<h2>Ayumi Ishida<br data-start="12" data-end="15">Passed away on March 11 at the age of 76</h2>
<figure id="attachment_450329" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1687px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450329"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ebd3e258"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/12/e395650da9bc987372bad4e3c3643259.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-450329" class="wp-caption-text">She made her singing debut in 1964 and, at the same time, began her acting career. Over the next 60-plus years, she built a remarkable career and became one of Japan’s most celebrated actors.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>&#8220;I loved her so much that I imitated everything she did&#8221;<br data-start="253" data-end="256">— Akiko Wada (talent)</h3>
<p data-start="281" data-end="433">Hearing about Ayumi-chan’s passing was truly shocking. She was a senior two years older than me who had been kind and caring toward me since my debut.</p>
<p data-start="435" data-end="781">Back then, dressing rooms weren’t private; they were large rooms divided by gender, filled with seniors. When I got picked on because of my height and felt down, Ayumi-chan would always protect me, saying things like, “Don’t worry about that,” and “Just focus on singing.” I even copied her perfume, cigarettes, and suits—I loved her that much.</p>
<p data-start="783" data-end="1150">Once, she said, “Akko-chan, I need to talk to you but don’t come too close to me.” I was so shocked that I started crying. When I asked why, she explained, “I’m using standard Japanese in movies and dramas right now. If I talk to you, the next day I end up speaking in Osaka dialect.” That mix of professional dedication and playfulness made me love her even more.</p>
<p data-start="1152" data-end="1307">The last time we had a meal together was a few years ago. Now, memories of those days keep flashing through my mind like a reel, and I can’t stop crying.</p>
<p data-start="1309" data-end="1360" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">—From &#8220;FRIDAY&#8221;, December 19–26, 2025 combined issue</p>
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 For Akiko Wada, Ayumi Ishida was her senior who protected her from bullies and loved her since her debut. She loved her so much that she would copy anything she did. Now, she recalls the old days like a running light and says she cannot stop crying.

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