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Lupin the 3rd tabletop RPG based on the 50 year old anime is set to be released

Ready to enter the Castle of Cagliostro?

Lupin the 3rd The Castle of Cagliostro screenshot
Image credit: Tokyo Movie Shinsha

A tabletop roleplaying game based on the classic Japanese animated series and manga Lupin the 3rd is set to be released alongside an art book.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this October, Lupin the 3rd will be receiving a tabletop RPG adaptation using the D6 system from West End Games, which has previously been the gameplay basis for both the Star Wars and Ghostbusters roleplaying games.

The upcoming tabletop RPG will see players becoming immersed in a world populated by master thieves and the police agents determined to catch them. A globetrotting adventure title, players can expect to experience heists set across the world, with a quest system that will enable players to choose their challenges and obtain the rewards they seek as and when they want to, similar to that of an open-world game. The anniversary art book for Lupin the 3rd will contain detailed looks at the various episodes of the anime series, as well as profiles of all the beloved characters that were introduced throughout.

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Publishing the roleplaying game will be Magnetic Press, the studio responsible for the upcoming RPG adaptation of the Carbon Grey graphic novel series - which currently has a Kickstarter campaign running until September 3rd and has already achieved its funding goal of £18,317 - after being founded by Mike Kennedy, a writer who is otherwise best known for working on releases from Marvel Comics and DC Comics.

Lupin the 3rd began as a Japanese manga series inspired by the classic Arsène Lupin novels by Maurice Leblanc in 1967, before being adapted into several animated series, as well as multiple animated and live action films - alongside two musicals, a multitude of CDs and even video games.

Perhaps the most well known piece of Lupin the 3rd media in the west is The Castle of Cagliostro, a film directed by Hayao Miyazaki - the founder of Studio Ghibli and director of films such as Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke - that sees Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of the original Lupin and master thief, venturing to a small country to investigate a series of counterfeit bills. When the thief arrives, with his nemesis Inspector Zenigata hot on his trail, he discovers a plot to force Princess Clarisse into marriage with a sinister count.

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Other adaptations of Leblanc’s novels include the recent live-action series Lupin, which stars Omar Sy as a thief who’s inspired by the stories of Arsène Lupin and enacts various heists based on the fictional character’s adventures. Lupin currently has two seasons streaming on Netflix, with a third season on the way.

There is currently no confirmed release date for the Lupin the 3rd RPG and art book, with more details set to be revealed during an anniversary celebration this October.

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