On April 11, 2019, the original creator of the iconic anime series Lupin The Third, Kazuhiko Kato, passed away due to illness. In his honor, Gosho Aoyama, the creator of another beloved anime series, Detective Conan, paid tribute with a heartfelt message and a commemorative illustration.

anime series, Detective Conan, paid tribute with a heartfelt message and a commemorative illustration.

Aoyama shared his fondest memory of being a fan of Monkey Punch, the pen name of Kato, who was a devoted follower of his work. In the movie, Lupin The Third vs Detective Conan: The Movie, Aoyama added a line of dialogue for the character of Ai Haibara, in which she tells Fujiko Mine, "Don't disappoint me. You weren't like this before." Aoyama was worried that this addition might upset Monkey Punch, but when he saw the film, he was pleasantly surprised to hear the late author say, "This line made Fujiko feel more real and brought her to life. Thank you!"

This experience made Aoyama an even bigger fan of Monkey Punch and he was thrilled to have earned his praise. The added dialogue between Ai and Fujiko takes place during a conversation in a bathhouse, where Fujiko expresses her envy of Ai's eternal youth, and Ai playfully teases Fujiko about how women who cling to their youth may end up losing out in the end.