Japanese voice actress Kawakami Tomoko-sama has passed away after a long illness at the all-too-young age of 41 (that’s younger than I am…). As with most voice actors, she had voiced dozens of anime and other roles over the years and her many characters are familiar to any true-blue otaku. I am particularly sad about her passing because she voiced the role of Hikaru Shindo in my all-time favorite anime, Hikaru no Go.
My thanks go to her for her life and work, and my prayers, sympathy and condolences to her family and friends.
Read more at Anime News Network.
I knew Tomoko Kawakami mostly as Utena from Revolutionary Girl Utena, Misuzu from Air, and a few other roles. It’s such a shame that someone talented like that has to die at a young age =( May she rest in peace.