. Snarky sharpshooter Daisuke Jigen, taciturn master swordsman Goemon Ishikawa XIII, and crafty femme fatale Fujiko Mine add to the story, giving Lupin a capable collection of allies to bounce off. Lupin even has a dedicated frenemy in Interpol Inspector Zenigata, whose commitment to justice drives him to follow Lupin all around the world.
Lupin The Third Would Give Netflix Plenty Of Storytelling Options
Lupin’s Adventures Could Become Netflix’s Kooky Answer To James Bond
Lupin the Third would make for an ideal adaptation for Western audiences, presenting a colorful version of the real world that features limitless possibility and adventure. The flexibility and scope of Lupin The Third as a franchise would give any creatives a perfect opportunity to play with the characters in all sorts of tones and genres. Lupin is a scoundrel with a heart of gold, the perfect recipe for a globe-trotting hero. The scope of his adventures doesn’t require a completely fabricated world but rather heightens the action and excitement of the real one.
There have already been live-action Lupin The Third films and shows released in Japan, highlighting how well the character fits in live-action. There’d be no need for the extensive special effects for characters in One Piece or the sci-fi aesthetics of Cowboy Bebop. Adapting Lupin The Third for Western audiences would be a simple process, transplanting the character into different settings while retaining the core characteristics that have made Lupin and his crew so compelling for decades. Lupin The Third is an eternally adaptable premise, the kind of character and world that could theoretically carry on forever with new adventures.
