Ghost in the Shell VA Atsuko Tanaka Has Passed

Ghost in the Shell VA Atsuko Tanaka Has Passed

Sad news has been announced out of Japan as we learn of the passing of prolific voice actor Atsuko Tanaka. The news was revealed by her son, Hikaru Tanaka, who is also a voice-over talent.

According to Hikaru, his mother had been battling an illness for about a year, until she succumbed to it at age 61. He did not say what the illness was, because he says his mother didn’t want it made public.

This is also the first time that the connection between the two Tanakas was made. There are plenty of unrelated people out there with the surname Tanaka, and Hikaru found it regretful that this is how people learned the connection.

The son expressed his gratitude to fans of Atsuko Tanaka, and asked that people remember her and her many works. On top of that, he described his mother’s life as “serious, dignified, and a little playful” while she battled her unknown illness.

Atsuko Tanaka was most famous for her role as Motoko Kusanagi throughout the Ghost in the Shell anime franchise. But that’s only scratching the surface of her career. She also was Bayonetta in the Bayonetta series, Trish in Devil May CryCaster in Fate/stay nightHarumi Kiyama in A Certain Scientific RailgunFlamme in Freeze: Beyond Journey’s EndHanami in Jujutsu KaisenSamari Ittan in Knights of SidoniaEsmeralda in Reign of the Seven SpellbladesCecile Hazuki in Speed Racer XMira in The Vampire Dies in No TimeHibari Torii in The Way of the HousehusbandJagara in Wolf’s RainRose in The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magicand Omurasaki no Omae in YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Masterto name a few examples.

Tributes have been pouring out in Japan and around the world from people who were touched by Tanaka’s voice work.

Source: ANN

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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestsellingManga Art for Beginnerswith artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel,Manga Art for Everyoneand the first-of-its-kind manga chalk bookChalk Art Mangaboth illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.