Kenta Watanabe, the author of VTuber Hot Springs Mascot Chizuru, is dead
The 28-year-old was swept away by the floods of Oita with her parents, grandmother
Saturday the newspaper Asahi Shimbunreported that Kenta Watanabe, the author of the mascot character "Dennō Okami Chizuru" died after she and her family were reported missing after torrential rains that caused floods and landslides across the Kyushu region of Japan at beginning of this month. He was 28 years old.
Kenta Watanabe was in the car with her grandmother Toshimi (81) and her parents Yumi (51) and Tomomi (54) when floods in Kyushu's Oita region washed away the car on July 7. Police confirmed the death of Toshimi Watanabe, director of the Ryokan Tsuruya Intaku inn, on July 8. A firefighter found Kenta's body on Thursday and found Yumi's body on Saturday. Police then confirmed his identity on Saturday.
“Dennō Okami Chizuru” is the mascot of the Ryokan Tsuruya Intaku inn, which is located in the Yunohira spa district in Yufu. The character is also on VTuber, which disseminates tourist information about the Yunohira spa district and the Ryokan Tsuruya Intaku. The character became popular and a local vocal actress was attached to the character.
Official Twitter Account of Dennō Okami Chizuru account released its latest update on the evening of July 7, stating that the staff of Ryokan Tsuruya Intaku had been temporarily evacuated.
Heavy rains in Japan in mid-July have left 77 people died and seven missing on 16 July. Most of the victims are in Kumamoto prefecture in Kyushu. Japan is facing more intense rains this weekend.
Source: Asahi Shimbun through Hachima Kiko
