Emi Shinohara, Voice Actor for Naruto, Passes Away at 61

On September 8, 2024, the anime community lost a beloved voice actor, Emi Shinohara, known for her iconic roles in popular anime series like Naruto and Sailor Moon. She passed away at the age of 61, as confirmed by her talent management agency, 81 Produce. Although it was disclosed that she was undergoing medical treatment, no further details were provided.

“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.”

Emi Shinohara, the voice behind Kushina Uzumaki in Naruto and Sailor Jupiter in Sailor Moon, had a remarkable career as a seiyuu that began in the late 1980s. She was also known for her work as a singer.

Emi Shinohara, the voice of Kushina from Naruto, passes away

Her husband, Hiroshi Watari, expressed his feelings about her passing on his official X account. He mentioned seeing many swallowtail butterflies around him, which are often regarded in Japanese culture as harbingers of significant changes, perhaps reflecting his sentiments toward his late wife. He reminisced fondly about their 26 years of marriage, describing it as enjoyable and expressing gratitude for their time together.

Sailor Jupiter as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Born on August 8, 1963, Emi Shinohara started her voice acting journey in 1986 with 81 Produce, marking her debut as Elizabeth in the OVA series Dream Hunter Rem. Her career flourished in the 1990s, highlighted by her role as B-Ko Daitokuji in the A-Ko franchise, leading to her iconic performance as Sailor Jupiter in Sailor Moon.

Kushina Uzumaki as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Throughout her extensive voice acting career, she brought to life memorable characters in various beloved series, including Eri Ochiai in Perfect Blue, Kaho Mizuki in Cardcaptor Sakura, and many more, such as Ryouko Komi from Komi Can’t Communicate. Additionally, she lent her voice to video game characters like Sayori Yukizuki in Snow Portable.

Emi also made a mark as a singer, contributing to multiple projects related to Sailor Moon. Moreover, she demonstrated her versatility by appearing in live-action series, including Medusa Legendorga in Kamen Rider Kiva: King of the Castle in the Demon World.