Emi Shinohara dead at 61: Voice anime actress passes away while undergoing treatment for an unknown illness

Emi Shinohara’s talent agency 81 Produce released a statement which read:”'[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”

Anime News Network reported that “She is best known as Makoto Kino/Sailor Jupiter in the Sailor Moon series, Kushina Uzumaki in Naruto: Shippuden, Presea in the two seasons of Magic Knight Rayearth, ‘Biko B-Ko’ Daitokuji in the Project-A-ko anime film and original video anime projects, Kaho Mizuki in the Card Captor Sakura and cardcaptor Sakura: Clear card series, and Charlotte Elbourne in the Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust film.”

As well as lending her voice to anime, Emi Shinohara dubbed foreign movies into Japanese for local audiences, including Natalie Portman’s Mathilda in Leon and the voice of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. 

Emi Shinohara’s death comes not long after the passing of Noriko Ohara, who was best known for  voicing Nobita from the long-running animated franchise Doraemon. 

Noriko Ohara  belonged to the same agency as Emi, 81 Produce, they released a statement which said: "Our company's actor, Noriko Ohara (real name Noriko Tobe), passed away on Jul 12, 2024, at the age of 88, after undergoing treatment for an illness that was ineffective. The funeral was held only with relatives, in accordance with the wishes of the family. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the kindness shown to us during her lifetime and to inform you of her passing."