Again, we say goodbye to a legendary voice actor today 😔
Veteran actress and VA Seela Sella has passed away at 89, leaving behind an extraordinary body of work across film, television, theatre, radio, and voice acting in Finland. Over the course of her career, she became one of the most respected performers of her generation, continuing to work well into her later years.
The Finnish actress also became a familiar voice to generations of animation fans through her extensive Finnish-language dubbing work, including several unforgettable Disney characters.
Some of her most memorable voice roles included:
• Yzma — The Emperor’s New Groove
• Lady Tremaine — Cinderella
• The Witch — Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Magica De Spell — DuckTales
• Grandma Fa — Mulan
• Dowager Empress Marie — Anastasia
• Mad Madam Mim — The Sword in the Stone
• Tanana — Brother Bear
• The Queen — A Bug’s Life
• Madame Adelaide Bonfamille — The Aristocats
• Mama Gunda — Tarzan II
• Agnes Peenman — The Mask: Animated Series
From commanding the stage and screen to becoming the voice behind some of animation’s most memorable women, Sella built the kind of career that quietly became part of several generations’ lives.
Rest in peace, Seela Sella. Nearly seven decades of performances, and a voice that will continue living through the characters she brought to life. 🎙️❤️
We just lost another legend today 😔
Anime just lost a veteran behind Akira, Death Note, Naruto and today’s biggest isekai titles.
Director and animator Yūji Yanase has passed away at 59. His death was announced today by the production committees behind The Insipid Prince’s Furtive Grab for the Throne and The World’s Strongest Rearguard, two currently airing anime he directed. Their staffs expressed deep gratitude for his work and sorrow over his sudden passing.
Yanase spent decades working across nearly every level of anime production. His extensive credits included:
• Akira — In-Between Animation
• Death Note — Key Animation
• Hellsing — Animation Director
• Chobits — Animation Director
• Naruto: Shippuden — Episode Direction
• Pokémon XY — Episode Direction
• Macross 7 — Key Animation
• Aria the Animation — Animation Director
• Symphogear — Animation Director
• Saint Seiya Omega — Animation Director
He later became especially known as a series director, leading anime including In Another World With My Smartphone, If It’s for My Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord, By the Grace of the Gods, In the Land of Leadale, My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1, I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History, and Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra. His directing career began with Himegoto in 2014.
His final chapter is especially bittersweet, with two series under his direction still airing when news of his passing was announced.
Rest in peace, Yūji Yanase. From animator to director, his work quietly became part of decades of anime history. 🕊️