Shohei Hino, Who Played the Great Uncle in Studio Ghibli's The Boy and the Heron, Dies at 75 (2024)

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SUMMARY

• Shohei Hino, the actor who played Mahito’s great-uncle in The Boy and The Heron, passed away at the age of 75.
• The actor passed away on November 14th, and the news was made public by his agency.
• Hino’s talent was boundless, and he shared it with us through his performances in various shows and films.

The Boy and The Heron became a worldwide sensation at the time of its release. There were many characters in it, who caught fans’ attention, but the Great Uncle stood out for his headstrong beliefs and his domineering presence. The character wouldn’t have been nearly as convincing without Shohei Hino, the actor who played him in the film.

Unfortunately, Hino passed away on November 14th at the age of 75. While his performance as the Great Uncle undoubtedly left an indelible mark, it was not all he was known for. Hino had dabbled with everything from acting and music to theater and voice acting. Fans knew him from his different creative endeavors in life. There was no limit to his talents and he brought various characters and art forms to life with brilliance.

Shohei Hino Passes Away At the Age of 75

The news of Shohei Hino’s demise was made public on November 20th by his management company. According to the report, Hino has been under treatment since April for his chronic back pain, but his health deteriorated after a hip injury, and he had to take a break from acting. He passed away on November 14th, and even though he had plans to return to work, that unfortunately couldn’t happen.

Many fans know Hino as the Great Uncle from Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and The Heron. Even though the character had less screen time compared to many other characters, he was integral to the storyline. Many fans believed that the character represented none other than Miyazaki himself. Hino brought the character to life with utmost sincerity and fans recognise him for it.

Over the years, Hino has been a part of many shows and films. His acting career started at the early age of 12 with theater, and after that, he was unstoppable as he made many different characters his own.

From Period Dramas to Films, Shohei Hino Did It All

Hino started his acting career with a theatre group called ‘Komadori’. After that, he acted in the dramas Boy Detectives, Izukoe, and Kunitori Monogatari. Nearly eight years after starting his career, he starred in Toshio Masuda’s feature film, ‘My Blood is the Blood of Others’. From there, he acted in various television shows and films including Kuso Moeru, Ooku, Owls’ Castle, Emperor, and As Long As We Both Shall Live (My Happy Marriage).

His recent acting endeavors included Miyazaki’s The Boy and The Heron and Ayuko Tsukahara’s Last Mile. Aside from his acting performances, Hino was also a musician and released many singles and albums. His travel show, Nippon Judan Kokoro Tabi, became a morning staple for many Japanese households.

During that show, Hino traveled more than 12,000km across Japan on his bicycle. He had to take a break from the show due to his worsening back pain. Despite not being with us anymore, Hino’s fascinating body of work is a testament to his legacy, and he’ll be forever remembered through it.

The Boy and The Heron is available to stream on Max.