Tokyo-based talent agency Haikyo announced on Monday that Kiyoshi Kobayashi, best known for his role as Daisuke Jigen in the Lupin III franchise died on July 30 due to pneumonia. He was 89 years old. The funeral was held privately by close relatives with a public service planned for the future.
Born in Tokyo City in 1933, Kobayashi began his career in 1958 as a voice actor and narrator, which spanned more than 50 years. He was cast as Jigen in the original Lupin III pilot in 1969, a role that he kept until episode 0 of Part 6 last year. Kobayashi announced his retirement on the day of the episode’s airing but returned to voice the character Guillermo Márquez in the Summer 2022 short anime KJ File.
Kobayashi’s other notable roles include Watari in Death Note, Mohammed Avdol in the JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) OVA series, and Adrian Rubinsky in the Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu OVA series.
Source: Sankei Shimbun
