The voice acting community is mourning the loss of Asami Yaguchi, who passed away suddenly this past Saturday at the age of 47. Her talent agency, Kenyū Office, confirmed the news on Monday, noting that a private funeral service is being held for her close relatives in accordance with the family's wishes. While reports from Oricon News cited heart failure as the cause, the agency's official obituary did not specify the cause of death.
Born in Saitama Prefecture in 1979, Yaguchi began her professional career in 2002 and became a foundational figure at Kenyū Office. She is perhaps best remembered by fans for her long-running portrayal of Kuchipatchi, a role she voiced across the 2007 Let's Go! Tamagotchi series, the 2007 feature film, and subsequent television iterations including Tamagotchi! Yume Kira Dream and Tamagotchi! Miracle Friends.
Yaguchi’s filmography spanned a wide range of genres, from the childhood version of Gintoki Sakata in the long-running Gintama series to Katina Tarask in Super Robot Wars OG: Divine Wars. Her work also extended into the gaming sphere, where she contributed performances to titles such as Arknights as Pith and Fire Emblem Heroes as Young Eliwood. Her colleagues at Kenyū Office remembered her as a cheerful presence who was instrumental in the agency's early development.
