Back in May, the passing of Wakana Yamazaki, the long-standing voice actress for Ran Mouri in Detective Conan, hit fans hard. It sparked a wave of concern for the voice cast of other beloved, long-running anime series.
Recently, a Japanese X (formerly Twitter) user shared a poignant Tanabata wish strip, or "tanzaku," that's now gone viral. The wish? For the Detective Conan voice actors to stay healthy, and for the series to finally conclude while they're still able to voice their iconic characters. Talk about hitting a nerve!
The user who shared the post mentioned that this particular wish is an annual tradition for someone's son. Every Tanabata, he pens the same heartfelt plea: that Detective Conan wraps up smoothly while all the voice actors are still in good health.
It's a wish that's both humorous and a little melancholic, essentially saying, "Please don't drag Detective Conan out forever!" The hope is for a satisfying conclusion while the entire cast is still healthy and actively performing.
This sentiment has resonated deeply with fans. After all, voice actors for a show like Detective Conan have been at it for three decades, with many starting in their prime and continuing well into their 60s or beyond. With no end in sight for the series, fans can't help but worry about how much longer these familiar voices will be with us.
And it's not just Detective Conan. Long-running hits like One Piece, Doraemon, and Dragon Ball also feature voice actors who've been with their roles for decades. While some roles have been passed on to new talent, the recent loss of Ran Mouri's voice actress has undoubtedly amplified these concerns among fans. It's a real "QQ" moment, as they say!