Lupin the 3rd: Napoleon's Dictionary (special)

Kôichi Kitamura’s first role in a Lupin anime in six years.

Masaaki Tsukada’s last role in a Lupin III anime.

The second of the three 1990's Lupin III TV Specials to not be dub in English.

Wasn't officially released in the US until 24 years after it was released in Japan.

The Group of Seven (G7) is an economy-centric organization of superpowers, created in response to the 1970’s recession and exchange rate collapse. There is a similar panel that co-exists with the G7, the Group of Eight (G8), with Russia (currently suspended) included in an otherwise identical member list. Gathering members additionally consist of the US Secretary of the Treasury, the Japanese Minister of Finance, and heads of finance from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Oddly enough, the G7 never held a meeting in the year 1991, the year this TV special aired. However the G8 did, except the meeting took place in London, not New York City.

The Plaza Hotel in which the G7 conference took place at is an actual hotel located on Fifth Street in New York City. The hotel first opened in 1907, and once served as a residence for many of Manhattan’s aristocrats. Over the decades the hotel has become a popular film production spot, being featured in North by Northwest, The Great Gatsby, & Home Alone 2.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA for short) featured in the beginning of the TV special is an actual museum located on 53rd Street in New York City. It’s primary focus and source of reputation is in its respect for and nourishing of modern art styles, artists, and mediums. Lupin’s giant golden coiled poo disguise is likely an in joke to the more avant-garde pieces found at the museum.

The Lupin Empire was a concept that has existed in previous Lupin media, but has died off in later stories. In the original manga written by Monkey Punch, it featured Lupin being the leader of the Lupin Empire and having a variety of agents and hideouts, much like how his grandfather did in the original Arsene Lupin novels. The first live action Lupin movie from 1974, featured Jigen as a member of the Lupin Empire that was being run by Lupin II. Jigen throughout the film tries to get Lupin III to be the Empire’s heir again. In both that film and this TV special, the Lupin Empire has since crumbled and has an alleged treasure stored in a safe place for the heir to claim.

Packard was a luxury motorcar company that lasted from 1899 to 1958. The vehicle that Lupin stole, modified, and drove throughout the TV special is suppose to be a 1908 Packard Model 30. However the Model 30’s do not have the now standard side doors that the museum car has, nor the close-body design it has after Lupin modified it.

Duesenberg was an Iowan automotive company that was in business from 1913 to 1940. Fujiko’s Duesenberg appears to be a Model A or “Straight Eight” that was manufactured from 1921 to 1926. It’s anyone’s guess on where or whom Fujiko would of gotten it from.

The subset of the yakuza film genre is known in Japan as “ninkyo eiga” or “chivalry films”, often depicted honorable gangsters torn between their duties and personal feelings.

The definitions of the word impossible as given by Napoleon’s dictionary roughly translates from French as “With a good piston, it is not impossible to succeed”, “It is almost impossible to finish this work in a day”, & “Now, it is impossible for the Beatles to regroup”.

Among the items that Zenigata smuggled off of the plane is a Life magazine with Lupin’s face on the front cover.

There is a contradiction on Lupin’s earlier story of the treasure’s hiding spot as he claimed that Arsene Lupin’s wife hid the treasure as a way to prevent her husband from wasting it on frivolities. Lupin II was a spendthrift like his dad and in turn lost the tome describing the treasure’s whereabouts. However the treasure found by Lupin III included a letter from Arsene Lupin and not his wife. It’s believed that Lupin’s story on the treasure is at least partly wrong. Perhaps what happened was that Arsene Lupin found the Empire’s treasure that was hid away by his wife, and blew it all against her wishes then scrambled to grab and stuff in a suitable replacement for his descendants to find.

Although the character designs for this TV special were credited solely to Masaaki Kudo, they are in fact largely reworked versions of the existing designs from the previous two TV specials by Noboru Furuse. It’s evident on how most of the background characters look inconsistent with the main characters.

The plane Zenigata was on was part of the Braniff International Airlines. The company actually discontinued its airlines a month before this TV special aired, and went out of business the following year.

Prime Minister Umibe whom Zenigata meets is based on Toshiki Kaifu who was the actual Prime Minister of Japan when this TV special aired.

The actor in the yazuka film Goemon was watching is a caricature of actor Ken Takakura.

The car Zenigata drove when trying to pursue Lupin during the race is based on an actual wood burning powered cars that can only be found in Europe.

When Lupin first looks at the Napoleon dictionary, the left page is a summary of the Castle of Cagliostro movie.

The chat between Robert Hawk & the US Secretary of Treasury about an affair between the President & Madonna is a work of fiction. The idea of US Presidents having affairs isn’t that uncommon. This affair may of been inspired by John F. Kennedy’s long rumored affair with Marilyn Monroe.

Akio Ohtsuka's debut in a Lupin III anime.