Career

Mizuki was born in Setagaya, Tokyo in January 1948. He signed to the Nippon Columbia label and released his first single called "Kimi ni sasageru Boku no Uta", composed by Kanae Wada, in 1968.^[1] In 1971, Mizuki recorded the song "Genshi Shōnen Ryū ga Yuku" (原始少年リュウが行く) which was used as the opening theme for Genshi Shōnen Ryū. This began his foray into recording well over 1200 songs for various soundtracks as well as original singles and albums. Other early songs sung by Mizuki include the themes to Chojin Barom 1, Mazinger Z, Babel II, Robot Detective, Kamen Rider X, Great Mazinger, Ganbare!! Robocon, Kamen Rider Stronger, Tekkaman, Steel Jeeg, Akumaizer 3, Chōdenji Robo Combattler V, and Space Pirate Captain Harlock. His extensive discography in the 1970s led to his dubbing as "Aniking (アニキング, Anikingu) and the "Emperor of Anime Songs" (アニメソングの帝王, Anime Songu no Teiō), with whom Mitsuko Horie is the "Queen" and Hironobu Kageyama is the "Prince". Mizuki was also part of the judging panel at the Animax Anison Grand Prix, with Horie and Yumi Matsuzawa.^[2][3]

Mizuki performed theme songs throughout the 1980s and 1990s, for shows such as Beast King GoLion, Getter Robo Go, and Jikuu Senshi Spielban, his work not as extensive until 2000. On July 17, 2000, with fellow anison vocalists Hironobu Kageyama (Dragon Ball Z), Masaaki Endoh (The King of Braves GaoGaiGar), Eizo Sakamoto (vocalist of ANTHEM and Animetal), and Rica Matsumoto (Pokémon), he formed the "supergroup" JAM Project. He later reduced his membership in the group to "part-time", allowing for the entry of Hiroshi Kitadani (One Piece), Masami Okui (Revolutionary Girl Utena), and Yoshiki Fukuyama (Macross 7 as Basara Nekki's in Fire Bomber).

He would return to recording in 2007 with his performances on the soundtrack of Juken Sentai Gekiranger, singing its ending theme "Tao", an image song "Chikai", and on another image song "Burning up! ~Jōnetsu o Uketsui de~" performed as a duet with Takayoshi Tanimoto who sang the series' opening theme. He also sang on JAM Project's single "STORMBRINGER", the opening theme for Kotetsushin Jeeg, a sequel to Steel Jeeg. In 2008, he released his 40th anniversary Ichirou Mizuki: Newest Best album, the Michi ~road~ (道〜road〜) 5-CD box set including 216 songs from his discography, and the TV Size Best album. Other recent releases by Mizuki include two singles for Chōjin Neiger, a local hero from Akita Prefecture. His most recent work is a single for the OVA adaptation of Katteni Kaizō, with its theme song "Katte ni Kaizō Shite mo Ii ze", and an insert song, called "Nuiguruma", featuring Kenji Ohtsuki. In 2016, Mizuki was a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival.^[4] In 2020, he received the Tanita Health Award, which "honor[s] individuals or groups that have contributed to improving the health of Japanese people."^[5]

On April 25, 2021, it was announced Mizuki was suffering from partial vocal cord paralysis and would focus on recovering from it.^[6] In July 2022, Mizuki's management revealed he had been diagnosed with lung cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes and brain. He said he had surgery in June and was undergoing physical therapy and speech therapy. He said he was planning to hold a belated celebration of his 50 years in the music industry, and did not plan to retire.^[7][8]

Mizuki died from lung cancer on December 6, 2022, at the age of 74.^[9]