Melon Ganimard is the grand-daughter of Inspector Ganimard who was the arch nemesis of Arsène Lupin.
History[]
Melon first graduated at the National University of Paris with top honors, noted for her intelligence and a master of many martial arts. She is also an expert on investigation and capture. According to the computer at Interpol, she is considered the most competent officer in the Paris Police Department. She was assigned to team up with Koichi Zenigata who was surprised that his partner was a woman.
Before taking on the Lupin case, she did a bit of training as she shot dummies of Goemon Ishikawa XIII and Daisuke Jigen in the head, but did not shoot the dummy of Zenigata. She also threw multiple handcuffs at a dummy of Lupin III. She's determined to arrest Lupin to avenge her grandfather. Zenigata is forced to admit that her shooting skills are impressive, but brags that the real thing can't compare to a dummy.
She oversees money transfers at the Banco de Paris to the police station and orders the officers to put the cash in the morgue, she also put an electric lock switch to prevent access. While she wants to be friendly with Zenigata, he doesn't want to know.
An officer comes into the room where the Chief, Zenigata and Melon are located. She threw her handcuffs straight away and handcuffs him to a rail as she knew it was Lupin but lets go when he has paperwork that needed a seal to the chief. Lupin put a note on his back and then all their backs, he yells at them at a dramatic fashion and calls her too mediocre to be the granddaughter of Inspector Ganimard. Melon took a photo of him to prove that he is Lupin in disguise and shows it to Zenigata. She also gave him binoculars as Jigen and Goemon were waiting outside.
As Lupin pulled his disguise and explains his plan, she threw the handcuffs at the light switch. Since their notes were luminous, Jigen shot tranquilizer arrows at them. As she was falling asleep and Lupin waves goodbye, she declares her revenge.
Melon is at the control room and wondered if Zenigata would hand over his resignation caused the two to clash. Fujiko Mine phoned her up in a payphone to let her know the location of Lupin's hideout. She drives towards the location with Zenigata in the trunk but lied to him about where she got the source from. She jokes to him about searching Paris by himself. While she is aware of the rumor that Lupin's weakness is women, Zenigata corrects her that he is interested only in beautiful women and believes she doesn't meet the standards. Melon dresses herself up nicely, to Zenigata's astonishment. At first glance, Lupin thought that she was Fujiko but Jigen had his suspicion and the same for Goemon. He goes to the door and is attracted to her while she was being shy about it. They made it to the living room after both lying about the house but outside Zenigata was getting jealous and only he can arrest Lupin.
Both Lupin and Melon share a drink with each other but Jigen lets them know about the police. Lupin knows that she was Melon and claims that "he never forgets a woman". She arrests him and struggles removing the handcuffs as they were invented by her grandfather with Zenigata and the police outside to storm into the premises.
As Zenigata storms in, he sees Melon tied up on the floor and leaves the house but turns out to be Goemon in disguise. Lupin escapes in the truck still cuffed to Melon and heads to the subway. Offscreen, he removes the handcuffs and puts Melon on a pile of money in the train.
The last time she was seen she fell asleep on the money and Fujiko disguised herself as Melon to get the money on the train from Lupin. It's unknown what happened to her, but presumably Fujiko had the real Melon tied up out of sight somewhere.
She later makes a cameo appearance in episode 23 of Lupin the Third Part 5, where she is seen using the PeopleLog app. Melon was shocked when Lupin posted about President Jack King and other oil companies were involved with illegal activity.
Notes[]
- According to her file at Interpol, her birthday is May 12th. Her birth year is unknown as it is listed as 19XX.
- Inspector Ganimard had another grandchild in the Ganimard family called Ganimard III. While it is not mentioned, it is implied that they could be brother and sister.
- The English dub changes her name to Galimarle, and makes no reference to Justin Ganimard.
- Her character is loosely based on Melon Cop as he was known to throw handcuffs.
- As Jigen gives Detective Melon's case file to Lupin, he calls her a "cutie" but Lupin calls her "ugly".
- Michiko Hirai provided her voice in the original Japanese version, while Emily Brown voiced her in the English dub. Due to Hirai having passed away in 1984, Melon's cameo in Part 5 was voiced by Yumiko Matsura.