Ikeda Masako, the voice of one of my all-time favorite anime characters in her long-time role as Maetel from Galaxy Express 999, passed away earlier this month. It feels like just yesterday that Matsumoto Leiji himself passed away, but it’s already been three years. 

As I had mentioned back in 2023, the Galaxy Express 999 movie from 1979 is forever my #1 anime film. There’s the soulful world filled with hope and tragedy as dreamed up by Matsumoto. There’s the dramatic presentation in animated form thanks to the production team as led by director Rintaro. But the actors were central to the overall mood and emotional maelstrom of 999, and the dual Masakos Ikeda and Nozawa are key to it all. 

Their interactions in their roles as Maetel and boy protagonist Tetsuro were something that truly stayed with me when I first watched that film over 20 years ago. Ikeda’s voice felt like a contradiction: warm and nurturing, yet cold and distant. And when she delivered that final speech at the very end, I could feel my young heart forever captivated by her tragic beauty. And whenever I saw her reprise the role, I could feel myself be transported back to those days of my youth.

I don’t know if there will ever be more in the 999 franchise, but I have to wonder who they might pick. There was Yukino Satsuki, who played an alternate Maetel in Shinkalion Z, but she’s also a much younger version in that series.

Tetsuro’s voice, Nozawa Masako, famously went on to play Goku in Dragon Ball. She gave a touching and sorrowful memorial statement of her own, in which she mentions the fact that they would actually call each other “Tetsuro” and “Maetel.” 

Farewell, Maetel. May you join the Sea of Stars with grace and the gratitude of countless people touched by your talent.

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