Legendary Japanese voice actor Junko Hori passed away on November 18 at the age of 89 due to old age. Her talent agency, Production Baobab, confirmed the news this week, respecting the family’s wish to be left alone. A private wake and funeral were held for relatives, and fans are asked not to visit or send gifts.
Career Highlights:
Iconic Roles:
Ninja Hattori in Ninja Hattori, one of her most iconic roles.
Voiced Bart Simpson in the first 15 seasons of *The Simpsons* in Japanese.
She played Jerry in Tom & Jerry.
Anime Works:
Astro Boy, Anne of Green Gables, Doraemon, Speed Racer, Tokyo Mew Mew, The Adventures of Gamba, Rain Boy, and many more.
Video Games :
Voiced characters such as Sunakake Baba and Sasuke in Gegege no Kitaro, Ganbare Goemon, etc.
Western Dubbing
On productions of To Kill a Mockingbird, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Annie Get Your Gun etc.
Legacy:
Fans have been pouring in tributes, especially reminiscing her role as Ninja Hattori, which shaped the childhoods of many. Social media is filled with heartfelt messages thanking her for her contributions to anime and global entertainment.
An X user commented, “Thank you for making my childhood Ninja Hattori. Hope you have a safe, peaceful trip to heaven.” Another wrote, “Rest in Peace, Junko Hori. Ninja Hattori will always be in my heart.”
Junko Hori’s talent, voice work, and amiable characters are truly embedded into the anime and global entertainment world.
Show: The Simpsons
Language: JapaneseRest in peace Junko Hori (1935 – 2024) pic.twitter.com/s2u0e0kGiw
— Out Of Context International Dubs (@OutOfContxtDubs) November 26, 2024
Rest in peace to legendary voice actress Junko Hori
Her voice acting performances in Mach GoGoGo / Speed Racer anime as the voice actress of Kurio Mifune which is her 1st major role in an anime program was the best #マッハGoGoGo#SpeedRacer #堀絢子https://t.co/H2ZcFIf8kD pic.twitter.com/A9Ny33wyvO— Koneko Retro Video Gamer (@PPRetroGamer) November 25, 2024
