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What are you waiting for? GO!

YOU'RE UNDER ARREST!
~ Inspector Zenigata's catchphrase

Inspector Koichi Zenigata (銭形警部 Zenigata-keibu) is one of the main characters of the manga/anime series Lupin III.

He was voiced by the late Shinsuke Chikaishi in CinemaScope version of the 1969 pilot film for the first anime in Japanese.

Appearance[]

Zenigata has pale skin, dark hair, and a brown chin.

In one appearance, he wears a light brown coat over a darker brown shirt.

In another appearance, he wears a green coat, purple vest, and a pink shirt with a green tie.

Bio[]

Zenigata is based on a famous Japanese crime-fighting character named Heiji Zenigata. The character is a few hundred years old and was best known for throwing coins as a weapon. Zenigata's handcuff throwing technique is his own take on the character's choice of weapon. In early points of the Lupin III franchise, he was directly related to the fictional detective, to the point where his full name was Heiji Zenigata VII, though his blood relation to Heiji Zenigata doesn't come into play as much as Lupin III's and Goemon Ishikawa XIII's relations to Arsène Lupin and Ishikawa Goemon, respectively. His blood relation with Heiji Zenigata would even be erased as he was renamed Koichi Zenigata when Part 2 started airing. His true counterpart, however, is Maurice Leblanc's Inspector Ganimard, who was Arsène Lupin's rival in the original novels by Maurice Leblanc.

History[]

Originally, Zenigata was with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police but joined Interpol after meeting Lupin. In [Part 1 Episode 15, he was invited by the Commissioner to attend the conference in France on that he did after "catching" Lupin. His relationship with the Commissioner started pleasant however by the time of Part 1 Episode 23, he threatened to resign from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police since they clashed regarding on how to catch Lupin and his failure to do so. According to Part 2 Episode 1, after unable to catch Lupin as he left Japan, he was demoted to a police officer in Takahata Village until Mister X lured him back to attend the Sirloin to chase after Lupin.

In The Woman Called Fujiko Mine however his backstory is different. While in France, he turned to corruption after being assigned "a low paying, thankless job" because it "was the only way for a guy like me to make it to the top." However, he eventually reported himself to his superiors after witnessing Oscar risking his life to protect his one franc by jumping into a river. After pulling Oscar out of the water, he adopts the boy who grows up to be his second in command and lieutenant.

In some backstory moments such as Part 1 Episode 1, Episode 0: First Contact and The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, Zenigata originally wanted to catch Fujiko however once Lupin got his attention it became his main goal.

His obsession has unfortunately put a strain on his marriage and his relationship with his daughter Toshiko (however this has only ever been mentioned once, in the movie Lupin VS the Clone). In Part 2 Episode 100, Zenigata is asked if he has any sons or daughters, he states no. He is asked if he has any family and replies, "no".

In Red & Pink Jacket series, Zenigata occasionally complains that his tireless pursuit of Lupin has left him with no wife or children, that he wants both, though other episodes have chasing Lupin as his greatest pleasure in life. Lupin comments on this in Part III Episode 32, where he reminds Zenigata not to pin the lack of girlfriends on him.

Abilities[]

One of his primary weapons is a pistol, although in various episodes, Zenigata is quite capable of performing other skills as well, such as:

Trivia[]

  • Zenigata often will not show it but chasing Lupin gives his life meaning. When he think Lupin is dead (which happens a few times), Zenigata often is sad; feeling the loss of a worthy adversary.
  • Zenigata often calls a truce with Lupin when they need to work together to thwart malicious criminals; he will let Lupin leave in peace until the next case.
    • Its the arrest of this crooks that make Zenigata look extremely competent and have Lupin both look relatively harmless and just a thief.
  • With each succeeding anime, Pops gets more clever and less bumbling. Often he outsmarted Lupin, but isn't able to detain him for long.
    • He knows the MO of the Lupin Gang and had often set up countermeasures against Stage One of any heists. As a result, Lupin often baits Zenigata with a Cassandra Truth or fake intent; though he catches on to the plan in time to almost arrest Lupin a few times.

References[]

  1. Part 5: episode 20 - Zenigata's criminal alias

Navigation[]

             Heroes

Main Cast
Arsène Lupin III | Daisuke Jigen | Goemon Ishikawa XIII | Fujiko Mine
Recurring characters
Inspector Zenigata
Other characters
Maria | Clarisse d'Cagliostro