Tomo Sakurai, beloved voice actor known for bringing life to characters such as Mylene Jenius in Macross 7 and Cynthia in the Pokémon series, has passed away on August 13 at the age of 53. Her agency FEATHERED confirmed the news on August 16, noting that she had been battling pancreatic cancer since 2023.
Despite undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy, Sakurai’s condition worsened earlier this month, leading to her hospitalization on August 4. She was scheduled to hold her solo concert TOMO Summer 2025 Live in Tokyo on August 17 but had canceled the performance due to her illness. A private funeral will be held with close relatives, and a farewell event for fans is being considered at a later date.
Sakurai began her career in 1987 as a member of the idol unit Lemon Angel before transitioning to stage acting and voice work. Her breakthrough came in 1994 with her role as Mylene Jenius in Macross 7, followed by lead performances in Saint Tail and many other popular series. Over the years, she voiced memorable characters including Misao Makimachi (Rurouni Kenshin), Chigusa Sakai (Shakugan no Shana), Azusa Miura (Idolmaster: Xenoglossia), and Hinowa (Gintama).
During the 1990s voice actor boom, she was recognized as a pioneer of the “idol voice actor”, paving the way for performers who could not only voice characters but also sing and engage with fans across multiple platforms.
After briefly retiring in 2016, she returned to voice acting in 2019 and continued working until her final years.
Sakurai’s legacy lives on in her wide range of roles and her impact on the anime industry. Our condolences go out to her family, friends, and fans worldwide.
Source: FEATHERED official websiteOpens in a new tab, Tomo Sakurai official X (formerly Twitter)
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