Koichi Zenigata
| Koichi Zenigata | |
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| Japanese name: | 銭形 幸一 (Zenigata Kōichi) |
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| English name: | Koichi Zenigata |
| Age: | Unknown |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 181 cm (or 175 cm) |
| Weight: | 73 kg |
| Date of birth: | December 25, 1937 (or 1938) |
| Relatives: | Zenigata Heiji |
| Occupation: | ICPO Inspector |
| Nicknames: | Pops (Tottsan) |
| First appearance: | Lupin III vs. Detective Conan |
| Appearances: | Chapters: 0 Episodes: 0 Movies: 1 OVAs: 0 Specials: 1 Openings: 0 Closings: 0 |
| Japanese voice: | Gorō Naya (Lupin III vs Detective Conan) Kōichi Yamadera (Lupin III vs Detective Conan: The Movie) |
| English voice: | Doug Erholtz (Geneon/Pioneer) |
Koichi Zenigata (銭形 幸一 Zenigata Kōichi), commonly referred to as Inspector Zenigata (銭形警部 Zenigata-keibu), is a member of the ICPO Special Police Force and the archnemesis (or archrival) of Lupin III.
Character profile
Though sometimes seen as a bumbling fool, Zenigata is in fact a consummate master detective, able to ferret out exactly where Lupin is and what he might be planning next. Skilled in judo, karate, and often attached a squad of skilled officers, Zenigata joined ICPO (Interpol in the English translations) in order to bring Lupin, the only criminal he's yet to arrest, to justice.
Despite being Lupin's chief antagonist, Zenigata has a begrudging respect for the thief, and is the only man on Earth capable of understanding Lupin's goals and actions. His respect for him even goes so far that he considers himself the only man who has the capability and the authority to arrest Lupin. In some instances where he is left to assume that Lupin is dead, Zenigata loses his purpose in life; in fact, in accordance to the proverb "It's not the having, it's the getting" the perpetual hunt for Lupin is the only thing which gives him a reason to live. On occasion, he and Lupin also end up actually helping each other when they have a common cause.
Even though Lupin often escapes, it is usually due to the fact that Lupin is more resourceful and has his team to back him up, while Zenigata prefers to make his arrests like a charging bull, breaking through any obstacle head-on to continue the chase. His stubborness in trying to take down the master thief has made Zenigata develop an uncannily superhuman endurance, especially whenever he feels Lupin is involved. His chief weapon is a set of handcuffs linked to a long rope, which enables him to collar criminals from a far distance; he also makes occasional use of a jitte and a Colt M1911 .45 pistol.
Zenigata in Detective Conan
- Zenigata was the featured detective of Volume 64 of the Detective Conan manga.
- Zenigata, along with the rest of the core cast of Lupin III, appeared in the TV Special Lupin III vs. Detective Conan, where Zenigata assists the kingdom of Vespania in protecting their priceless crown jewels from Lupin, only to uncover the truth behind the deaths of the queen and crown prince. It also shows Zenigata's trademark resilience, able to wake up from a stun gun shock that, as Conan states, "would knock out an elephant for thirty minutes" after only thirty seconds. He is also revealed to be an old fellow graduate of Inspector Megure, with whom he attended the same police academy.
- Zenigata also appears in the sequel movie Lupin III vs. Detective Conan: The Movie. In the first part, he occupies a major role as he, Detectives Takagi and Sato attempt to prevent the theft of the Cherry Sapphire. Until the end of the movie, where he starts chasing Lupin once more, his importance in the plot is vastly toned down.
Appellations
Gallery
Juzo Megure and Koichi Zenigata.
Koichi Zenigata showing his ICPO badge while Kogoro Mouri is with him.
Trivia
- Zenigata was previously voiced in Lupin III by Chikao Ohtsuka, who voiced three one-time characters in Detective Conan and who is the father of the voice behind the Yokomizo inspectors, Akio Otsuka, as well as Seizo Kato, most notable in Detective Conan for voicing Kiyonaga Matsumoto. His current voice actor Koichi Yamadera also voiced Kyosuke Haga, a notable one-shot "Detective Conan" character, and later became the voice actor of supporting character Tsutomu Akai.
