Photo: 環境省 / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Monkey Punch, born Kazuhiko Kato in rural Hokkaido, is one of those creators whose work outgrew him entirely. Lupin III is impossibly cool, cheeky, and free, and you can feel his love of American comic energy fused with a distinctly modern Japanese wit. That 1981 Inkpot Award signals he had international appeal long before manga went global. What moves me most is how the character keeps running long after his 2019 passing. To me that is the truest mark of a great artist: the creation slips loose and lives on, generation after generation, well beyond its maker.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Monkey Punch
- Name (Japanese)
- モンキー・パンチ
- Reading
- もんきー・ぱんち
- Born
- May 26, 1937 – April 11, 2019
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Ox
- Origin
- Hamanaka, Hokkaidō, Japan
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- mangaka / screenwriter / film director / television director / director
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Tokyo University of Technology
Awards & achievements
- 1981 Inkpot Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Lupin III | — |
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.monkeypunch.com
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A2%E3%83%B3%E3%82%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%83%91%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81
Frequently asked questions
When was Monkey Punch born?
May 26, 1937 – April 11, 2019.
Where is Monkey Punch from?
Monkey Punch is from Hamanaka, Hokkaidō, Japan.
What does Monkey Punch do?
Monkey Punch works as mangaka, screenwriter, film director, television director, director.
What is Monkey Punch known for?
Notable works include Lupin III.
Screenwriter — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.