 He died of heart and lung failure on February 24, 1995.Kumashiro is remembered with affection by those who worked with him, and is considered one of the best directors to have worked in the Roman Porno series.When interviewed for the British television program, "Mondo Macabro", actress Kazuko Shirakawa observed that it may have been Kumashiro's poor physical condition which helped him to portray the fragility of human existence.