Voice actress Atsuko Tanaka has died at the age of 61. According to her son HIShe died from an unknown disease she had been battling for a year.
“Including his year-long battle with the disease, I think he lived a typical Tanaka life,” he wrote in a obituary translated. “Serious, dignified and a little playful. I am really happy to have such a proud mother.”
Born on November 14, 1962, Tanaka was best known for voicing Motoko Kusanagi in the Ghost in the Shell franchise. Much of her voice acting career can be traced back to anime such as Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Lupin III, and Queen's Blade.
On the video game front, she provided the Japanese voice of Bayonetta in PlatinumGames' Bayonetta series. She has also appeared in franchises such as Nier (as Kaine), Yakuza (Reina), and Devil May Cry (Trish), and was the Japanese voice of Lara Croft for several Tomb Raider titles.
Several franchises that Tanaka was associated with wrote their own eulogies after his passing. The Ghost in the Shell Twitter said he gave Kusanagi “a presence that is both quiet and powerful, and full of charm.”
“I had a lot of fun playing the role of Kaine in Replicant from Nierit is read in Nier Chirping account. “We pray earnestly for the repose of your soul.”
Finally, from the recent anime Fry: “We would like to express our gratitude once again for your presence at Funeral Parlor Frieren and for your performance, and we offer you our deepest condolences.”