Lupin III Composer Yuji Ohno Dies at 84
Ohno's death closes a nearly fifty-year chapter on one of anime's most recognizable musical identities, a sound that defined Lupin III from 1977 onward and never cycled out.
Reporting from 2 sources: Anime News Network, Niche Gamer (Anime).
Musician and composer Yuji Ohno died of natural causes on May 4. He was 84. His production company, Office Augusta, said he died after going to sleep with no change in his prior condition. A private funeral was held. Ohno is best known for his jazz scores for the Lupin III franchise. He first worked on the series in 1977 with Lupin III: Part II, the second television anime, and his opening theme became the series' signature, persisting through decades of television shows, specials, and films in his own arrangements. He performed the music in concert for years with his jazz group, originally called Yuji Ohno & Lupintic Five and later renamed Yuji Ohno & Lupintic Six. Ohno taught himself jazz in high school and played in a university light music band before forming a trio with drummer Hideo Shiraki and singer Yūzō Kayama. After the trio dissolved, he moved into composing for film and television. His 1977 film scores included Kon Ichikawa's The Inugami Family and Junya Satō's Proof of the Man. He also composed for Captain Future, Space Adventure Cobra, and the Daicon films made by the team that later founded Gainax.
Ohno's production company, Office Augusta, said he died after going to sleep with no change in his prior condition. A private funeral was held.
He first worked on the Lupin III franchise in 1977 with Lupin III: Part II, the second television anime. His opening theme became the series' signature and persisted through decades of television shows, specials, and films in his own arrangements. He performed the music in concert for years with his jazz group, originally called Yuji Ohno & Lupintic Five and later renamed Yuji Ohno & Lupintic Six.
Ohno began practicing piano in early childhood and taught himself jazz in high school. He played in Keio University's Light Music Society band and in clarinetist Kōji Fujika's jazz quintet during college. He later formed a trio with drummer Hideo Shiraki and singer Yūzō Kayama. After the trio dissolved, he focused on composing for film and television. His 1977 film scores included Kon Ichikawa's The Inugami Family and Junya Satō's Proof of the Man.
Anime News Network notes that Ohno also composed the music for the 1978 film Yasei no Shōmei. Its theme song, "Senshi no Kyūsoku," was later covered by voice actor Sōichirō Hoshi as an ending song for the Heaven's Lost Property anime. His work for Captain Future included the insert song "Oira wa Sabishii Spaceman," which Minori Chihara later covered for Cat Planet Cuties. Ohno also composed for Andromeda Stories, the television specials Undersea Super Train: Marine Express and A Time Slip of 10000 Years: Prime Rose, and the Daicon films made by the team that later founded Gainax.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime News Network Lupin III Composer, Jazz Pianist Yuji Ohno Dies at 84
- Niche Gamer (Anime) Legendary jazz composer Yuji Ohno dies at 84