The anime fandom lost another special talent today, the reputed Japanese voice actress Atsuko Tanaka died from an unnamed illness at the age of 61. Sadly few people might remember her name, but everyone will surely remember her from all the iconic characters (like Konan from Naruto) she voiced in her career.
With a career that spanned over three decades, the late Tanaka-sensei made a truly considerable mark on the industry—becoming notably the voice of Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell. She had a large portfolio of memorable roles to her name. Below, we focus on five of her most notable anime appearances that a lot of you never might have expected.
5. Lisa – Lisa: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures
Atsuko Tanaka did the voice of Lisa Lisa, the mysterious and seductive heroine of one of the main characters in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures: Stardust Crusaders. Her voice was perfect for this role, as it fits perfectly as Lisa Lisa, a lady full of elegance, high intellect, and determination.
It was through Tanaka-sensei that Lisa Lisa, Jotaro Kujo, and Joseph Joestar’s mentor proved integral to the plot. She added depth and nuance to this character, resonating among the fans with her performance of Lisa Lisa’s complicated personality, with an interesting back story to solidify her memory into the series.
4. Francis Midford: Black Butler
One of the main casts, Francis Midford, in the anime series Black Butler, was voiced by Atsuko Tanaka. Francis Midford in this series is a young lady who turns out to be an ace and deadly assassin. Her character was filled with elegance and menace, which Tanaka-sensei brought out in her performance.
She brought depth and complexity to Francis Midford’s enigmatic persona with her smooth, velvety tone and became quite an interesting character in the series. Her performance filled the dark atmosphere of the show with suspense, further making an impact on fans of the series.
3. Caster: Fate Stay/Night
Atsuko Tanaka brought to life the enchanting, manipulative Caster in the Fate/Stay Night series. With her seductive and sweet voice, Tanaka drew out the otherworldliness and mystique nature of Caster, which helped her become one of the most complicated, engaging heroines in the series.
Though he became the servant of Rin Tohsaka, Caster’s true intentions and motives were obscure. Tanaka-sensei performed in a way that his acting brought out the subtlety and emotion required by the character. She gave more depth to the story by making Caster one of the most memorable and interesting characters within the whole Fate franchise.
2. Hanami: Jujutsu Kaisen
Atsuko Tanaka gave an absolutely mind-blowing performance as the spirit of the curse, Hanami, in the hit anime Jujutsu Kaisen. With her eerie and unsettling voice, Tanaka brought the most despicable and dreadful presence of Hanami to life, who seemed quite daunting against the world of Jujutsu sorcery.
Hanami was a very strong and mysterious cursed spirit, whose dark and sinister traits Tanaka-sensei brought out so masterfully through his performance. She added to the tense atmosphere in the show and made Hanami a very memorable and intimidating character within the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.
1. Flamme: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Atsuko Tanaka voiced Flamme, a mysterious ancient mage in the critically acclaimed anime series Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Tanaka-sensei gave great depth to the story, as revealed by the character Flamme through her warm and introspective tone in its broad world-building.
As a wise and powerful character, Flamme’s interactions with Frieren and the other party members deepened the narrative, and Tanaka’s performance brought out the subtlety in the emotions and wisdom being portrayed. Her performance brought out the thought-provoking and emotional depth of the show, making Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End one of the most loved and highly acclaimed series at this moment, ranking as the top #1 anime on MyAnimeList.
