Rachael Lillis, who endeared herself to anime fans as the original English-language voice of characters Misty and Jessie on the “Pokémon” TV series and elsewhere, died Saturday at age 55.
Lillis, who was based in Los Angeles, was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. Her death was confirmed Monday on social media by fellow “Pokémon” voice actor Veronica Taylor.
“I was lucky enough to know Rachael as a friend. She had unlimited kindness and compassion, even until the very end,” wrote Taylor, who voiced the character of Ash Ketchum. “She had a great sense of humor, was wonderful to be around, was incredibly intelligent, and had such a memory for moments – real or animated. She worked hard and cared deeply.”
She went on to note, “I am not sure how this very dark void will be filled now that her light no longer shines in it.”
In a statement, The Pokémon Company International expressed condolences to Lillis’ loved ones.
“Her performance in the Pokémon animated series will be cherished by the many fans who grew up with the characters she brought to life with her special talent,” the statement read. “She will be remembered for generations to come, and we will always keep her close in our hearts.”
A number of media outlets initially reported Lillis’ age as 46. The New York Times, which spoke with Lillis’ sister Laurie Orr, confirmed that her date of birth was July 8, 1969.
A native of Niagara Falls, New York, Lillis once planned to pursue a career in medicine and attended Smith College in Massachusetts. She began voice-acting in the 1980s and got her big break in the 1990s, when she joined the English-speaking cast of the “Pokémon” TV series, a Japanese anime based on the Pokémon video games.
In addition to enjoying a long association with “Pokémon,” Lillis voiced a number of other anime characters, including Catty in “Gall Force” and Utena Tenjô in the series “Revolutionary Girl Utena.” Her last credited role was in the animated series “Ollie & Scoops” in 2019.