Atsuko Tanaka, the Voice of Ghost within the Shell's Main, Has Died

Prolific Japanese voice actress Atsuko Tanaka, recognized for her function as Motoko Kusanagi within the Ghost within the Shell anime, has handed away at 61.

Tanaka’s son, Hikaru Tanaka, introduced her loss of life on Twitter, revealing that the voice actor handed away on August 20.

“I wish to categorical my deepest gratitude on behalf of the followers who cherished Atsuko Tanaka, and to the trade individuals who took care of her throughout her lifetime. It is vitally unlucky that we’ve got to announce the mother-daughter relationship on this means,” Hikaru wrote, based on a machine translation from Oricon News.

“At her request, we won’t reveal the particular identify of the illness, however together with her year-long battle with sickness, I believe she lived a life that was typical of Tanaka, critical, dignified, and a bit playful,” Hikaru continued. “I’m actually completely satisfied to have such a proud mom.”

Even when that is the primary time you’ve learn Tanaka’s identify, likelihood is you’ve heard her voice earlier than, seeing how she made a profession out of voicing the best ladies in anime and manga. Except for her legendary function as Main Kusanagi, who she performed for the reason that unique 1995 film adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s manga, together with throughout Standalone Complicated and its follow-ups, Tanaka additionally voiced Konan in Naruto, Bayonetta within the Bayonetta collection, Lisa Lisa in JoJo’s Weird Journey, Kaine in Nier Replicant, and most not too long ago Flamme in Frieren: Past Journey’s Finish, simply to call just a few of her iconic roles.

The social media accounts of Frieren, Naruto‘s Studio Pierrot, Nier, and Ghost within the Shell wrote obituaries in her honor.

“Because the launch of Ghost within the Shell in 1995, Atsuko Tanaka has labored on many movies, together with Ghost within the Shell: Stand Alone Complicated,” the message from the Ghost in the Shell account reads partially. “Within the quite a few Ghost within the Shell collection, she performed the distinctive character The Main with a presence that’s each quiet and highly effective and stuffed with attraction. We wish to categorical our heartfelt gratitude and our deepest condolences.”

A brand new adaptation of the manga, developed by Science Saru and Manufacturing I.G., is at present in growth for launch in 2026–it’s unknown if Tanaka would have reprised her function because the Main, or if the collection will now should recast one of the enduring performances in anime.

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