The tragic death of Sayaka Kanda ('Frozen') at age 35

The showbiz world has been shocked to hear that actress and musician Sayaka Kanda suddenly passed away on December 18. She was only 35 years old. The circumstances of her death suggest a tragic accident or a fateful decision.

Content warning: this article contains mentions of self-harm that could disturb readers.

(Image: still from promotion event of 'Gamba,' 2015. YouTube/Maidigitv)

Sayaka Kanda was an actress and singer who became widely known for her role as Anna in the Japanese dub of Disney’s 'Frozen.'

(Image: Walt Disney Studios, Pony Canyon)

Kanda was the only child born from the now-defunct marriage between Japan’s pop princess of the 80s, Seiko Matsuda, and actor Masaki Kanda.

(Image: Sony Music, NTV)

Sayaka Kanda made her unofficial debut in the entertainment world in 1993. At the young age of 6, the star appeared alongside her mother in a Christmas duet for Seiko Matsuda's 'Twinkle Star, Shining Star'.

(Image: Sony Music, AX Music TV)

Did you know that Sayaka Kanda lived in Los Angles, California for a period of time? It was at that time, when she was 13 years old, that she officially entered showbiz. Kanda starred in ‘Bean Cake’ – a short film that premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.

(Image: Sony Music)

‘Bean Cake’ won the highest award for films in its category at the Cannes film festival. This gave Sayaka Kanda a strong head-start in her life as an entertainer.

(Image: Nippon Columbia)

Following in the footsteps of her celebrity parents, Sayaka Kanda too became an actress and a singer. She even demonstrated her songwriting talents by writing music for her mother.

(Image: Nippon Columbia)

The songs Sayaka Kanda wrote for her mother include ‘Koi wa Itsudemo 95ten’, ‘Misty Rain’, and ‘Jikan no Kuni no Alice’.

(Image: Nippon Columbia)

As a singer, Sayaka Kanda released music under the stage name ‘SAYAKA’, with her own given name, and in the band ‘TRUSTRICK’.

(Image: Sony Music)

Sayaka Kanda played the roles of Mukuro Ikusaba and Junko Enoshima for the theatrical production of the famed ‘Daganronpa’ franchise. She also went on to voice act as Kaede Akamatsu for ‘Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony’, and she produced soundtracks for the theatrical adaptation under ‘TRUSTRICK’.

(Image: Spike Chunsoft, Nippon Columbia)

Anime, film, music, theatre, voice acting and TV… Sayaka Kanda did it all. Her diverse portfolio demonstrated her experience in the field and this helped her land the role of Anna in the Japanese version of 'Frozen.'

(Image: TBS)

Kanda was the only Anna Japan ever knew. She voiced the role of Anna for all 'Frozen' installments and media in Japan, including ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’, ‘Frozen II’ and ‘Kingdom Hearts III’.

(Image: NHK, Walt Disney Studios)

According to Independent, Sayaka Kanda was reported dead at 9:40 PM on the 18th of December. Her demise came as a shock to many, as the star had been seen in rehearsals for the stage adaptation of ‘My Fair Lady’ a day earlier. Everything about the actress had seemed normal, sources familiar with the star reported on Yahoo News.

(Image: Nippon Columbia)

The theatre company noticed that Sayaka Kanda did not show up for her performance in Sapporo on December 18th. At the hotel she was staying in, staff found the actress's unconscious body. She was immediately rushed to the hospital but could not be saved.

(Image: Nippon Columbia)

Sayaka Kanda's cause of death has yet to be determined, NHK reports. However, the initial police investigation showed that she had fallen down 14 floors from her hotel room. They did not yet determine whether she fell by accident or whether she took her own life.

(Image: Nippon Columbia)

Sayaka Kanda is survived by her parents, Seiko Matsuda and Masaki Kanda. Arama Japan states that Seiko Matsuda released an official statement regarding the death of her daughter. In it, she says that she is still in shock from losing her only child.

(Image: Nippon Columbia)

Seiko Matsuda’s statement also included a request for privacy. She and her family need time to mourn the loss of her daughter, the statement reads.

(Image: NHK)