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Legendary voice actor Atsuko Tanaka passes away at 61

Tanaka had an extensive list of voice credits that included the Japanese voice of Bayonetta and Chun-Li in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

TJ Denzer

August 20, 2024 9:19 AM

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The voice acting industry has lost a legend this week as it’s been reported that Atsuko Tanaka has passed away at the age of 61 from an undisclosed disease. Tanaka had a prolific career in voice acting that spanned games, anime, TV series, and more as she lent her talents to some of the most popular characters in modern pop culture. Among those in particular are Bayonetta’s Japanese voice and the voice of Chun-Li in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

Atsuko Tanaka’s passing was reported via a letter published by her son, Hikaru, as shared by Anime Corner. Tanaka was a prolific talent in the entertainment industry. Her works not only included Bayonetta and Chun-Li, but also a wealth of other characters, not the least of which were Motoko from Ghost in the Shell, Lisa Lisa from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Trish from Devil May Cry, Slan from Berserk, and much more. Fighting game fans will likely recognize her talents as Chun-Li, popularized by the events of EVO Moment 37 between Justin Wong and Daigo Umehara.

The full draft of the letter revealing Tanaka’s death can be found below:

On August 20, 2024, my mother, the voice actress Atsuko Tanaka, peacefully passed away.

To all the fans who loved Atsuko Tanaka,

To everyone in the industry who worked with her during her lifetime,

I would like to express my deepest gratitude on behalf of her.

It is with great regret that I must inform you of this parent-child relationship in such a manner.

As per her wishes, I will not disclose the specific illness, but she bravely fought it for over a year with grace, humor, and strength. I believe it was a life that was truly characteristic of Atsuko Tanaka.

I feel truly blessed to have had such a proud mother.

Lastly, please do not forget that Atsuko Tanaka poured her heart and soul into the characters she loved and brought to life. And Atsuko Tanaka, the voice actress, herself.

With love and respect for the woman and voice actress that was my mother,

I sign this message with love.
Hikaru Tanaka

Shacknews joins in mourning an incredible talent to some of the best entertainment across decades and wishes Atsuko Tanaka, her family, and friends peace in this difficult time.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.