‘Ninja Hattori’ voice actress Junko Hori passes away

Japanese voice actor, Junko Hori, known for voicing the popular character ‘Ninja Hattori’, passed away on November 18 at the age of 89.
The news about her demise was confirmed by her talent agency, Production Baobab, announced this week. Her death has been attributed to natural causes related to old age.
The agency delayed announcing the actress’s passing out of respect for her family’s wishes for privacy during this difficult time. The statement also disclosed that the wake and funeral were private, attended only by close family members. Fans were asked not to visit the funeral home or send any gifts.
The seasoned Japanese animation voice actress had an extensive portfolio, with her portrayal of the titular Hattori-kun in various Ninja Hattori productions standing out as one of her most celebrated roles.
This year has been particularly challenging for the anime community, with the loss of several notable figures, including “Dragon Ball” creator Akira Toriyama, “Dragon Ball Z” narrator Doc Harris, “Mob Psycho” art director Ryo Kono, Nobita’s voice actress Noriko Ohara, “Doraemon” voice actress Nobuyo Oyama, Natsume’s Book of Friends art director Yukihiro Shibutani, and “My Hero Academia” singer Sayuri.
Beyond her work in anime, Hori also voiced video game characters such as Sunakake Baba in the “Gegege no Kitaro” series and Sasuke in the “Ganbare Goemon” games. According to Anime News Network, she contributed to Western films as a dubbing artist, lending her voice to characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” and “Get Your Gun.” Additionally, she had long-term roles as the voice of Bart Simpson in the first 15 seasons of “The Simpsons” and voiced Jerry in the classic “Tom & Jerry” cartoon series.
Hori’s extensive anime portfolio features roles in numerous beloved titles, including “Astro Boy,” “Cinderella Boy,” “Anne of Green Gables,” “The Gutsy Frog,” “Legend of the Mystical Ninja,” “Sindbad the Sailor,” “Rain Boy,” “Cat Eyed Boy,” “Speed Racer,” “Little Lulu,” “Tokyo Mew Mew,” “Gulliver’s Travels Beyond the Moon,” “Super Mario Bros: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach,” “Doraemon, The Adventures of Gamba,” “Chimpui,” and many more.