Sayaka Kanda

Sayaka Kanda
神田 沙也加
Sayaka Kanda in April 2021
Born(1986-10-01)October 1, 1986
Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
DiedDecember 18, 2021(2021-12-18) (aged 35)
Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Other names
  • Sayaka
  • Lily
  • Jun Uehara (上原純)
Occupations
Years active1999–2021
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2017; div. 2019)​
Parents
Musical career
GenreJ-pop
InstrumentVocals
Formerly of
  • Trustrick
  • Alices
Websitewww.sayaka-kanda.net

Sayaka Kanda (Japanese: 神田 沙也加, Hepburn: Kanda Sayaka; October 1, 1986 – December 18, 2021), also known professionally as Sayaka, Lily, and Jun Uehara (上原純, Uehara Jun), was a Japanese actress, singer, and model. She was the only child of actor Masaki Kanda and pop singer Seiko Matsuda.

Early life

Kanda was born at Tokyo Teishin Hospital in Chiyoda, Tokyo. She was the only child of actor Masaki Kanda and Seiko Matsuda, a representative idol singer of the 1980s in Japan. Her paternal grandmother Teruko Asahi (1924–2001) was a former actress.

Career

In 1999, while a student at a Japanese school in Los Angeles, she appeared in Bean Cake, a short film that won the Palme d'Or du court métrage at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. She was quite active as an actress in movies and mostly on stage since her debut.

In 2006, Kanda composed and wrote the lyrics to "Bless You", a song performed by her mother Seiko Matsuda. Kanda was credited under the name "Jun Uehara", originating from two characters from the manga series Good Morning Call, which she had loved at the time.

Kanda made her Kōhaku Uta Gassen debut in December 2011 singing "Ue o Muite Arukō" alongside her mother, Seiko Matsuda.

In July 2012, Kanda debuted as a voice actress on TV animation Good Luck Girl!, which led her to be cast as Mary in The Muppets and Anna in the Japanese language dub of Disney's animated film Frozen. She won the Best Lead Actress award for the role in the 9th Seiyu Awards. In 2019, she voiced as Anna once again for Kingdom Hearts III.

In April 2014, she formed the duo Trustrick with guitarist Billy. They released their debut album, Eternity, on June 25 of the same year. They disbanded on December 17, 2016.

Kanda appeared as a special guest in the Alan Symphony Concert from December 20, 2014, alongside Tibetan Chinese diva Alan Dawa Dolma, and together, they sang a music piece originally performed by Alan titled "Kaze no Tegami" (風の手紙, "Letter in the Wind").[citation needed]

She voiced the character, Kaede Akamatsu, in the 2017 visual novel video game, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony.

Kanda released covers of Vocaloid songs on her YouTube channel.

Modeling career

While Kanda was on hiatus from her acting career in 2005, she began appearing in lolita fashion magazines under the name Lily, a stage name that she had chosen from a "dreamy worldview." Kanda modeled for Kera [ja], Gothic & Lolita Bible, Eternita, and Angelic Pretty's catalogs. In 2012, she collaborated with Angelic Pretty to release the Melt ChocoLapin dress set.

Personal life

In May 2017, Kanda married actor Mitsu Murata. Kanda announced their divorce in December 2019. Kanda was in a relationship with actor Takahisa Maeyama after co-starring in the stage adaptation of Crest of the Royal Family in August 2021. The two dated with the intention of marriage due to their age. In 2024, Maeyama stated that they only dated for two months and had ended their relationship by the time they had starred together in the Japanese production of My Fair Lady in November 2021.

Death

On December 18, 2021, Kanda was found unconscious in the outer garden on the fourteenth floor of a hotel in Chūō ward, Sapporo. She later died at a hospital at the age of 35. The cause of death was determined to be traumatic shock by the Sapporo Central Police Station, which also said that she had fallen from her room in the upper floors of the hotel. Kanda's remains were cremated and her family kept her ashes at home. A report from Shūkan Bunshun claimed she committed suicide following vocal cord issues as well as issues with her relationship with Maeyama.

Discography

Singles

  • "Ever Since" (2002)
  • "Garden" (2003)
  • "Mizu Iro" (2004)
  • "Jōgen no Tsuki" (2005)

with TRUSTRICK

Digital Singles

  • "LUVORATORRRRRY!" (2018)
  • "Good Morning, Polar Night" (2019)
  • "Roki" (2019)

with TRUSTRICK

  • "On your marks!" (2014)

as Yuna from "Sword Art Online"

  • "Ubiquitous dB" (2017)
  • "delete" (2017)
  • "Break Beat Bark!" (2017)
  • "longing" (2017)
  • "smile for you" (2017)

Albums

with TRUSTRICK

  • Eternity (2014)
  • TRUST (2015)
  • TRICK (2016)

Extended plays

with TRUSTRICK

  • Mirai-kei Answer E.P. (2015)
  • beloved E.P. (2016)

Cover Albums

  • MUSICALOID #38 (2018)
  • MUSICALOID #38 Act.2 (2019)
  • MUSICALOID #38 Act.3 (2021)

Compilation Albums

as Yuna from Sword Art Online

  • Sword Art Online the Movie : Ordinal Scale (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2017)

Filmography

Film

Television drama

  • Yankee Bokō ni Kaeru / Drop-out Teacher Returns to School (TBS, 2003) – Nanae Koga
  • 四分の一の絆 (TBS, 2004) – Maiko Nisio
  • Mito Kōmon (TBS, 2004, 2007) – Kozue, Osaki
  • たった一度の雪 〜SAPPORO・1972年〜 (HBC, 2007) – Chiho Shimomura
  • Omotesando Koukou Gasshoubu! (TBS, 2015) – Emiri Seyama

