Remembering Atsuko Tanaka: A Voice from Your Childhood

The anime world lost a pillar voice actor recently and it’s a shame many anime fans didn’t even know who she was. Atsuko Tanaka, a passed away at the age of 61 of an unknown illness. We only found out through her son, Hikaru Tanaka’s post on X/Twitter expressing a heartfelt thank you to all her fans and admirers, sharing her wish to keep the specifics of her illness private. He mentioned that despite her battle with the disease over the past year, Atsuko Tanaka lived a life described as “serious, dignified, and a tiny bit playful.”

A distinguished career

Atsuko Tanaka’s career began in the Japanese dub of Unlawful Entry, where she voiced Karen Carr. This marked the start of a journey that would see her become one of the most recognized voices in anime and video games. Her deep, resonant voice brought to life several iconic characters who are part of anime classics.

Anime fans around the globe are most likely to know her as Major Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell, the female protagonist in a dystopian science fiction universe. Her portrayal of Kusanagi is sometimes cited as one of the finest performances in anime history. But that’s just what some people say, what else has she performed in?

Iconic roles

Though you might not have known her name, you’ve heard her voice if you’re an anime viewer or a gamer that sets the audio track to Japanese.

Atsuko Tanaka’s body of work is a veritable rolodex of anime and gaming’s greatest hits. so it’s difficult to make a fair list of her best roles but here are a few notable ones you might recognize:

• Bayonetta from the Bayonetta series
• Makoto Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell series
• Lisa Lisa in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures
• Konan in Naruto Shippuden
• Coffee in Cowboy Bebop
• Margot Langer AKA Helenka Nováková in Monster
• Kaoru in Lupin III: Angel Tactics
• Yuri Nikaido in The World Only God Knows
• Hanami in Jujutsu Kaisen
• Caster in Fate/stay night
• Reina in Yakuza Kiwami
• Chun-Li and Poison in Street Fighter

And this is somehow only a small snippet of all she’s done.

A lifetime of stellar work

Throughout her career, Atsuko Tanaka’s commitment to her craft was unique because of her ability to breathe life into each character she played rather than to simply be “her personality but in this anime”. Her passing leaves a void that will be felt across both anime and video game communities.

Personal reflections from her son

Hrr son, Hikaru Tanaka, gave a statement on August 20th 2024 announcing her passing on X/Twitter:

To Everyone who has always supported me

On august 20th, 2024, my mother, voice actress Atsuko Tanaka, passed away.

On behalf of Atsuko Tanaka herself, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the people in the industry who helped her during her lifetime.

It is with great sadness that we have to announce our relationship 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 earnest, 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 respected actress/voice actress and beloved mother.”

-Hikaru Tanaka August 20th, 2024.

These words reflect a deep respect and admiration for his mother, highlighting not just her professional accomplishments but also the kind of person she was behind the voice and the mother she was to her son.

A difficult year for the anime industry

2024 has been particularly hard on the manga and anime industry. Earlier this year, we lost Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, at 68 years old to acute subdural hematoma (bleeding around the brain). Just a few months ago, Rachael Lillis, known for voicing Misty and Jessie in the English version of Pokemon, passed away at age 55 after battling breast cancer. Atsuko Tanaka’s passing adds another generational talent to an already tough year for fans.

These events serve as a reminder for us to take the time to appreciate the voice talents of our childhoods while they’re still alive and active.

A legacy that will endure

Atsuko Tanaka may no longer be with us, but her legacy will forever be immortalized in the characters that she voiced. Her contribution to anime and video games was to immense that it will continue to echo in our hearts for years to come.

Thank you, Atsuko Tanaka, for everything you’ve given us. Your work in entertainment has shaped who we are today in more ways than words can express. Rest in peace, and may your work outlive your name.

If you’d like to go back and consume some of the media she’s been a part of, Anime News Network has a comprehensive list here.