Voice actress Hiromi Tsuru passed away on Thursday, November 16 due to unknown causes. She was 57. Police found Tsuru unconscious with the seat belt fastened in the driver's seat of a car, which was stopped with hazard lights on at the Shuto Expressway's Inner Circular Route in Tokyo's Chūō ward, at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Authorities rushed her to the hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to police, the location where Tsuru was found had no signs of an accident, and authorities are suspecting a death by illness.

Tsuru voiced many iconic characters in anime, including Bulma from Dragon Ball , Dokin-chan in Soreike! Anpanman , Madoka Ayukawa in Kimagure Orange Road , Ukyo Kuonji in Ranma ½ , Sachiko Nishio in Touch , Asuna Kujo in Maison Ikkoku , Meryl Strife in Trigun , Mikami in Ghost Sweeper Mikami, and Kiddy Phenil in Silent Möbius . She also provided the Japanese voice for the character Trinity in The Animatrix shorts. In video games, she is most well known for the voice of Naomi Hunter in the Metal Gear Solid series, Julia Chang in the Tekken series, and Anne in Bravely Second: End Layer .

Update: Soreike! Anpanman producer Atsushi Kirimoto told the Mantan Web news site on Friday: "I'm so shocked to hear about her sudden passing. I pray with all my heart that she finds happiness in the next world. Regarding who will succeed her as Dokin-chan, we will make an announcement once the successor is decided." Mantan Web also reached out to Fuji TV regarding who will succeed Tsuru in her role as Bulma, but was told the replacement is still undecided. Source: Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web

Update 2: Sumi Shimamoto, who voices Shokupanman in the Soreike! Anpanman anime series, announced on the Jōhō Live Miyaneya program on Friday that the staff is urgently looking for a replacement for Tsuru for recordings planned for next week for the yearly Anpanman Christmas special. The special normally airs on the Friday before Christmas Eve, and will air this year on December 22. Shimamoto commented on Tsuru's passing, saying "I just can't believe it. I'm so sad. Next week, for the 30th time, we're recording the Christmas special for Anpanman. I thought I would just be able to see her again like usual, but..." The show's staff told Mantan Web that there is plenty of stock for Anpanman's regular broadcasts, and only the Christmas special hasn't yet been recorded. Source: Mantan Web

Update 3: Tsuru's agency Aoni Production announced on Friday that the cause of death was aortic dissection. The agency said that her family will hold a private funeral. Source: Oricon via Hachima Kikō

Source: Nippon TV News 24