Lupin III

When a franchise has been around for decades, it can be hard to balance staying true to its original appeal while also keeping things fresh. Lupin III is a franchise that dates back to 1967, for crying out loud-- you might think that every plot line has been exhausted. Not to mention, almost all of the core characters still dress like they're living in the 1960s. And yet, Lupin has managed to keep itself popular for half a century now, all without going too far off the rails.

Part 4 (commonly known as "Blue Jacket") is quite reminiscent of Part 2 with its wacky humor and breezy episodes. There is an overarching plot with some heavy moments (some of the story gave me MYSTERY OF MAMO vibes too), but on the whole, it's a little loose. The show is set in the modern day and adjusts for the existence of smartphones and the internet. Putting old-school characters into such a setting usually invokes "hello fellow kids" cringe, but Blue Jacket updates the usual Lupin schtick well without compromising the fun qualities that have allowed the series to endure. Even the new characters mix in well with the Lupin gang. I would definitely recommend the show as a great starting point for people interested in Lupin III but daunted by just how much of it there is to wade through.