Mizuki Ichiro, best known for singing numerous theme songs for Japanese anime, died of lung cancer last Tuesday. He was 74 years old.
Mizuki was born in Tokyo in 1948, and debuted as a pop singer when he was 20 years old. Three years later, he embarked a pioneering career as a singer of anime theme songs.
The theme song of Mazinger Z sold some 700 thousand copies making it a major hit. Mizuki sang many theme songs for superhero and anime series, including Babel Nisei and Space Pirate Captain Harlock.
His fans dubbed him the "King of Anime Songs" or "Aniki" meaning a big brother.
As Japanese anime grabbed the hearts of overseas audiences, including the French and Chinese, Mizuki contributed to international cultural exchange.
In 2010, he performed live in Shanghai, when the city hosted a World Expo.
His agency announced that after Mizuki was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2021, he had been undergoing treatment and rehab with the aim of continuing to pursue an active career.
He went on stage late November, but his health took a turn for the worse. He was taken to hospital on December 6, and died soon after.
Mizuki was born in Tokyo in 1948, and debuted as a pop singer when he was 20 years old. Three years later, he embarked a pioneering career as a singer of anime theme songs.
The theme song of Mazinger Z sold some 700 thousand copies making it a major hit. Mizuki sang many theme songs for superhero and anime series, including Babel Nisei and Space Pirate Captain Harlock.
His fans dubbed him the "King of Anime Songs" or "Aniki" meaning a big brother.
As Japanese anime grabbed the hearts of overseas audiences, including the French and Chinese, Mizuki contributed to international cultural exchange.
In 2010, he performed live in Shanghai, when the city hosted a World Expo.
His agency announced that after Mizuki was diagnosed with lung cancer in April 2021, he had been undergoing treatment and rehab with the aim of continuing to pursue an active career.
He went on stage late November, but his health took a turn for the worse. He was taken to hospital on December 6, and died soon after.
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Summary
Japanese singer Mizuki Ichiro, famously known for anime theme songs, passed away from lung cancer at age 74. Born in Tokyo in 1948, he debuted as a pop singer at 20 and started his career in anime theme songs three years later. His hit song for Mazinger Z sold over 700k copies. Mizuki sang theme
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ID: d0fecd97-3ea9-4ca9-a7c3-3ad915c42fad
Category ID: nhk
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221212_27/
Date: Dec. 12, 2022
Created: 2022/12/13 07:42
Updated: 2025/12/09 10:27
Last Read: 2022/12/13 07:50