Fujiko Mine

Fujiko Mine (峰 不二子) is a fictional character created by Monkey Punch, for his Lupin III series. Fujiko is Lupin's love (or lust) interest. Lupin and Fujiko were never really lovers although occasionally Lupin scored with Fujiko, especially when the latter is dying to find out about a particular detail that Lupin knows. Her name is actually a pun about her being busty, as Mine means "mountain peak". This suggests the word play "mountain peaks of Fuji".

She will also routinely make deals with Zenigata or Lupin's current enemy in an attempt to gain her freedom or to hopefully gain a piece of the loot he is after. While Lupin normally is able to outsmart Fujiko, she is able to make off with some or all of his loot on occasion.

Personality
Fujiko is not part of Lupin's gang, but often participates in Lupin's exploits. However, as a grifter par excellence she exclusively works to serve her own interests, which usually conflict with Lupin's.

Frequently, these schemes involve her betraying Lupin to get close to the enemy, whom she intends on double-crossing at a later time as well (and sometimes, though rarely, help to extricate Lupin and the gang for the trouble she put them into, as if to atone for her misdeed). This never seems to bother Lupin, however. In the 2004 TV special, Stolen Lupin, he remarked, "Betrayal is the exclusive right of women." In the 1995 movie Farewell to Nostradamus, he told Fujiko (who had lost her memory) he almost looks forward to her betraying him.

Jigen despises Fujiko, and sees her showing up as a sign of rough times ahead, although originally, all three of the men were after her. Goemon has been known to work with Fujiko on capers when it is to his benefit, but can be equally distrustful of her when he thinks she is manipulating Lupin.

Lupin is, of course, completely infatuated with Fujiko, and will do anything for her. While Fujiko milks this for all it is worth, the fact is that Fujiko never gets Lupin into any trouble she believes he cannot get out of. The creator of the series has said that the two "enjoy each other", and are quite content with their bizarre yet amicable relationship, comparing it to his own marriage.

Fujiko does exhibit feelings of love for Lupin, but usually only if she thinks one (or both) of them are dying. On occasions where Lupin appears to have died, she grieves extremely and has even stated that her life has no meaning without him. However, her attitude always reverts at once when she finds him alive.

Her hobbies seem to be sunbathing, dancing, travel, shopping, swimming, other water sports, and hobnobbing with the rich and famous. An excellent shot, she usually outfits herself with a Browning M1910, holstered in her garter. Like the other members of Lupin's team, she is able to pilot virtually any land, sea, and air vehicle, with her personal preference being a Kawasaki motorcycle, usually while wearing a skin tight leather leotard. Fujiko enjoys drinking champagne, wine, sake and liquor, smoking cigarettes and occasionally a bamboo kiseru. She tends to wear clothing that highlights her figure, particularly her ample bustline. She also routinely changes her hair color, with blonde or auburn the most common.

Background
There is little information about Fujiko's exact origins, except that she is from Japan. An episode from the Lupin III TV series (An Assassin Sings the Blues) also hints that Fujiko had a background in organized crime.

Lupin's sidekick Jigen recalls a story of the Golden Couple - a woman teamed up with an assassin, called Killer Pun. They were famous for carrying out contract killings without fail. However, the partnership ended abruptly when Pun's employer ordered the woman's execution. Pun failed to kill her, due to emotional attachment, and she disappeared.

Lupin and Jigen were lead to believe that Fujiko suffers from amnesia. Fujiko claims not to remember anything prior the three years she first met Lupin. The timing of her memory loss coincided with the disappearance of Pun's partner. Her connection with Pun was later confirmed in the episode.

Abilities
Fujiko is an extremely intelligent and crafty person and will use her feminine charms to get what she wants from any man. She is also a proficient disguise artist, an excellent markswoman, and a cunning thief. She also has the femme fatale role mastered, and her feminine charms have earned her many riches. She has been shown overcoming huge opponents effortlessly via martial arts and tactical skills, surprising many who originally assumed she was frail.

After she has acquired money, however she is really horrible at keeping it, as she invests it in get rich quick schemes which always fail miserably. This inevitably leads her to asking Lupin for help on another heist.

Origins
In the manga, Fujiko originally arrives in the third chapter of the first volume, thus being the first of Lupin's three associates to arrive. She initially appears as a con woman attempting to worm her way into the fortune of a rich family, whose heir has hired Lupin as security. Immediately upon arriving, she recognizes Lupin through his disguise somehow, and by the end of the arc, Lupin has sided with her to rob the entire family.

Popularity
In 2007, Oricon magazine polled readers on which characters they would most like to see in their own series. Fujiko appeared in the seventh position on the female polls, and fifth place overall. The magazine company also asked their readers in the very same year who they believed is the most beautiful woman in manga. Fujiko Mine was crowned the title by scoring first place overall with high rankings from both male and female voters.

In Azumanga Daioh, Tomo Takino is a fan of the anime series Lupin III and says that she admires Fujiko. She constantly makes references to herself as Fujiko Mine, despite the fact the two are totally different in looks and personality.