The
Japanese dubbing industry says goodbye to a veteran who gave her life to
microphones. This Wednesday, voice actress (seiyuu) Yukie Maeda
took to her social networks to announce news that broke the hearts of
her followers: at the end of this month of February 2026, she will
retire definitively from voice acting after a 30-year career. The reason is
the rapid deterioration of his health, which prevents him from continuing to
attend recording studios.
A
painful battle against cancer
Maeda's
medical situation is extremely delicate. In October of last year, the actress
made public that she suffered from malignant sarcoma, a rare and
extremely aggressive type of cancer that attacks connective tissues (muscles,
fat, nerves or blood vessels). Despite having undergone surgery in the spring
of 2025, the disease reappeared for the umpteenth time, forcing her to receive
life-prolonging treatments.
The
physical ravages of the operations have been severe. Maeda explained that his
latest surgery affected the nerves in his left leg, which turned everyday tasks
such as walking long distances or transferring on trains in Japan into a real
hell. Initially, she had moved to the Kansai region to try to continue working
in a permanent studio in Kyoto, but faced with the constant threat of her
health suddenly worsening, she made the difficult decision to put an end to her
career and thank all those who supported her for three decades.
The
legacy of a multifaceted voice
During his
30-year career, Maeda demonstrated incredible versatility. Anime fans will
remember her for bringing Sōsō (Cao Cao) to life in the popular Shin
Koihime Musō franchise, Carlos in Transformers: Armada, and
Ino in Kamichu!. In the field of video games, he made his mark by
playing Ferri in the classic puzzle series Puyo Puyo and
lending his voice to several Ratchet & Clank titles in
Japan.
In addition,
as with many industry professionals looking to expand their career horizons,
Maeda had a prolific career in the OVA and adult visual novel (eroge)
market under the pseudonym Kana Nojima. Under this alias, he gave
voice to iconic characters of the genre in productions such as Kanojo x
Kanojo x Kanojo, Angelium and Mahō Shōjo Sae,
demonstrating impeccable professionalism regardless of the type of work in
which he worked.
Yukie
Maeda's departure from the recording booths leaves a void in the industry, but
his voice will be immortalized in all the projects he brought to life.
