A new Lupin III television anime series will air starting in April for the first time in 27 years. The new series, titled Lupin the Third ~Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna (Lupin III ~The Woman Called Fujiko Mine~), will air on NTV starting on April 4 at 1:29 a.m.

Sayo Yamamoto (Michiko to Hatchin) will direct the 13 episode series, making her the first female director on the Lupin III series. Redline director Takeshi Koike will serve as animation director and character designer, and Anohana's Mari Okada will handle the series composition. Kanichi Kurita will play Lupin, Kiyoshi Kobayashi will play Daisuke Jigen, Daisuke Namikawa will play Goemon Ishikawa, Miyuki Sawashiro will play Fujiko Mine, and Kouichi Yamadera will play Inspector Zenigata.

Last October, the voice cast for the Lupin III anime franchise changed for the first time in 16 years. The voice cast for Lupin the Third ~Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna is reflecting that change.

The series revolves around the character of Fujiko Mine, depicting her and the rest of the Lupin III cast during their younger days. The series will reportedly capture the "sensuality" present in Monkey Punch's original Lupin III manga in its "daring interpretation" of the franchise.

A NTV television ad announced last April that a "new television series of Lupin III" would air last fall. However, NTV then told ANN that the new Lupin III TV project would be a special, Lupin III: Chi no Kokuin Eien no Mermaid, which would eventually air last December.

Last week, TOHO Cinemas' announcement for a 40th anniversary Lupin III anime event listed a promotional video for a "new television series premiering in April."

The last Lupin III television anime series was Lupin III: Part III, which aired from 1984-1985.

Update: More information and background information added, and title fixed.

Update 2:More information and background information added.

Source: Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web

Image © TMS