Today, the anime fandom is coming together to mourn the sudden loss of a fan-favorite actor. New reports have confirmed Kouji Tsujitani has passed away at 56 years old.
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According to current reports, Tsujitani died on October 17 in Tokyo after experiencing a stroke. The voice actor was a well-known talent within the anime industry, and fans are coming together to remember his best roles.
Most famously, Tsujitani voiced Miroku in Inuyasha, bringing the comedic holy man to life in all his raunchy glory. The actor also voiced characters in Yu Yu Hakusho, Blood+, Hajime no Ippo, and Eureka Seven. The actor also starred in a variety of Mobile Suit Gundam titles.
In fact, Tsujitani began his voice acting career with the mecha title back in 1988 after he joined a theatrical company in 1983. The actor played Bernard ‘Bernie’ Wiseman in Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket before joining other projects like Mobile Suit Gundam F91.
Outside of voice acting, Tsujitani was also involved in sound direction. In fact, he directed work on series like Fate/stay night and Gurazeni: Money Pitch.
For those unfamiliar with Inuyasha, the supernatural shonen got its start under artist Rumiko Takahashi in November 1996. The action-packed title takes place between modern Japan and the country’s Feudal era as teenager Kagome Higurashi discovers she is the reincarnation of a long-dead priestess. After getting trapped in the past, the high school student teams up with a half-demon named Inuyasha to recollect the pieces of a sacred jewel coveted by demons, and their team expands along the way with characters such as Miroku and Sango. Viz Media, who has licensed Inuyasha for English releases, describes the series as such:
“After falling into an old well and into ancient Japan, Kagome discovers that her destiny is linked to the dog-like half demon called Inuyasha! As Kagome learns more about her connection to the past and to Inuyasha, she comes into conflict with the terrible demons that are drawn to the Shikon Jewel, including Inuyasha’s own half brother, Sesshomaru. Finding the shards of the Shikon Jewel is going to require powerful magic, strange allies, and a strong heart. Kagome’s got plenty of heart, but she’s going to need Inuyasha’s help for the rest of it, and he may not be so willing to lend a hand!”
Which role will you remember Tsujitani best by? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime.
