Iconic ‘Sailor Moon’ & ‘Naruto’ Actress Dies At 61

Japanese voice actress Emi Shinohara, known for her roles in Sailor Moon and Naruto, has passed away on September 8. The actress’ passing was revealed by her talent agency on Tuesday. The actress had quite the resume, also dubbing a variety of famous characters in both live-action and animation.

The Actress’ Talent Agency Released A Statement On Her Passing

Shinohara’s passing was announced on the Tuesday following her death on September 8, 2024, having passed away at the age of 61. At the time of her death, Shinohara was receiving treatment for an unspecified illness.

According to Daily Mail, her talent agency issued the following statement concerning the news:

“[Sad news] Shinohara Emi (real name Watanabe Emiko), an actor affiliated with our company, passed away on September 8, 2024, at the age of 61, while undergoing medical treatment.”

“We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the kindness shown to us during her lifetime.”

Shinohara was survived by her husband, Hiroshi Watari, a Japanese singer and actor, and their child.

Some Of Her Characters Include Sailor Jupiter & Dorothy Gale

For many, Shinohara’s most famous roles was that of Makoto Kino, the alter-ego of Sailor Jupiter, in the 1990s Sailor Moon anime. Her character, a member of the Sailor Senshi, wielded the power of thunder and lightning to help Sailor Moon fight the forces of evil. Another prominent character Shinohara voiced was Naruto‘s Kushina Uzumaki, the mother of the title character. Shinohara also reprised these roles in various films and video games.

Shinohara’s career started in the mid-1980s and spanned decades. One of her later roles was Sachiko Hinode in the 2020 anime film, A Whisker Away. Throughout her anime roles, she occasionally sang various insert songs and theme songs for various series.

In addition to lending her voice to anime, Shinohara also had a prominent role working in Japanese dubs for various projects. Notably, she served as the Japanese voice of Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz, dubbing over Judy Garland. Other notable roles include dubbing over Salma Hayek’s Anita Randazzo in 54 and Kelly Macdonald)’s Diane Coulston in Trainspotting and its sequel. Outside of live-action, she occasionally worked in the Japanese dubs of animated series. Notably, she was the Japanese voice of Lurleen Lumpkins on The Simpsons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Shinohara also had the distinction of voicing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character April O’Neil in three different productions. This includes the anime, Mutant Turtles: Superman Legend, the TV Tokyo dub of the 1987 cartoon, and in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, dubbing over Paige Turco. She also voiced the character’s mother in the Japanese dub of the 2012 series.

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