The anime world was saddened to learn today that voice actor Atsuko Tanaka has passed away. Tanaka was 61 years old and battling an undisclosed disease for the past year.
Atsuko Tanaka's son, fellow voice actor Hikaru Tanaka, acknowledged all of his mother's fans and offered his "deepest gratitude." He chose to honor his mother's request to not reveal the name of the disease that she had been battling for the past year; however, he noted that even with the disease, she lived a life that was "serious, dignified, and a tiny bit playful.
Atsuko Tanaka was an incredible voice actor with roles in some of the industry's biggest projects. Her career began in the Japanese dub of Unlawful Entry, in which she voiced Karen Carr. She eventually went in to voice prominent roles in many popular anime and video games.
She's best known as the voice of Motoko Kusanagi in the Ghost in the Shell franchise, Bayonetta in the Bayonetta games, Lisa Lisa in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Hanami in JUJUTSU KAISEN, Konan in Naruto. She also starred as offee in Cowboy Bebop, Margot Langer in Monster, Kaoru in Lupin III: Angel Tactics, Yuri Nikaido in The World God Only Knows, Caster in the Fate/stay night franchise, Flamme in Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Chun-Li in various Street Fighter games, Reina in Yakuza Kiwami, just to name a few of her many roles.
The full statement from Hiraku Tanaka along with the translation (courtesy Crunchyroll) can be read below:
To all of you who have always been a part of our lives,
On August 20, 2024, my mother Atsuko Tanaka, a voice actor, passed away.
From my heart, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the fans who loved Atsuko Tanaka and to all those in the industry who took care of her during her life.
I’m very sorry to have to inform you of our family relationship in this way.
At my mother’s request, we will not reveal the specific name of the disease. Still, in the typical Atsuko Tanaka way, it seems to me that her life, including her nearly year-long battle with this disease, was serious, dignified and a tiny bit playful.
I am truly happy to have a mother as strong as she was.
Last but not least, I hope you will never forget the works that Atsuko Tanaka has been sincerely involved in, the characters she has lovingly created and the voice actor Atsuko Tanaka herself.
With love to my mother, an actor/voice actor, whom I respect and love.
It's been an incredibly tough year for the manga and anime industry. Back in March, it was announced that Dragon Ball creator Akira Toiryama passed away at the age of 68 due to acute subdural hematoma. And just earlier this month, American voice actress and scriptwriter Rachael Lillis, who voiced the English versions of Misty and Jessie in the Pokemon series, passed away at age 46 after being diagnosed with breast cancer in May.