In the original manga series, Jigen is not always at Lupin's side but instead lurks in the background until he is needed. In the anime series, however, Jigen is portrayed as extremely loyal to Lupin and always willing to partner with him for any given heist. Jigen is known for his quick temper; both enemies and friends alike have fallen victim to his tendency to respond to insults with violence. Even Lupin and Goemon have been on the receiving end of his blows in reaction to their frank or comical criticism. Despite Jigen's gruff facade, he has an ironic sense of humor and genuinely enjoys participating in each caper with his partners. He is, by far, the more pragmatic of the group, with a cynical streak founded in failed romances (his luck with women runs from bad to worse, with love interests often betraying him or dying). He is always distrustful of
Fujiko Mine and becomes irritated when Lupin goes along with one of her plans. Among Lupin's group, Jigen is the least apprehensive at taking human life. While he considers killing women and children taboo, he is willing to put down any age or gender who offers a life threat, such as Linda in Part 2 Episode 26. Where Lupin and Goemon both have unique sartorial tastes, Jigen prefers a more minimalist style. His typical wardrobe consists of a dark gray, dark green, or black business suit, paired with a white or light blue dress shirt, a black tie, and his ever-present dark gray or black broad-brimmed fedora. The hat ranks as his most prized possession outside of his weaponry. During the third anime series, his outfit appears lighter in color, and his hatband features a crosshatched or grid-pattern design, similar to the original manga interpretation of the character. However, the classic black ensemble is most commonly used in OVA productions and TV specials. Jigen’s thick hair is typically collar-length and unevenly cut. His chin curtain beard ranges from one to three inches in length and is similarly unruly. In a few anime episodes, an occasional visual gimmick is used in which Jigen pulls his hat forward so that only the lower half of his face is visible. If he is without his hat, his hair often falls over his upper face and eyes. Such instances are rare, however; in most animated depictions, his face is clearly shown with or without his hat. Jigen serves as the “big brother” of the group and often acts as the voice of reason to Lupin’s impulsiveness—partly out of friendship and partly out of sheer professionalism. Nevertheless, he has long since accepted that he will inevitably be dragged into even the most outrageous schemes. Like the rest of the Lupin gang, Jigen is skilled in the use of disguises and can pilot virtually any motorized vehicle. He is also a formidable hand-to-hand combatant, capable of knocking out an attacker with a single blow. Although his racial origins remain ambiguous, Jigen was once a renowned bodyguard and assassin for several American criminal mobs. Among the various accounts of his past, the most popular story portrays him as an American mobster who fled to Japan while on the run. There, he adopted a Japanese identity and the name “Jigen,” which is actually the Japanese word for “dimension,” rather than a traditional personal name. According to Lupin, Jigen has few hobbies, largely due to his preference for staying at home. When he does go out, he usually attends target practice, visits a favorite bar, plays poker, enjoys a boxing match, or eats at a
chop house-style restaurant. He also has a weakness for Spaghetti Westerns, lounging, classical music (except in Episodes 79 and 89 of Part 2), and hearty American food. Jigen's most obvious pastime is smoking; there is hardly a time when he is not seen with a cigarette, usually one bent in several directions. His preferred brands have been
Pall Mall Filter Longs or
Marlboro Red. He is also seen occasionally smoking a briar pipe. As well, Jigen enjoys drinking scotch, bourbon, vodka, beer and occasionally fine wines; he has a "heavyweight's" resistance to intoxication. The Tokyo Pop releases of the original Lupin manga note in their preface that Jigen's appearance and temperament are based on the actor James Coburn, especially Coburn's role, Britt, in
The Magnificent Seven. This has been confirmed by Monkey Punch during a 2003 Dallas, Texas anime convention interview. In a television documentary celebrating the manga's history, Monkey Punch stated he based the Jigen/Lupin relationship on
Alain Delon and
Charles Bronson's teaming in the 1968 film ''
Adieu l'ami''. ADDENDUM: TMS Entertainment's 2023's anime release of the series
Lupin Zero indicates Lupin and Jigen were children together in mid 1960's Japan, with Jigen having access to guns and well-developed marksmanship. Whether this series is considered canon has yet to be revealed. ==Appearances==