Summary
Emi Shinohara, best known for bringing the character Sailor Jupiter to life inSailor Moon, has passed away at the age of 61. She also famously voiced Kushima Uzumaki inNaruto: Shippuden. In addition to anime roles, Shinohara also did the Japanese dub of some Western movies, both animated and live-action, throughout her career.
The news of her passing came officially from 81 Produce, the studio that Shinohara worked for. The studio posted that she had been receiving treatment for an unreleased medical condition, but unfortunately, the treatment was unsuccessful. She passed away on September 8th, 2024 after losing her battle against the as-yet-unnamed disease.
Remembering Emi Shinohara
The Talent Behind Sailor Jupiter
Emi Shinohara’s legal name was Emiko Watanabe, but she was only ever known professionally as Emi Shinohara. She was born in Fukushima on August 8th, 1963, but grew up in Nagano. She wanted to be an actress from a young age, and eventually attended Kunitachi College of Music. When she was not studying music, sheperformed in musical theater productionsoff-campus.
In 1986, Shinohara got her first big voice acting break thanks to a connection at Voice Arts, a study group for voice acting. She voiced B-ko Daitokuji inProject A-ko, a sci-fi anime movie. B-ko is a secondary main character, so it was a major break for Shinohara into the world of voice acting. Becasue of the role, she was able to land a job working at Arts Vision, and thereafter, 81 Studio.
It wasn’t untilSailor Moon, though, that Shinohara got her big break. She was cast to voiceMakoto Kino, aka Sailor Jupiter, in the anime’s original run. Sailor Jupiter is one of the main characters in the story, so the role was huge for Shinohara. In addition to Sailor Jupiter, Shinohara also lent her voice to many other smaller background characters, giving her a lot of experience in voice acting and really getting her name out there.
Emi Shinohara’s Legacy
FromSailor MoontoNaruto
Emi Shinohara continued to voice Sailor Jupiter for many years until she was eventually replaced by Mew Azama. That may have been the beginning of her career, but it certainly was not the end. She went on to voice Presea inMagic Knight Rayearth, Kaho Mizuki inCardcaptor Sakura, Charlotte Elbourne inVampire Hunter D: Bloodlust,Ophelia inClaymore, and, famously, Kushina Uzumaki inNaruto: Shippuden.
Beyond the world of anime, Shinohara also did the Japanese dub for Perdita the dog in101 Dalmatians, and the Japanese voice of Natalie Portman’s character Matilda in the critically acclaimed Hollywood filmLeon: The Professional. WhenCardcaptor Sakura: Clear Cardreturned in 2018, Shinohara also returned to her role as Kaho Mizuki. Her final anime role was playing Sachiko in the 2020 Netflix anime movieA Whisker Away.
The anime world is currently mourning the loss of Emi Shinohara, but also remembering her legacy. Megan Peters wrote onComicBook.com,
As you may imagine, the anime fandom is coming together to share their best memories of Shinohara. Her work on Sailor Moon helped kickstart one of anime’s most magical stories. Usagi led a colorful cast of scouts in the series, and Sailor Jupiter was beloved by many for her no-nonsense attitude. Loyal to a fault, Sailor Jupiter was as strong on the inside as she was outside. Shinohara brought that headstrong performance to life with ease. And in the wake of her death, the world is remembering all the good Shinohara is leaving behind through her work.
While Emi Shinohara may be gone, her legacy will last for decades to come. People are still watching the originalSailor Moonanime even now, not to mention anime likeNaruto: Shippuden, ornewer stories likeA Whisker Away. Shinohara will live on through the beloved characters that she brought to life over the course of her career.
