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Voice Actress Mami Yamashita Reveals COVID-19 Diagnosis, Kiramager's Rio Komiya Leaves Hospital
posted on by Alex Mateo & Crystalyn Hodgkins
Voice actress Mami Yamashita revealed on Twitter on Friday that she has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus illness. Yamashita was tested on April 6 and received the positive result on April 9.
Her agency Aoni Production stated she started having issues with her sense of smell and taste at first, but slowly recovered from that. She has no coughing or fever symptoms, and is recuperating at home. Yamashita stated that as soon as she sensed a change in her physical condition, she stayed at home, but she added that she could not stop worrying that she may have given the virus to others before that time.
Yamashita voiced the character Margay in both seasons of the Kemono Friends anime. She has also voiced minor roles in anime such as Dragon Ball Super, Hinako Note, BanG Dream!, B-PROJECT, and Mr. Osomatsu.
Actor Rio Komiya, who was diagnosed with the new coronavirus illness, announced on Thursday on Twitter that he was discharged from the hospital on Thursday and will stay at home for two weeks.
Komiya plays the protagonist Jūru Atsuta/Kirama Red in Mashin Sentai Kiramager, the 44th television series in Toei's Super Sentai franchise. Prior to his diagnosis, he reported on March 24 that he had lost his sense of taste. Toei producer Hideaki Tsukada announced on Toei's website last Saturday that he was "on the road to recovery." Both staff and cast members have all been waiting for Komiya's recovery, while also being on guard themselves.
Toei closed its studio on March 31 for disinfection following Komiya's diagnosis. Toei Studios has not announced a reopening date as it depends on the decision of health officials. The show's filming has halted as of the last weekend in March, but it has finished shooting for episodes until about the middle of May. The series premiered in Japan on March 8 with jewels and vehicles as its motifs.
Mami Yamashita image via her Twitter account
Sources: Mami Yamashita's Twitter account, Cinema Today (西村重人) via My Game News Flash, Rio Komiya's Twitter account, Oricon via Hachima Kikо̄
