Rachael Lillis, renowned for voicing Misty and Jessie in the popular animated series Pokémon, has passed away at the age of 46 after a battle with cancer.
Lillis’s death was announced on Monday by her Pokémon co-star Veronica Taylor, who voiced Ash Ketchum.
“We all know Rachael Lillis from the many wonderful roles she played. She filled our Saturday mornings and before/after school hours with her beautiful voice, her terrific comic timing, and her remarkable acting skills,” she wrote on X.
Taylor described Lillis as a remarkable talent with a voice that shone brightly, both in speech and song.
The voice actress was diagnosed with breast cancer in May, and Taylor noted that the support from fans made a significant difference during her illness.
Eric Stuart, who voiced Brock and James in Pokémon, expressed his grief and praised Lillis as one of the kindest and funniest people he knew. He encouraged fans to celebrate her life by watching the original Pokémon series, particularly episodes featuring Team Rocket.
In addition to her iconic roles as Misty and Jessie, Lillis made a lasting impact on many through her versatile voice work.
She also voiced Pokémon characters like Vulpix, Venonat, Goldeen, and Jigglypuff, including in the 2019 film Detective Pikachu and several Super Smash Bros. video games.
Her talent extended to numerous other anime series such as Your Lie in April, Berserk, and Sonic X, as well as animated shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Winx Club, and video games like Valkyrie Profile and Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures.
Lillis also worked as a scriptwriter for anime series like Boogiepop Phantom and K.O. Beast in the early 2000s.
She is the second member of the original Pokémon cast to pass away, following Maddie Blaustein, who voiced Meowth and died in 2008.