Today, the anime community the loss of one of its most beloved creators. Monkey Punch, the creator of Lupin the Third, has passed away at age 81.

The news was released in Japan via Yahoo. According to the report, Punch passed on April 11 after a battle with pneumonia.

The artist, whose real name is Kazuhiko Kato, is being mourned by thousands on social media following the announcement. Lupin the Third remains an extremely popular action-comedy both in Japan and around the world.

For those unfamiliar with the series, Lupin the Third dates back to August 1967 and run for two years before a follow up was released in June 1977. Over the years, a slew of anime projects have adapted Lupin the Third and added original stories to the franchise. In 2018, a brand-new Lupin the Third anime series debuted, and fans praised its referential humor and colorful action.

In terms of story, Lupin the Third tells the story of Arsene Lupin III and his adventures as the world’s greatest thief. Determined to steal various treasures, Lupin works with a team of allies during his missions, but they are always closely tailed by inspector Koichi Zenigata from Interpol.

Monkey Punch, the creator of Lupin the Third, died last week. Lupin’s as important to me as Sin City, an example of something I hadn’t seen before executed expertly, pushing me toward finding what naturally resonates with me. Get money 💰 pic.twitter.com/BLszCJDjG9 — d a v i d (@hermanos) April 16, 2019

Punch’s work on Lupin the Third helped the series become the phenomenon it is today. The artist was always interested in manga from a young age, and he began working professionally in the industry in the early 1960s. By 1976, Lupin the Third was ready to go live, and Punch worked on other projects outside the series through the 2000s.

At this time, no service information has been released about Punch, but fans are more than happy to share their fond memories of the artist on social media. Our thoughts are with the creator's loved ones at this time.

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