Wherever she goes, the spotlight always belongs to Fujiko Mine.

Even in an anime series where almost every recurring character is a master thief, no one in Lupin III can steal a scene as well as Fujiko Mine. Forever flittering between friend and foe, Fujiko’s aura of mature mystery and sweet sultriness, not to mention her penchant for form-fitting, low-cut jumpsuits, make her one of the only people who can pull one over on main character Arsene Lupin III, and she’s also put generations of fans in her thrall.

Fujiko is now serving as the latest muse for Japanese cosplayer pianist Riyoko Takagi, who appears in her latest video project dressed in the character’s signature outfit and running her fingers over the keys in a high-energy rendition of the Lupin III opening theme.

Despite the Lupin III anime debuting all the way back in 1977, well before the start of the current otaku pop culture boom, the all-instrumental opening theme quickly became a nationwide hit in Japan, and to this day it’s one of the few anime themes that you can expect anyone who grew up in the country to know, regardless of whether or not they’re interested in animation.

Takagi (who runs the Riyo Channel YouTube channel) does the number proud, performing with all the self-assurance and inhibition you’d expect of Fujiko. “I really respect Yuji Ohno,” Takagi says in the video’s description, referring to the song’s original composer, “and I channeled that respect into this jazz arrangement.”

Of course, just as the “Lupin III Theme” played at the start of each episode, there was always an ending theme too. While it doesn’t prompt the same instant recognition as the opener, “Love Squall,” one of the series’ closers which Takagi covers below, is a seductive torch song as smooth as a victory martini sipped after a successful jewel heist.

Since both songs have been around since the ‘70s and still sound great today, fans aren’t likely to get tired of Takagi’s covers anytime soon, but if you’d like to see more of her, you can always switch things up by rewatching her lingerie Santa Christmas medley.

Source: YouTube/Riyo Channel
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Follow Casey on Twitter, where he knew about Lupin III long before he knew about Lupin I.