A little bit of the world’s magic is gone today as legendary Japanese singer, actor and Studio Ghibli voice actor Akihiro Miwa has passed away at the age of 91.
The agency of Akihiro Maruyama, better known by his stage name Akihiro Miwa, announced on June 28, 2026, that the actor passed away peacefully from old age at 9.30 a.m. on June 20. The agency revealed that Miwa had gradually reduced his public activities over the past year to focus on his health after his condition rapidly declined in recent months. His final reported words were simply, “Thank you.”
Miwa will be remembered by anime fans for bringing two of Studio Ghibli’s most unforgettable characters to life. He voiced the ancient wolf goddess Moro, the adoptive mother of San, in Princess Mononoke, before later returning to Ghibli as the unforgettable Witch of the Waste in Howl’s Moving Castle.
One of his co-stars, Takuya Kimura, who famously voiced the lead in Howl’s Moving Castle, has paid tribute to Miwa, releasing the public statement, “Witch of the Waste, thank you, too. Rest in peace.”
Born in Nagasaki Prefecture in 1935, Miwa experienced the atomic bombing of Nagasaki as a child during World War II. The experience shaped much of his life’s work, and he spent decades speaking and writing about the importance of peace while advocating against war, discrimination and poverty. Even after suffering a cerebral infarction in 2019, he continued working through television appearances, lectures and writing projects.
Miwa first debuted as a singer at just 16 years old before becoming one of Japan’s most celebrated singers and drag queens. Throughout his decades-long career, he was equally known for his theatrical performances, distinctive public persona and advocacy for LGBTQ rights. Living openly in feminine attire for much of his career, Miwa became one of Japan’s most recognizable LGBTQ public figures, remaining an influential voice for acceptance and equality.
Alongside the announcement of his passing, Miwa’s agency also released a handwritten message he had prepared during his lifetime. In it, he expressed his belief that “the key to solving all the world’s problems is love,” adding that if people truly embraced love, there would be no war. The agency encouraged fans to remember his lifelong wish for a world free of discrimination and prejudice.
Akihiro Miwa’s extraordinary career touched generations through music, acting and animation, but for many anime fans, his iconic performances in Princess Mononoke and Howl’s Moving Castle will forever remain part of Studio Ghibli’s enduring legacy.
Rest in peace, Akihiro Miwa.
