Goodbye Misty. Rachael Lillis, the English voice of the Pokémon character, has died at the age of 55. Image: The Pokémon Company.
Voice actors usually work behind the scenes, and only a few viewers ever see their faces. Because what they are known for is their voices. A voice that millions of fans around the world probably know has now fallen silent forever.
Rachael Lillis, the English voice actress of anime characters such as Misty and Jessie from Pokémon, died of cancer last Saturday.
Big love for anime
Lillis was born in 1969 in Niagara Falls, New York. After graduating from high school, the American studied acting in Boston and New York City and took on her first theater and dubbing roles.
Her best known roles are probably the English voices of the Pokémon characters Misty and Jessie. According to the film database IMDB, she lent her voice to the two in 423 episodes between 1997 and 2015 – a remarkable number. In 2019, she could also be heard as Jigglypuff in the film Detective Pikachu.
Link to YouTube content
But Rachael Lillis has also appeared in many anime productions outside of the Pokémon franchise, including Berserk, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Your Lie in April and Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works. Her last major anime role was that of Cocco from Hunter x Hunter in 2019.
In May of this year, Lillis was diagnosed with breast cancer and was living in a nursing home in Los Angeles. Last Saturday, the voice actress finally succumbed to her battle with the disease.
Mourning in the Pokémon community
Her colleague Veronica Taylor, who voices Pokémon main character Ash Ketchum in the English dub, wrote in a Statement on Twitter:
I was fortunate to know Rachael as a friend. Her kindness and compassion were unlimited, even to the end. Rachael was an extraordinary talent, a bright light that shone through her voice whether she was speaking or singing.
We all know Rachael Lillis from the many wonderful roles she has played. She has filled our Saturday mornings and before and after school hours with her beautiful voice, superb comedic flair and remarkable acting skills.
Veronica Taylor
The Pokémon Company, which manages the rights to the Japanese brand, said in a public statement with:
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Rachael Lillis. Her performance [in Pokémon] will be cherished by the many fans who grew up with the characters she brought to life with her special talent. She will be remembered for generations to come and we will always carry her in our hearts.
Her family now wants to invest the rest of the money that fans donated to a crowdfunding campaign to cover her treatment costs before Lilli’s death in cancer research, among other things.
You can find more news from the world of series and films in the link box above. There we have put together a selection of the latest entertainment content on GameStar.de.
Have you watched the English dubbed version of Pokémon? Share your memories of Rachael Lillis in the comments!
