Moving from Miyazaki's final film to his first ever feature, Arsene Lupin III is the star of 1979's The Castle Of Cagliostro. Another example of Miyazaki drawing on a character from elsewhere, Lupin originally appeared in the manga series Lupin III. It wasn't until Miyazaki reinterpreted him, however, that he became a hugely popular character. In the original manga series, Lupin was a fairly unlikeable character. A thief, he was certainly prepared to hurt (and even kill) anyone that elected to stand in the way of his bullion. The comics tried to paint over his nasty streak with a slapstick edge, but there is no denying a distinct unpleasantness in his portrayal. Miyazaki changed that cleverly, transforming Lupin from a problematic anti-hero to a genuinely funny and loveable 'gentleman thief'. While plenty of his original character traits remain (he is obsessed with women, occasionally coming across as a bit creepy), the code of honour and sense of humour that run through the film makes The Castle Of Cagliostro far more family-friendly than the original manga. Lupin's pranks and capers in the film are no longer nasty or violent. They're funny and intelligent. This showcases one of Miyazaki's great talents - his ability to make characters captivating, no matter how problematic their actions may be.