Naruto: Minato Voice Actor Shares Heartbreaking Note Over the Death of Kushina's Actress
The voice actor of Naruto's father reveals heartbreaking goodbye to Kushina's actor.
The anime world lost a major talent when it was announced earlier this month that voice actor Emi Shinohara had tragically passed. On top of taking on significant roles from franchises including, but not limited to, Ninja Scholl, Cardcaptor Sakura, Magic Knight Rayearth, and Sailor Moon, Shinohara lent her talents to the world of Naruto as well. Taking on one of the most significant roles in relation to the Seventh Hokage, Emi played the role of Kushina, mother of Naruto Uzumaki. In a tear-jerking tribute to the deceased voice actor, Naruto's Toshiyuki Morikawa, aka the voice of Minato, shared his thoughts.
To give our readers background on the career of Emi Shinohara, the actor was born in 1963 in Fukushima, knowing from an early age that she wanted to get into the acting game. While she would become most well known for her roles in the anime world, she also assisted in giving big Hollywood productions Japanese dubs. Emi dubbed the likes of Home Alone, The Wizard of Oz, Clueless, and Nikita. Passing away while "undergoing medical treatment", Emi's talent agency, 81 Produce, shared the following official statement earlier this week, "Shinohara Emi (real name Watanabe Emiko), an actor affiliated with our company, passed away on September 8, 2024, at the age of 61, while undergoing medical treatment. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the kindness shown to us during her lifetime."
Minato And Kushina Forever
In a new statement from the voice of Minato, Toshiyuki Morikawa, the actor stated the following message when it came to both Shinohara's passing and what he considered their best scene together, "Being able to play the role of a husband and wife in 'Naruto,' and that memorable scene, remains my fondest memory to this day. Thank you so much for your hard work. I firmly believe that we will meet again."
On top of the role of Minato, Toshiyuki has also taken on anime roles including JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's Yoshikage Kira, Bleach's Isshin Kurosaki, Demon Slayer's Kagaya Ubuyashiki, and One Piece's Eneru. Not just relegated to anime, Morikawa has taken on several roles in the video game world including Resident Evil's Leon Kennedy, Final Fantasy's Sephiroth, and Devil May Cry's Dante to name a few.
The Anime World Mourns
Rest assured, Tohiyuki's message wasn't the only one mourning the loss of Shinohara. Her husband, Hiroshi Watari, shared the following message as a tribute to his deceased partner on social media, "I don't usually post many photos of us together, but this time I made an exception. My wife, Emi Shinohara, passed away on September 8th. There have been a lot of swallowtail butterflies flying around me lately. I feel like it's some kind of a messenger. Looking back, it was a fun 26 years. Thank you. Rest in peace. Thank you to everyone who supported us."
Another major talent of Sailor Moon, Rika Fukami, expressed her loss for her friend as the two played the roles of Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus respectively, "My very dear, dear friend has passed away. He was full of energy and hope until the very end. We were born on the same day. I love you forever."
Shinohara's last anime credit was a part of the film, A Whisker Away. While she hadn't take on a new anime role since 2020, her legacy in the medium will last for untold years thanks to the characters she has portrayed and the talent she shared with the industry.
Our thoughts are with Shinohara's loved ones during this difficult time.
