Veteran voice actor Kumiko Takizawa, who played Grandis Granva in Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, has died. Takizawa passed away on June 11, 2022, due to a heart attack. Takizawa’s talent management agency 81 Produce announced her passing. She was 69 years old. [Thanks, Natalie.]
Kumiko Takizawa was born in Tokyo, Japan on August 21, 1952. From an early age, Takizawa showed interest in theater and performing arts, frequently going to see stage plays and performances. She joined a drama club in junior high school before going on to join an acting troupe after graduating high school. Separately, Takizawa also dabbled in voice acting, though did not consider it for her career at the time. Her first major role was Temple in the Tatsunoko Productions anime Temple the Balloonist in 1977.
Takizawa’s most well-known roles came in the ’80s and ’90s, where she appeared in a variety of mecha and fantasy anime. This included the 1983 mecha anime Ginga Hyoryu Vifam as Lucina Pressette and Kate Hathaway, as well as Super Dimension Century Orguss as Shaya Thoov. Notably, Takizawa played the gang leader Grandis Granva in Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water. She would also later voice the same character in 2018’s Super Robot Wars X, nearly three decades later.
81 Produce released a statement on its website announcing Takizawa’s death. Relatives held a private funeral in accordance with the family’s wishes.
