Eiko Masuyama passes away at the age of 89
The original voice actress for Fujiko Mine, Eiko Masuyama, has passed away at the age of 89 due to pneumonia. Since passing on the 20th of May 2024, her close relatives have held a private service to honour her life.
Eiko Masuyama began her work on the Lupin III series at its animated beginnings, starring as Fujiko Mine in the 1969 pilot film. From here, she remained with the franchise for over forty years, with her final appearance as the character being for 2012’s Lupin Family Line-up OVA. In 2011, she was succeeded by current voice talent for the character, Miyuki Sawashiro.
While Eiko Masuyama has been in retirement for a small while, her passing remains a huge blow to fans of the franchise and anime as a whole. Aside from Lupin, Masuyama also starred in many other shows, including Astro Boy, Cutie Honey, and Case Closed. She even took the role of Winifred Banks in the original Japanese television dub of classic Disney film, Mary Poppins.
Now, the final surviving member of the original Lupin III cast has gone. This is no doubt going to be a difficult thing to process for those of you who have been following the show for some time - as it is for me. For myself, I hope to take a moment to think about the countless hours I have spent enjoying Eiko Masuyama’s work over the years - from that time in Part 2 where she ran from Inspector Zenigata chasing her with a frog, to her double-crossing goodness in Operation Return the Treasure.
Eiko Masuyama is legendary, and her work will continue to be enjoyed by so many for years to come. May she rest in peace, and our thoughts go out to her family and friends.
