Lupin III, Captain Harlock Star Makio Inoue Passes Away

Today, fans of Lupin III and Captain Harlock are coming together to mourn. Reports from Japan [...]

By Megan Peters

Today, fans of Lupin III and Captain Harlock are coming together to mourn. Reports from Japan confirmed Makio Inoue has passed away at the age of 81 due to complications with chronic angina.

For those unfamiliar with the actor, Inoue stands as one of the most revered voice actors in Japan. He is best known for voicing Goemon Ishikawa XIII in the Lupin III anime, but his resume includes a bevy of works.

In the early 1960s, Inoue began working in the anime industry on shows like Astro Boy. He took over a set of small roles overseen by Tezuka Productions before he landed his most famous role the following decade. Lupin III was an immediate hit with fans, and Inoue was praised for his work as Goemon.

Shortly after booking Lupin III, Inoue came upon another gig which would solidify his all-star status. The actor began voicing Captain Harlock in Space Pirate Captain Harlock until Koichi Yamadera took over the character.

A few years back, Inoue ended up passing over the reigns to Goemon as well. Back in 2011, the actor retired from Lupin III and handed over his role to Daisuke Namikawa who has voiced Goemon since. The last time fans saw the actor voice the character was back in 2010 in the special Lupin III: The Last Job. Now, fans are paying tribute to Inoue in light of his tragic passing and lifting up his greatest moments as one of anime's most beloved stars.

HT: Kotaku

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