Detective Conan and One Piece voice actress Wakana Yamazaki dies aged 61

I was so saddened to hear that Wakana Yamazaki passed away at 61. She was an incredible voice actress – I grew up listening to her as Ran Mouri in Detective Conan and Nojiko in One Piece! Her work really brought those characters to life, and she’ll be deeply missed.

I just saw the news on the Detective Conan website – they officially announced that the voice actress, Yamazaki, sadly passed away on April 18th. They posted a memorial statement about it on May 15th. It’s really sad news for all of us fans.

I’ve been listening to Wakana Yamazaki’s voice for so long – almost 30 years! She was the iconic voice of Ran, but she did so much more. I loved her as Ayane in Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden. And One Piece fans will definitely remember her as Nami’s sister, Nojiko. It’s pretty cool that she even filled in as Nami herself for a bit when the original voice actress was on maternity leave – episodes 70 through 78, if you’re curious! It’s a shame she’s retired, but her work will always be remembered.

Detective Conan voice actress Wakana Yamazaki has died

The team behind the anime Detective Conan released a statement expressing their deep sadness over the passing of Wakana Yamazaki, the voice of Ran Mouri. Yamazaki had voiced the character for almost 30 years, since the show first aired in 1996.

The statement expressed gratitude to Yamazaki for her significant commitment and long-time work on the series, and confirmed that Okamura will remain the voice of Ran Mouri in future installments.

Ran… I’ll be your friend forever, you know.

Everyone, it’s okay. Take a deep breath.
Ran and Kazuko have always been the very best of friends ☺️☺️

And of course, they always will be.

Thank you Wakana-chan #unchangingrelationship #RanMori #WakanaYamazaki

— 松井菜桜子🪽降臨します (@42kg) May 15, 2026

Detective Conan creator Gosho Aoyama also shared a personal message mourning the actress’s death.

He said it was deeply saddening to think they would never hear that comforting and familiar voice again.

Rina Matsui, who voices Sonoko Suzuki in Detective Conan, shared a heartfelt message online about the close friendship between her character and Conan.

Matsui wrote, “Ran… I’ll be your friend always.” She also reassured everyone, telling them to relax and breathe. She emphasized that Ran and Sonoko have always been, and will continue to be, the best of friends, and expressed her gratitude to Wakachan.

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Kazuna Yamazaki.

Ms. Yamazaki voiced Ayane in the “DEAD OR ALIVE” and “NINJA GAIDEN” series, and we are grateful for her many years of contributions.

We remember her work with respect and offer our sincere condolences.

Team NINJA

— Team NINJA (@TeamNINJAStudio) May 15, 2026

Team Ninja shared a statement recognizing and celebrating Ayane performer Yamazaki’s contributions to both the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series.

The studio expressed their deep sadness upon learning of the death of Wakana Yamazaki. She was well known for her many appearances in their games, including roles like Ayane in the Dead or Alive and Ninja Gaiden series. They fondly remember her work and wish her peace.

Yamazaki was a well-known voice actor, largely due to her work on the popular anime series Detective Conan, which has been running since 1996 and is still incredibly popular in Japan.

2026-05-15 12:49

Detective Conan voice actress Wakana Yamazaki has died

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