Miwa voiced characters in “Princess Mononoke” and “Howl’s Moving Castle” during a prolific career that also included voice work in 2009’s “Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life.”

Iconic Japanese singer, Hayao Miyazaki voice actor, and Pokémon star Akihiro Miwa dies at 91

Miwa voiced characters in "Princess Mononoke" and "Howl's Moving Castle" during a prolific career that also included voice work in 2009's "Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life."

Joey Nolfi

Joey Nolfi is a senior writer at *. *Since 2016, his work at EW includes RuPaul’s Drag Race video interviews, Oscars predictions, and more.

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on June 29, 2026 10:06 a.m. ET

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Akihiro Miwa; Miwa's character in 'Princess Mononoke'. Credit:

Tomokazu Tazawa/WireImage; Dentsu/Ntv/Studio Ghibli/Kobal/Shutterstock

- Japanese icon Akihiro Miwa has died at age 91, according to regional outlets.

- The singer and voice actor was known to audiences for voice roles in *Princess Mononoke,* *Howl's Moving Castle, *and a 2009 *Pokémon* film.

- In Japan, Miwa was also well known for the ballad "Yoitomake No Uta."

Iconic Japanese singer-songwriter and frequent Hayao Miyazaki voice actor Akihiro Miwa has died at age 91.

Miwa's death was announced on the entertainer's official website, which used both he/him and she/her pronouns to describe the life and career of the singer, actor, and drag artist known for voicing Miyazaki characters like Moro the wolf in *Princess Mononoke* and the Witch of the Waste in *Howl's Moving Castle*, as well as the Pokémon Arceus in the 2009 film *Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life.*

"It is with great sadness that we announce that Akihiro Miwa, a singer and actor affiliated with our company, passed away peacefully at 9:30 a.m. on June 20 at the age of 91 due to old age," read a statement on Miwa's site.

Akihiro Miwa, Kyono Kotomi, Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, and Tetsu Watanabe.

Tomokazu Tazawa/WireImage

It continued, "We are deeply grateful to everyone who showed him such exceptional kindness and warm support during his lifetime, and we express our heartfelt gratitude to him and all of our employees. In accordance with his wishes, the funeral service was held privately with only close family members in attendance. There are no plans for a memorial service or gathering. We respectfully decline any condolences or floral tributes."

The statement explained Miwa's decline in public appearances in the months leading up to the performer's death, nearly seven years after he had a stroke in 2019.**

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"For the past year, due to her advanced age, she had scaled back her work and focused on regaining her strength. About three months ago, she fell ill and had been recuperating at home," the statement continued. "In her final moments, she simply said 'hank you' and quietly closed her eyes. At the funeral held in Tokyo, yellow roses, her favorite flower, adorned the altar, and letters from her supportive fans were placed in her coffin."

The site also shared a handwritten letter from Miwa, which its organizers said they received before the performer's death.

'Princess Mononoke' poster. © 1997 Nibariki - GND

"Wars and disasters occur all over the world, and major disasters such as earthquakes and floods continue unabated. Each time, many precious lives are senselessly taken, making this a sad world. Even within Japan, incidents of people killing or injuring others without hesitation seem to be increasing, such as illegal part-time jobs, random attacks, and slander on social media," the reported letter read. "Miwa's wish was to eliminate all discrimination and prejudice from this world and realize a society of coexistence where all people can live in peace, brightness, and joy."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter******.*******Born in Nagasaki in 1935, Miwa began a career in entertainment at 16, and rose to national fame with the 1957 song "Me Que Me Que" and, later, wrote the impactful ballad "Yoitomake No Uta."**

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