Taiki Matsuno is well known for voicing iconic anime characters, including Koga in Inuyasha, Lafitte in One Piece, and voicing Japanese dub for Spongebob Squarepants – to name a few; he passed away at the age of 56 on 26 June 2024.

The cause of death, as disclosed by his talent agency Aoni Production, was a brain haemorrhage. The agency released a statement expressing its deepest gratitude for the kindness bestowed upon Matsuno during his lifetime. They also announced that a wake and funeral service will be held for close relatives only, following the wishes of his family.

Matsuno also played the following anime characters:

• Jun Manjome in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX (2004-2008)
• Agumon in Digimon Savers (2006-2007)
• Tarte in Fresh Precure! (2009-2010)
• Norio in Idol Time Pripara (2017)
• Mori Shellmon in Digimon Ghost Game (2021)

With his distinct voice and versatile performances, Matsumino built a loyal following over the course of his decades. His professional career began as a child actor when he joined the Himawari Theater Company. While working on many live-action TV dramas and movies, he debuted as a voice actor at 10. From the end of the ’70s to the present, he continued to work on various anime characters and Japanese dubs for foreign films.

Matsuno’s passing has stirred the anime community, with tributes poured in across all social media platforms. Our condolences go out to Matsuno’s family.