Monkey Punch

Birthday: 26 May 1937, Hamanaka, Hokkaido, Japan

Birth Name: Kazuhiko Katô

Monkey Punch was born on May 26, 1937 in Hamanaka, Hokkaido, Japan as Kazuhiko Katô. He is a writer and director, known for Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro (1979), Rupan sansei: Part II (1977) and ...Show More

About Hayao Miyazaki's Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro (1979): I really enjoy that work and I jus Show more About Hayao Miyazaki's Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro (1979): I really enjoy that work and I just like him and another famous manga artist in Japan, Testegawa-sama, their works, I enjoy them from a distance. I don't try to do it myself; I enjoy it from a distance. Hide

When I was younger and I started writing manga, we only had pen and paper. Today, there are all sort Show more When I was younger and I started writing manga, we only had pen and paper. Today, there are all sorts of different mediums with which to express yourself creatively. Although it's important to continue to figure out ways to improve in your chosen medium, be it digital manga, be it traditional manga, I think it's more important still to keep your readers in mind, your audience in mind when you create your work. Hide

Instead of writing about a heroic character, a good guy, I really enjoy writing about bad guys so mu Show more Instead of writing about a heroic character, a good guy, I really enjoy writing about bad guys so much more. Hide

About Rupan sansei: Dead or Alive (1996), which he directed: I really don't want to talk about this Show more About Rupan sansei: Dead or Alive (1996), which he directed: I really don't want to talk about this too much. Basically, it wasn't something I wanted to do on my own. I was approached to do it. We were on a real tight time-crunch; the movie was produced in five months and basically it was decided that this movie was going to be made and they didn't have a director, so I unwillingly accepted the role. However I feel it was the voice actors and the other people involved in the project that saved it. The one thing I learned from doing this is that, more than even myself drawing manga by myself, it took more than a thousand times the energy to produce and direct this movie. And I really don't want to do it again. Hide

About Lupin III's success: When I started drawing Lupin [in 1967], I was really only supposed to dra Show more About Lupin III's success: When I started drawing Lupin [in 1967], I was really only supposed to draw him for three months. It was more of only a contract project. At the end of that three months, it became popular and I continued drawing it for ten years. And over that time, I never expected that I'd be invited to America multiple times, to attend these conventions, have so many fans and people that have read my works and have come to talk to me and express their gratitude. It's really an amazing feeling and at the same time it's bizarre in a way. I don't understand the popularity. I'm happy for it, but I don't understand it. Hide

I'll draw manga until I die! It may not be on paper, it may be on the computer. I've actually gone b Show more I'll draw manga until I die! It may not be on paper, it may be on the computer. I've actually gone back to university studying digital art, digital computers further to hopefully further myself and hopefully further a movement in Japan for digital manga. I will continue writing until I die. Hide

There's a lot of Japanese humor that doesn't make it outside of the country and is not felt the same Show more There's a lot of Japanese humor that doesn't make it outside of the country and is not felt the same way. However, I think it's not just America, I think it's worldwide. I think there are a lot of different cultures that do affect how people interpret my work. But it's not something I really worry about too much. Hide

About Inspector Koichi Zenigata: Even though I relate to Lupin the most, I really, really like Zenig Show more About Inspector Koichi Zenigata: Even though I relate to Lupin the most, I really, really like Zenigata. Zenigata is Lupin's fiercest opponent; his personality, his ultra-strict, ultra-rigid, "protect every rule" personality, in a sense is something that also really appeals to me. I really like how the contrast comes out between Lupin and Zenigata in my work. That whole combination of things really, to me as a manga artist, is what I strive for. Hide

Explaining the relationship of Arsene Lupin III and Fujiko Mine: I think of men and women in general Show more Explaining the relationship of Arsene Lupin III and Fujiko Mine: I think of men and women in general as... rather than saying tease, say they enjoy each other. They use their attributes; Fujiko uses her beautiful body and sex appeal as a weapon and Lupin uses his cunning and wit as a weapon, and they like going at it with each other in a fun sense. Not necessarily lovers, not necessarily husband and wife, but more just having fun as man and woman with each other and using their weapons against each other, but in an enjoyable way. Hide

