Every Legendary Anime Voice Actor Who Passed Away in 2026

Many major anime voice actors have passed away already in 2026. It almost feels like the end of a chapter, as some of them had been true legends in the Japanese voice-acting sphere. From Dragon Ball and Gundam to newer series like My Hero Academia, several famous seiyuu mentioned below have left their mark on the industry, deserving the utmost respect from anime fans around the world.

Now, let’s see which of these major voice actors you recognize from the list below.

Every Major Japanese VA Who Passed Away in 2026

Since many of us love watching anime in its original Japanese with English subtitles, let’s take a look at the major Japanese VAs from some of the most iconic anime who passed away this year.

1. Kōzō Shioya (Passed away on January 20, 2026)

The legendary voice behind Majin Buu from the Dragon Ball series is none other than Kōzō Shioya. He even voiced other versions of Buu, including Super Buu, Kid Buu, and Evil Buu. The man also voiced Nobita in the original Doraemon anime. Even One Piece has Shioya in its cast, where he voiced Genzou and Pappag. And that’s not even nearly all. Shioya was a true legend, having voiced characters across more than 100 anime series throughout his career before finally passing away at the age of 70.

2. Masaru Ikeda (Passed away on January 31, 2026)

Another legend of the Japanese anime industry, Masaru Ikeda, passed away this year. He had a stacked list of voice-acting roles throughout his career. For instance, he voiced several characters across the Gundam anime series. He also voiced National Police Agency Deputy Director Koreyoshi Kitamura in Death Note, Huang in Darker than Black, and many others. But age eventually caught up with him, and at 83, Ikeda-san had to bid us farewell.

3. Reiko Katsura (Passed away on February 22, 2026)

The iconic long-running anime series Sazae-san is also part of Reiko Katsura’s impressive résumé. She voiced Ikura Namino in the series, the famously expressive toddler. She was also the voice behind the opening narration of the Nichijou anime. Her résumé also includes roles in Yatterman, Ikkyū-san, Fuku-chan, and several other classic anime, and there would be many more if we dug further into her career. Unfortunately, Reiko Katsura passed away this year at the age of 89.

4. Yonehiko Kitagawa (Passed away on March 5, 2026)

Yonehiko Kitagawa is best known for his contributions to Kinnikuman. In the series, he voiced several characters, including Akuma Shogun, Harabote Muscle, and Big the Budou. His other roles, such as Shimajio in Pokémon, Dr. Nossori in Mazinger Z, and Dr. Ishihara in Azumanga Daioh, are also exceptionally noteworthy. He truly was one of the most veteran voice actors on the list, as he passed away at the age of 94. However, based on his remarkable career, he lived a life that will be remembered forever.

5. Wakana Yamazaki (Passed away on April 18, 2026)

When we talk about Wakana Yamazaki, the first thing that comes to mind is her iconic role as Ran Mōri in Detective Conan / Case Closed. She was part of the project and voiced the character for nearly 30 years, beginning with the anime’s launch in 1996. She also voiced Nojiko in One Piece, and guess what? During Akemi Okamura’s maternity leave, she even temporarily voiced Nami. Plus, she had many other major roles to boast about, including characters in Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden. Now, that’s a strong résumé right there. Unfortunately, she passed away at just 61 years old.

6. Takahiro Fujiwara (Passed away on May 14, 2026)

Despite being one of the younger stars in the Japanese voice-acting sphere, fate did not allow Takahiro Fujiwara to live longer. Even though he passed away at just 43 years old, he left his mark as Kurogiri in My Hero Academia. While that may have been the highlight of his career, his other roles, such as Pippin in Berserk, Eikichi Nebuya in Kuroko’s Basketball, Jerome Guizbatt in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, and Kan Jou in Kingdom, also say a lot about his proficiency as a voice actor.

7. Akihiro Miwa (Passed away on June 20, 2026)

More than just a voice actor, Akihiro Miwa was a legendary singer, actor, and cultural icon in Japan. But she mainly became immortalized among anime fans after landing roles in Hayao Miyazaki’s films. She voiced Moro in Princess Mononoke and the Witch of the Waste in Howl’s Moving Castle. She also provided the voice of Arceus in Pokémon. Yes, that legendary Pokémon. So, among Pokémon fans, Miwa must have been a star as well. But she also bid us farewell this year at the age of 91.

Every Major English VA Who Passed Away in 2026

Apart from the Japanese voice-acting industry, the English dubbing sphere has also suffered several major losses this year. Among them, here are three iconic names you are most likely to recognize.

1. Michael Donovan (Passed away on March 4, 2026)

Michael Donovan is a true legend in the English anime dubbing sphere. It’s nearly impossible that you haven’t heard his voice before, as he was the prominent English dub VA for many anime characters, including Master Roshi in Dragon Ball, Ryoga Hibiki in Ranma ½, Zouken Matou in Fate/Zero, and many others. But even he eventually succumbed to age and passed away at 72 this year.

2. Daveigh Chase (Passed away on June 16, 2026)

Many people overseas must have watched the Oscar-winning Hayao Miyazaki film, Spirited Away, in English, right? If you are one of them, then you must be familiar with the English voice of Chihiro, which was given by none other than Daveigh Chase. But due to unfortunate circumstances, she passed away at just 35 years old this year.

3. Tim Curry (Passed away on August 25, 2026)

Another critically acclaimed Studio Ghibli film with a niche fanbase is The Cat Returns. In its English dub, Tim Curry voiced the Cat King, a major character from the film. He was also cast in several supporting roles in other anime. Therefore, his loss at the age of 80 means a lot to anime fans.

While these are not the only voice actors who passed away this year, they were, and still are, arguably some of the most iconic names in the industry. So, how many of them did you recognize?