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Singer Ichiro Mizuki Passes Away at 74
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The website for singer Ichirō Mizuki revealed on Monday that he passed away on December 6 due to lung cancer. He was 74.
Mizuki revealed in July that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer with lymph node and brain metastasis, following his partial paralysis of the vocal cords in April 2021. Furthermore, a new lung cancer was found earlier this year. Mizuki had surgery in June, and he was receiving therapy for his voice and motor functions.
Mizuki had revealed in April 2021 during the "Super Robot Spirits 2021 ~stage terra~" concert that he was currently suffering from partial paralysis of the vocal cords. He added then he was undergoing "checkup after checkup," and that this was the first time this had happened in his career of over five decades.
Mizuki held his final live performance on November 27.
Mizuki has been nicknamed the "Emperor of Anime Songs." He debuted as a singer in 1968 and was a pioneer as a singer of anime songs. He has performed theme songs for a wide variety of anime and tokusatsu (live-action special-effects) projects over a career that has spanned five decades. His previous work includes theme songs for Kamen Rider Stronger, Kamen Rider BLACK RX, Kamen Rider X, New Kamen Rider, Combattler V, Voltes V, Voltron, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, and Godannar, among many others.
He is also well known for his many theme songs for the Mazinger Z franchise, including the original Mazinger Z TV anime series, Mazinger Z tai Ankoku Daishōgun, Mazinger Z Vs. Devilman, Mazinger Z Vs. Dr. Hell, Great Mazinger, Great Mazinger tai Getter Robo G - Kūchū Dai-Gekitotsu, and the Mazinger Z: Infinity 2017 anime film.
Image via Ichirō Mizuki's website
