Yukiko Nikaidō

Background Born in Yodobashi Ward, Tokyo on October 27, 1938, Nikaido graduated from the Tokyo Jogakkan Junior and Senior High School. Around the same time she first met Hiroshi Yagyū, who would become her husband. Toei Company, and Mausu Promotion.

She primarily worked as an actress in television dramas and theater. After graduating from the Haiyuza Theater Company, she started appearing in soap operas.

In 1964, she and Hiroshi Yagyū got married, and following the birth of her first son Shingo Yagyū, Nikaido started focusing on her career as a voice actress.

In 1972, following the birth of her second son Sōsuke Yagyū, Nikaido decided to retire from the entertainment industry. Despite this, she continued her career as a voice actress, appearing in anime like 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, and made appearances under her birth name on variety shows as the wife of her husband.

In 1989, Nikaido became the first president of the Yatsugatake Club, a horticulture facility located in Ōizumi-machi, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture. She was heavily involved in the facility's management, as she oversaw the café and gallery on the premises. and resided in a nursing facility.

Nikaido died on July 3, 2026, at the age of 87. Her second son Sōsuke announced the news on July 17 via the Facebook page of Yatsugatake Club.

Personality As an actress, Nikaido portrayed innocent character roles, due to the public image she had been known for.

In her dubbing career, she served as the Japanese dubbing actress for Mireille Darc, Angie Dickinson and Grace Kelly.

Nikaido's personal hobbies included ballet and playing the piano.

Episodes Work ethic As a voice actress, Nikaido said that it started off as a hobby because she found it to be "surprisingly fun and educational".

She also said she overall had "a blast on set" then, saying, "Huddling together around a single microphone, the four veteran actors gave it their all. The intimate atmosphere in the room felt like a close-knit theater troupe, brimming with a powerful sense of unity." and then added, "I was surrounded by caring seniors and I only have fond memories of them looking out for me (laughs)."

Following the deaths of Yasuo Yamada (Lupin III) in March 1995, Gorō Naya (Inspector Zenigata) in March 2013, Chikao Ōtsuka (Goemon Ishikawa XIII) in January 2015, Makio Inoue (Goemon Ishikawa XIII) in November 2019, Kiyoshi Kobayashi (Daisuke Jigen) in July 2022 and Eiko Masuyama (Fujiko Mine) in May 2024, Nikaido was the last surviving original cast member of the Lupin the 3rd anime series' voice cast alongside current Lupin III voice actor Kanichi Kurita. With her death in July 2026, all of the original Lupin the 3rd anime voice actors have now passed away.

Filmography Television dramas + List of performances in television dramas Year Title Role Notes Source 1964 Nissan Star Theater: Where To? Shinko 1966 The Wandering Ronin: Tsukikage Hyogo Yae episode 13 1969 The Bodyguard Series: I'm The Bodyguard Oen episode 12 The Lonely Ronin: Hanayama Daikichi Otoshi episode 33 Warm Spring Setsuko Nagashima 1970 Onihei: The Crime Reports in Edo Oden episode 64 Yae the Hairdresser Yaeko Tanaka 1971 Zenigata Heiji Okiku episode 257

Theatrical films + List of performances in theatrical films Year Title Role Notes Source 1959 High Teen Akiko Tsumura 1959 Affair in the Mist Fumi 1960 Challenge Beneath the Waves Reiko Shima 1960 Third World War: 41 Hours of Fear Mie Ichimura 1960 Ponkotsu Chako 1960 Faceless Violence Mitsue Ishii 1960 Billionare Young Woman 1961 Botchan Yaro Zoroi Suzuko Okura 1961 We Are the Sky Rebels Spring River 1961 A Fishwife's Tale Yoko Ishikawa

Special effects + List of performances in special effects Year Title Role Notes Source 1970 Chibira-kun Oku, Beautiful woman

Commercials + List of appearances in television commercials Year Title Role Notes Source 1969 National Panasonic Washing Machine "Ultra-High-Speed Whirlpool"

Stage + List of stage performances Year Title Role Notes Source 1963 A Kiss of Heaven and Earth Mariko

Television animation + List of voice performances in television animation Year Title Role Notes Source 1969 Kamui Sugaru 1971 Lupin the 3rd Part I Fujiko Mine, Ginko Fujinami Main role; Ginko Fujinami in episode 7 1979 Song of Baseball Enthusiasts Additional voice Final anime voice acting role

Dubbing Feature films + List of dub performances in feature film productions Title Role Notes Source The Birds Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) TBS version and Fuji Television version Marnie Margaret "Marnie" Edgar (Tippi Hedren) She Ayesha (voiced by Nikki van der Zyl, portrayed by Ursula Andress) NET version The Blue Max Käti Gräfin von Klugermann (Ursula Andress) Fuji Television version Fleur d'oseille Catherine (Mireille Darc) Detective Belli Vera Fontana (Florinda Bolkan)