Overview
- Her family announced Friday that Yukiko Nikaido died peacefully of old age on July 3 and that a private funeral was held on July 7.
- Nikaido originated the role of Fujiko Mine in the 1971 Lupin the 3rd anime and her performance is widely credited with shaping the character's early screen persona.
- She began acting on stage and in live-action TV before starting voice work in 1964 and later performed dubbing roles and other acting parts.
- Nikaido served as the first president of the Yatsugatake Club, spent her final years in a care facility there, and her family thanked staff for their care while making the Ryuan memorial space available for visitors through the end of the year.
- Her passing closes a chapter in anime history and could prompt renewed attention to early Lupin the 3rd episodes and retrospectives on the performers who followed her in the role.