Yukiko Nikaido, voice of Fujiko Mine in "Part 1", passes away aged 87
Yukiko Nikaido, the second Japanese voice talent for the character Fujiko Mine, has passed away on July 3rd, 2026, at the age of 87. Her passing was confirmed by her son, Sōsuke Yagyū, via his Facebook account, and the cause was cited as “old age / senility”.
Nikaido voiced the character of Fujiko Mine in the original green jacket animated television series of Lupin III, which originally aired between 1971 to 1972. She was preceded and succeeded by Eiko Masuyama, who voiced the character in the original 1969 pilot film, and in later entries of the franchise. She unfortunately also passed away in May 2024.
Nikaido was, until July 3rd, the last surviving member of the original Japanese voice talent of Lupin and the gang. She starred in several other films, television shows, and commercials throughout her career, until her retirement from acting in the 1980s. Her son shared the below pictures, of Nikaido with her late husband, Hiroshi Yagyu. Such sweet photos - we are thinking of her family and friends, and wishing them the best in this difficult time.
May she rest in peace.
This is a sad piece to write.
Just recently, we have lost so many wonderful individuals related to the Lupin III series. Sadly, as time goes on, people only grow older, and due to the long-running nature of the show, moments like these are inevitable. Still, it feels as if many have come at once. As depressing as it is writing up these articles - I hope people can take a moment to read and remember. For Yukiko Nikaido, maybe by watching an episode of Part 1 in her memory.
Let’s make sure, as fans of this series and her work, that we never forget who she was, and what she brought to the world of animation with her contributions as Fujiko.
