In a statement on Twitter, Japanese voice actor Hikaru Tanaka revealed that his mother, Atsuko Tanaka, who was most famous as Motoko Kusanagi in the Ghost in the Shell franchise, passed away at age 62. He stated that his mother was fighting an unspecified illness at that time.
いつもお世話になっている皆様へ pic.twitter.com/rfzWhMbsIl
— 田中 光（Hikaru Tanaka） (@HikaruTanaka_va) August 20, 2024
Hikaru Tanaka only revealed his relationship with Atsuko Tanaka in this post, and regretted he had to reveal it in this way. He thanked his mother’s fans and colleagues for the career she enjoyed and hoped she will be remembered through her characters.
It was assumed that Atsuko Tanaka will have a private funeral by her family.
Best known as the cyborg police officer Motoko Kusanagi in the Ghost in the Shell franchise, Atsuko Tanaka also voiced Poison in Street Fighter III, Kyrie Ushinomiya in Umineko When They Cry, Kaine in Nier Replicant, several characters in the Final Fantasy franchise, as well as the first voice actress for Bayonetta (Miyuki Sawashiro later inherited the role in later games), Amida Arca, Willmit Zenam, and Juca Meilasch in various Gundam series, Claudette in Queen’s Blade and Caster in Fate/Stay Night.
Her final role was Oomurasaki no Omae in Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master, aired in April 2024.