Theater Performances

Japanese dub

Theatrical animation

Television animation

Video games

References

  1. ↑ 女優・神田沙也加 ミュージカルで13役に挑戦 葛藤越え野望に邁進(1/3ページ). インタビュアー:平松澄子. 産経ニュースwest.. オリジナルの2011-10-20時点によるアーカイブ
  2. 1 2 3 "神田沙也加、芸名を4回変えた過去「SAYAKA」「Lily」「上原純」" [Sayaka Kanda had switched her stage name four times in the past: "Sayaka", "Lily", and "Jun Uehara"]. Mynavi Corporation (in Japanese). June 28, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  3. ↑ "【紅白歌合戦】神田沙也加、松田聖子と親娘で出場　「心強いです」 ." Oricon News. November 30, 2011.
  4. ↑ "神田沙也加、声優デビュー「念願かなった！」". SANSPO.COM. (2012年7月4日). オリジナルの2012
  5. ↑ "第九回声優アワード授賞者発表". 声優アワード.
  6. 1 2 Loo, Egan (December 18, 2021). "Actress, Singer Sayaka Kanda Passes Away at 35". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ "『アナと雪の女王』で話題の神田沙也加、新ユニット・TRUSTRICKデビュー!". マイナビ
  8. ↑ "TRUSTRICKが活動休止を発表　神田沙也加「ここで一度節目を迎えます」". ORICON STYLE (oricon ME).
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Sayaka Kanda (visual voices guide) – Behind The Voice Actors". behindthevoiceactors.com (Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources). Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  10. ↑ Komatsu, Mikikazu (August 7, 2019). "Sayaka Kanda Duets Vocaloid Song "ROKI" with Evangelion Shinji VA Megumi Ogata". Crunchyroll. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  11. ↑ "none". Kera [ja]. Tokyo: Index Corporation. December 15, 2012. p. 28.
  12. ↑ "Angelic Prettyカワイイ通信" [Angelic Pretty Cute Transmission]. Gothic & Lolita Bible. Tokyo: Takarajimasha. February 24, 2014. p. 75. ISBN 9784757335141.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link)
  13. ↑ "ETERNITA". Takarajimasha (in Japanese). Retrieved June 19, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Angelic Pretty Latest Collection". Angelic Pretty (Angelic Pretty 2014 Spring/Summer ed.). Tokyo: Takarajimasha. April 12, 2014. p. 10-15. ISBN 9784800223937.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link)
  15. ↑ Kanda, Sayaka [@sayakakanda] (January 26, 2012). "Angelic PrettyのOnline Shopで、神田沙也加コラボのMelt☆ChocoLapinワンピの受注受付が始まったよ！超絶可愛く出来たから、ぜひチェックしてね(o^^o)" [Angelic Pretty's online shop has started accepting orders for Sayaka Kanda's collaboration Melt ChocoLapin onepiece! It came out so cute, so definitely check it out!] (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2025 – via Twitter.
  16. ↑ "Actress Sayaka Kanda announces marriage to actor Mitsu Murata". Mainichi Shimbun. April 26, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  17. ↑ "神田沙也加、俳優の村田充と結婚へ" [Sayaka Kanda to marry actor Mitsu Murata]. Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  18. ↑ lnc, Natasha. "神田沙也加、村田充との離婚発表「彼を幸せにすることが出来ないと思いました」" [Kanda Sayaka announces divorce]. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  19. ↑ Takeshita, Yoshio (January 6, 2022). "前山剛久が芸能活動休止を発表 SNS上で炎上が収まらず「芸能界復帰」を危ぶむ声も". Aera (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  20. ↑ "神田沙也加さんと結婚に向かっていた前山剛久、帰京し両親らつきっきりケア". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). December 23, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  21. ↑ Kiwa, Shizu (August 28, 2024). "【独占告白】前山剛久「バッシングは覚悟のうえ」神田沙也加さんの元恋人が語った"騒動"と"芸能界復帰"" [(Exclusive confession) Takehisa Maeyama: "I'm prepared for the bashing": Sayaka Kanda's ex-partner talks about the "scandal" and "return to the entertainment industry"]. Weekly Josei [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Japanese actress Sayaka Kanda dies after apparent fall at hotel". Kyodo News. December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  23. ↑ "神田沙也加さんの死因を警察が発表、ホテル安全管理に問題なし...自室窓から転落か" [Police announce the]. December 21, 2021.
  24. ↑ "急逝・神田沙也加 直前に5歳下恋人俳優とのトラブル". Shūkan Bunshun (in Japanese). Bungeishunjū. December 22, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  25. ↑ Romano, Sal (July 16, 2019). "Atelier Ryza theme song trailer". Gematsu. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Japan's NHK to Air Kids' Special with Ghibli Music". Anime News Network. May 2, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  27. 1 2 Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 1, 2018). "Sayaka Kanda Also Voices Ezomichi in Real Girl Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  28. ↑ "シュガー・ラッシュ：オンライン". Fukikaeru. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Sword Art Online Ordinal Scale Anime Film Casts Sayaka Kanda". Anime News Network. December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  30. ↑ Ressler, Karen (April 28, 2017). "Konbini Kareshi TV Anime Reveals Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  31. 1 2 Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 22, 2020). "Idoly Pride Anime Reveals Visual, Winter 2021 Premiere, New Character". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  32. ↑ "CAST｜PlayStation®4用サバイバルアクションゲーム – Let It Die". letitdie.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved March 17, 2018.