86-Year-Old Kiyoshi Kobayashi Expresses His Desire to Play Jigen A Little More

A premiere screening event for the Lupin The Third franchise’s first full 3DCG feature film Lupin The Third: The First was held at the Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills theater in Tokyo on November 11.

Three of the long-running franchise’s current main voice cast: Kanichi Kurita (61/Arsène Lupin III), Kiyoshi Kobayashi (86/Daisuke Jigen), and Daisuke Namikawa (43/Goemon Ishikawa) appeared on the stage, along with the film’s two guest stars: Suzu Hirose (21/Leticia) and Tatsuya Fujiwara (37/Geralt).  

86-year-old Kiyoshi Kobayashi has been playing Daisuke Jigen for 51 years since the first pilot film made in 1968 and is the last reaming original voice cast of the franchise. Now he needed a cane to walk and a help by Kurita on the stage, but still showed a desire to continue to play the character for a little more.

According to Oricon News, he expressed his determination to the audience, saying “For a little bit more while, I would like to play Daisuke Jigen,” and it was welcomed and accepted by them with warm applause. But soon he added in a slightly embarrassed manner, “Because I will be gone soon anyway, it won’t be so long.”

Lupin The Third: The First written/directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Space Battleship Yamato, Stand By Me Doraemon) is set to be released in Japan on December 6, 2019.

Source: Oricon News

©Monkey Punch/2019 Movie “Lupin The Third” Production Committee