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Evangelion Voice Actress Megumi Ogata Has Emergency Surgery After Herniated Disk Returns
posted on by Alex Mateo
Voice actress Megumi Ogata revealed on Twitter on Thursday that she recently had emergency surgery for a recurrence of a herniated disk.
She stated that the herniated disk usually recurred when she was overworked. However, instead of a normal herniated disk this time, the disk was pinching a large nerve bundle leading into her right lower leg. She had felt severe pain shooting down below her right hip joint into her right lower leg. She stated that it was difficult for her to walk and stand, and it had been getting worse every day. Nerve block injections did not work either. And so she had emergency surgery. Ogata stated that while there's no official conclusion yet on the effects of the surgery, she is showing signs of improvement.
After consulting with doctors and staff, Ogata decided to perform at Anime & Game Symphony Japan at Suntory Hall on Saturday as scheduled. She also stated that there appears to be no problems with her body from the waist up, and she was able to record audio on Monday (although she admitted that it was difficult after Tuesday). Ogata was in a wheelchair for the performance, but she did not expect her condition to affect her singing voice. She joked that since she would be in a purple wheelchair with a strong cane, she will look like she is singing songs from Neon Genesis Evangelion while riding on EVA-01 with a Positron Rifle.
The Anime & Game Symphony Japan Tokyo performance took place starting on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Ogata had been hospitalized for sudden anaphylaxis in September 2019.
Ogata made her debut as Kurama in Yū Yū Hakusho, and went on to play a variety of both male and female roles, including Shinji Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Haruka Tenou/Sailor Uranus (Sailor Moon series). She has also provided the voices for ADA (Ingress), Tsubaki (Konohana Kitan), and Yukito Tsukishiro/Yue (Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card).
Ogata established her own talent agency titled "Breathe Arts" in February 2019. The company offers management and training of voice actors, singers, and musicians, and will take on work for concerts, and events, as well as music, sound production, and voice work for commercials, videos, and games.
Source: Megumi Ogata's Twitter account via Hachima Kikо̄
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