Happy birthday, Lupin! 2026 marks 55 years since the master thief first appeared on television screens in Japan. To celebrate, Nippon TV is asking fans to choose three of their favorite episodes to rebroadcast in October via a special website.

Based on Monkey Punch's original manga, the Lupin the Third anime began in 1971 with a series directed in part by Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki. Since then, it has gone on to spawn six official 'parts,' not including a great number of spinoffs and original movies. The latest entry in the franchise came in 2025 with Lupin the IIIrd the Movie: The Immortal Bloodline, directed by Takeshi Koike.

Given that Nippon TV is organizing the contest, it is perhaps no surprise to see only parts one through six eligible for voting. Nevertheless, it is somewhat unusual to see The Woman Called Fujiko Mine included: this avant-garde series written by Mari Okada and directed by Sayo Yamamoto often goes overlooked, despite revealing important facts about the titular femme fatale's origin and ending a decades-long drought on the small screen.

In any case, voting is open now until August 31. Fans can choose up to three episodes from a total of 316 options, constituting a huge pool of potential candidates. The most popular entries will then be aired this October on Nippon TV and associated networks.

For no particular reason, here is the official scrmbl selection:

Part 1, episode 4 "One Chance for a Prison Break"

Part 4, episode 16 "Lupin's Day Off"

Fujiko Mine, episode 10 "Ghost Town"