Though a lot of American fans are most familiar with Lupin III from the all-ages English dub of The Castle of Cagliostro directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Japan's newest anime series will be intended for slightly more mature audiences.

Inspired by Monkey Punch's more adult manga circa 1967, the upcoming anime TV series called Lupin III - The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (Lupin the Third - Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna) is set to debut in Japan on April 4. The series will span 13 episodes and focus on titular character Mine Fujiko, a seductive thief with skills that rival and often top Lupin's own -- kind of the Catwoman of the Lupin world.

The series' NSFW official website demonstrates this sensuality pretty clearly -- and with neon colors to boot! Seriously, it's like they hired Dan Hipp.

The series is notable for being the first Lupin series in almost three decades and also for recruiting the franchise's first female director, Sayo Yamamoto, who worked as a storyboard artist on Death Note.Rather than push the chronology of the series ahead, this anime will apparently take place earlier in Arsene Lupin III, Fujiko, Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Daisuke Jigen and Inspector Zenigata's adventures. As is usually the case, Fujiko will probably evade Lupin's advances at every turn and leave him a lovelorn master thief.

No word on when US fans can expect an import, so enjoy this video of the Lupin III videogame for the SNES. It had an awesome grappling hook.



[Via Crunchyroll]