Sad News: Yukie Maeda, Popular Hentai Voice Actress, Has Passed Away
Unfortunately we have to share some sad news today. Yukie Maeda has passed away after battling malignant sarcoma. The voice actress had retired from voice acting earlier this year due to her illness, but she ultimately did not survive the disease.
The news was shared by her younger sister, who posted the announcement through Yukie Maeda’s Twitter account. She wrote:
“To all followers.
I am Yukie Maeda’s younger sister.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for always supporting my sister with such warmth. My sister, who had been battling illness, peacefully passed away on March 9. Even after retiring from voice acting in February, she continued to live positively and faced her final moments with the smile that was always so characteristic of her.
Thank you very much for all the support you gave her until now.”
Among the people who responded to the post was Megumi Ogata, the voice actress of Shinji in Neon Genesis Evangelion. She commented:
“Thank you for sharing this even in such a painful moment. Until the very end, Yukie-san remained completely herself, with admirable calmness. I am proud that I was able to work with her.
Thank you very much.”
In October last year, Maeda had already informed people in the industry that she was ill. At the time she wrote: “I am currently suffering from malignant sarcoma and have moved to the Kansai region. This spring, after what was supposed to be my final surgery, the tumor unfortunately returned again, and I am now receiving life-prolonging treatment.”
In a post made on January 1 this year, she also spoke about her condition. She wrote that during a hospitalization in mid-December, after reviewing her test results, her doctor told her that there was a possibility she could suddenly pass away while still hospitalized. She spent the end of the year seriously considering that she might not make it to the new year, although she was ultimately able to welcome it safely.
Later, in a post on February 26, she announced that she would retire from voice acting at the end of February 2026 after nearly 30 years in the industry. She explained that due to her condition she was no longer physically able to travel to the studio. In the same message she also thanked everyone she had worked with throughout her career.
Although she is often remembered for voicing characters in hentai anime and games, Maeda also participated in several regular anime productions. Some of her roles include Getsu in Inuyasha, Yuu in Beyblade, Tamago in Love Hina and Orfus in Elemental Gelade.
She also voiced characters in hentai anime and games, including Mafuyu Orifushi from Kanojo x Kanojo x Kanojo.
Other roles include Akane Kido from the hentai Ma ga Ochiru Yoru and Mitsuhashi Aoi from the hentai anime Chikan no Licence. While the Koihime†Musou anime series is not hentai, the games are adult titles, and she voiced the character Karin there.
Yukie Maeda had been voicing visual novels since at least 2001, starting with Mahou Shoujo Ai. From what can be seen, her last work related to visual novels was voicing Karin in Shin Koihime † Eiyuutan – Gaiden – Hakugetsu no Tomoshibi in 2023.