About Arsene Lupin III: Everything about him kind of appeals to me. Actually, I kind of project my d Show more About Arsene Lupin III: Everything about him kind of appeals to me. Actually, I kind of project my desires, my interests through Lupin. He's a thief and a criminal in that regard, but I'm using that as more of a setting. What I really like about Lupin is his freedom, his boundless freedom that allows him to do whatever he wants whenever he wants and never really be tied down to anything or anyone in particular. I think I want that for myself in my own work when I do my own jobs, so for that reason, Lupin is by far the character I most relate to. Hide

About other mangas: I guess you could perhaps say that it's my curiosity, but wherever there's a cro Show more About other mangas: I guess you could perhaps say that it's my curiosity, but wherever there's a crowd gathering, anywhere there's a group of people bustling about something, I always tend to stick my neck in and say, "Hey, what's going on?" I'm really curious about things like that. And I also enjoy looking at creations other than my own to use in my own study for my own works. Hide

About his pseudonym: To be honest, I don't really like the name Monkey Punch, I never have. About his pseudonym: To be honest, I don't really like the name Monkey Punch, I never have.

I guess you could say that part of the appeal [of Lupin III] is that my works have been directed at Show more I guess you could say that part of the appeal [of Lupin III] is that my works have been directed at the youth of the nation and of the world, the younger generation, so in a sense, I wasn't really ever restricted with political barriers. It was easy for me to continue writing and drawing in that sense because it was freedom. Hide

When a company approaches and asks to create an animation of my work, I really just want them to cre Show more When a company approaches and asks to create an animation of my work, I really just want them to create something that is good. I'd like to leave the animating to the animators, the professionals. It's not my field of expertise and so when it comes down to it, I'm pretty much, well, "Make it good," and I leave it up to them. So, you know, the directors will go ahead and make their own Lupin and add a twist to their own Lupin character and I enjoy watching those. Hide

About the Japanese Manga Artists Club: It wasn't really ever meant to be a club, it wasn't a group I Show more About the Japanese Manga Artists Club: It wasn't really ever meant to be a club, it wasn't a group I formed to invite people in, it's more a couple of people I knew who were using Macs to do artwork and I gave them a call, and say, "Hey, want to get together for a little bit?" And before you knew it, it had 1500 members! Hide

When Lupin goes abroad, overseas, you never really see him have a passport. There are no boundaries Show more When Lupin goes abroad, overseas, you never really see him have a passport. There are no boundaries for him, he's a free roamer. I'm drawing him as a character, where he can go wherever he wants whenever he wants without any obstacles. And that's the appeal for me. Hide

If I was to give some advice, I would have to say there are a lot of good artists today. But, at the Show more If I was to give some advice, I would have to say there are a lot of good artists today. But, at the same time my art isn't necessarily the best art there is. I would say "Don't concentrate just on drawing." It is probably more important is that is to have a story that fits well with modern times, with your day, and to keep that in mind when you draw your work. Also, don't over-concentrate on one thing, try to diversify. Learn a little about many different things, it'll probably help you more in the long run. Hide

About the Digital Manga Group We're in the preparation stage, but this is a completely professional Show more About the Digital Manga Group We're in the preparation stage, but this is a completely professional digital manga group I've brought together and hopefully we'll be able to create some fantastic things for everybody. And ultimately I'd like this to expand beyond the borders of Japan to other countries to other professional comic book artists that want to use the digital medium. I would love for them to come and join our group. Sony and various game companies have taken an interest in our group; they want to learn a lot more about us, so we're just now starting talks with them. So hopefully, this will be something big. Hide

Monkey Punch's FILMOGRAPHY

All as Actor (1) as Creator (5)

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro) [Audio: Japanese]

Lupin the Third Jigens Gravestone

Rupan sansei vs Kyattsu ai [Audio: Japanese]

Lupin III: The First

Rupan sansei