Image via from the FEATHERED official website Voice actor Tomo Sakurai's agency FEATHERED and official X (formerly Twitter) announced on August 16 that Sakurai passed away on August 13. She was 53. A private funeral will be held with close relatives in attendance, and a farewell event for fans is being considered for a later date. Sakurai was scheduled to hold a solo concert titled "TOMO Summer 2025 Live" at Shibuya eggman in Tokyo on August 17. However, she announced on her official X a week earlier on August 10 the concert was canceled due to her emergency hospitalization. According to the statement from FEATHERED, Sakurai was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August 2023. She underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but her condition worsened on August 4, 2025, and she was rushed to the hospital. Sakurai then passed away due to the effects of the disease on August 13. The statement on her official X also reads: "Sakurai was aiming for a full recovery from her illness and was always working hard with us on her treatment. However, we are deeply saddened at this turn of events. We sincerely apologize to everyone who has supported her." Sakurai began her entertainment career in 1987 as a member of the three-piece idol unit Lemon Angel, and also voiced one of the main characters in the TV anime series of the same name. After the unit disbanded in 1990, she began her career as a stage actor while also taking on roles as a voice actor. She made her big break as a voice actor in 1994, playing the main character Mylene Jenius in Macross 7 . The following year, she played the protagonist Meimi Haneoka / Saint Tail in Saint Tail . She announced her retirement in September 2016, but resumed her activities in 2019. Other notable anime characters Sakurai voiced include: Marin in Akazukin Chacha (1994-1995) Misao Makimachi in Rurouni Kenshin (1996-1998) Doll Licca in Super Doll Licca-chan (1998-1999) Chigusa Sakai in Shakugan no Shana (2005-2011) Azusa Miura in Idolmaster: Xenoglossia (2007) Cynthia in the Pokémon series (2007-2022) Hinowa in Gintama (2009-2015) Kaede in Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again (2024) Additionally, during the voice actor boom of the 1990s, she gained popularity as a pioneer of "idol voice actor" who were active across multiple media, alongside Megumi Hayashibara, Hekiru Shiina and Mariko Kouda. She was one of the first successful examples of a transition from idol to voice actor, and one of the prototypes of idol voice actors who can also sing and dance. Our condolences go out to Tomo Sakurai's family, and we want to thank her for her contributions to the anime industry. Sources : FEATHERED official website , Tomo Sakurai official X (formerly Twitter)
