The Japanese voice actor Ayako Hori was best known for providing the voice of the protagonist Kanzou Hattori in the long-running anime series Ninja Hattori. Her agency confirmed that she passed away from natural causes related to aging on November 18, 2024, at the age of 89. Hori had an extensive career that included a wide range of voice roles in both Japanese anime and dubbed foreign productions. In addition to her signature role as Kanzou Hattori, her major voice credits included characters in Lulu Mi, Little One, the 1980 edition of Atom Boy, Anpanman, and the character Grandma Plum in the original generation of that series. She was also known for her work in Japanese-language dubs of international films and cartoons, providing voices for characters in Pinocchio, Tom and Jerry where she voiced Jerry in the Japanese version, and a role in the Japanese dub of the animated film The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon.