Do you remember Moro, the wolf goddess from the 1997 Ghibli film Princess Mononoke, and her fierce, vengeful laugh? Her terrifying voice, which taunts and challenges the protagonist Ashitaka, is unforgettable, even if heard only once.
Have you ever wondered who was behind that voice? You might be surprised to learn that it belonged to the same person who also voiced the flamboyant, larger-than-life yet vicious Witch of the Waste in Howl's Moving Castle.
The answer is Japanese singer, actor and drag artist Akihiro Maruyama, better known as Akihiro Miwa, who left an indelible mark on global pop culture through his fearless advocacy for queer rights and peace, as well as his extraordinary contributions to music, theatre and animation.
Miwa passed away on June 20 at the age of 91.
Beyond his association with Studio Ghibli, Miwa built an extraordinary career as a singer, actor and drag performer. His glamorous cabaret acts and soulful chanson repertoire transformed his public image, making him one of Japan’s most influential cultural figures long before he became a beloved voice in animation.
He was also among Japan’s earliest openly gay celebrities. Long before conversations around LGBTQ+ visibility entered the mainstream, Miwa challenged social norms.
Born in 1935, Miwa survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945. In his book My Purple Biography, he recalled the horrifying aftermath of the explosion that claimed countless lives around him, an experience that left him traumatised and took years to overcome.
Miwa’s journey began in 1952 when, at just 17, he moved from his hometown to Tokyo’s Ginza district and made his debut as a cabaret singer.
His breakthrough came in 1957 with the hit Me Que Me Que. Around the same time, Miwa publicly came out as gay, becoming one of Japan's earliest openly queer entertainers.
From the 1970s until the venue closed in 2000, he headlined the monthly Akihiro Miwa no Sekai (The World of Akihiro Miwa) at Shibuya Jean-Jean, while also touring extensively across Japan.
In 1965, however, Miwa courted controversy with Yoitomake no Uta, a powerful tribute to construction workers that reflected the hardships of post-war Japan. The song faced widespread boycotts and was effectively banned from television and radio by the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association.
Miwa also became the muse of author Yukio Mishima and playwright Shuji Terayama, famously starring in stage productions of Black Lizard and La Marie-Vison. His film credits included Black Rose Mansion, Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets and Takeshis.
The documentary Miwa: The Japanese Icon, directed by Pascal-Alex Vincent, examines Miwa's immense cultural influence as an artist, musician and LGBTQ+ trailblazer in post-war Japan.
Throughout his life, Miwa remained one of Japan’s strongest critics of militarism and government policies that, in his view, disguised themselves as welfare measures.
Yet for audiences beyond Japan, Miwa became immortal through another medium — animation.
His collaboration with Studio Ghibli gave life to two of Hayao Miyazaki’s most unforgettable characters, bringing an ethereal, commanding and deeply theatrical presence to both Moro in Princess Mononoke and the Witch of the Waste in Howl’s Moving Castle.
A behind-the-scenes Studio Ghibli documentary on the making of Princess Mononoke captures a rare moment of delight from the usually reserved Miyazaki. As Miwa experimented with Moro’s signature laugh before unleashing the chilling version heard in the film, the director sat upright in excitement and exclaimed, “Oh my god! I love it!”
According to reports, Miyazaki was so captivated by Miwa’s persona that he drew inspiration from the artist while designing the Witch of the Waste for Howl’s Moving Castle.
Whether through Moro’s haunting growl, the Witch of the Waste’s theatrical menace or his fearless advocacy for peace and queer visibility, Miwa spent seven decades proving that art could challenge conventions as much as it could enchant audiences.