[Sad news] Eiko Masuyama, who played Fujiko Mine in 'Lupin the Third' and Mama in 'Tensai Bakabon', has passed away
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2024/06/03/eiko-masuyama-passed-away/00_m.png)
It has been announced that actress Eiko Masuyama, known for playing the role of Fujiko Mine in the anime series 'Lupin the Third' for over 30 years, passed away on May 20, 2024 due to pneumonia. She was 88 years old (age 89 at death).
Eiko Masuyama | Aoni Production Co., Ltd.
https://www.aoni.co.jp/search/masuyama-eiko.html
Voice actress Eiko Masuyama passed away on May 20th.
— Official Lupin the Third Anime (@lupin_anime) June 3, 2024
In 'Lupin the Third,' she made a guest appearance in Part 1, and from Part 2 onwards she played the role of Fujiko Mine in many TV and film productions.
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Masuyama was born on April 22, 1936 in Tokyo.
She was a member of a children's theater company from her childhood. After that, she participated in the launch of the 'Gekidan Sanno' theater company with Santaro Dokumamushi and Haruko Kitahama, and then moved to the Shiki Theater Company. She says that she started doing voice acting during her time with the Shiki Theater Company.
In the 1960s, in order to balance her work and family life, she decided to devote herself to voice acting, and joined the voice acting agency Aoni Production.
One of Masuyama's most well-known roles is that of Fujiko Mine in the anime series 'Lupin the Third.' Masuyama also played the role in the pilot film made before the series aired, but in the first series (PART 1), which aired from October 1971 to March 1972, Fujiko was played by Yukiko Nikaido, and Masuyama appeared as a guest character. From the second series, which began in October 1977, Masuyama took over the role of Fujiko, and continued to play the role for over 30 years until she was replaced by Miyuki Sawashiro in 2011.
On the other hand, she also played the role of Bakabon's mother in 'Tensai Bakabon,' a role with a completely different image from the sexy Fujiko Mine, for about 30 years, from the first series that began airing in September 1971 to the fourth series, 'Rerere no Tensai Bakabon,' which ended airing in March 2000. This casting was apparently also requested by the original author, Fujio Akatsuka.
Other roles she played include Honey Kisaragi in 'Cutie Honey,' the narrator in 'Ikkyu-san' and Ikkyu-san's mother, Iyo no Tsubone, Paruko (Hoshino Sumire) in 'Perman,' and Uko in 'Obake no Q-taro.'
In an episode where Masuyama appears as a guest on the YouTube channel 'Mum Channel' of Dokumamushi Santaro, with whom he started the theater company, you can hear him talk about his love of opera as a child, his time with Gekidan Sannoh, and his voice work.
Let's talk old stories with Eiko Masuyama!! [Part 1] - YouTube
No one had money... but the poverty was fun! [Masuyama Eiko/Part 2] - YouTube
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