Lupin is a French series on Netflix starring celebrated French actor Omar Sy. Omar plays the role of Assane Diop, a black Frenchman whose life takes a turn for the worst after his father is framed for a crime he didn’t commit. 25 years later, Diop embarks on a mission to avenge his father and support his son and ex-partner.
Diop draws inspiration from a book his father gave him titled Arsene Lupin, Gentleman Burglar. He learns how to use his perceived disadvantages as a black man to pull off outrageous heists.
There is a bit of confusion about the origins of Assane’s character. This piece will clear everything up.
Netflix’s Lupin is based on a character from Maurice Leblanc’s stories
Arséne Lupin first appeared in Maurice Leblanc’s 1905 short story, The Arrest of Arsene Lupin. He went on to appear in 17 novels, 39 novellas, and a slate of short stories.
Assane Diop is basically the modern-day Arséne Lupin. Diop can be compared to Sherlock Holmes, but unlike the English detective, Assane uses his brilliant mind to commit crimes.
His main advantage is that he is black and working class. In modern society, nobody notices the black working class. It might be seen as a disadvantage, but Assane flips the script and uses his invisibility to steal from the upper class of French society.
Lupin, the Netflix series, is based on the fictional Arséne Lupin character created by Maurice Leblanc.
Lupin III is an anime series drawn from Maurice Leblanc’s stories, but it has nothing to do with the Netflix show
The confusion about Lupin exists because there is an anime series with the same name. Lupin III is based on master thief Arséne Lupin III, the grandson of the original Arséne Lupin.
It first appeared in 1967, and it has spawned many shows and films. However, the anime series has nothing to do with Netflix’s Lupin.