Emi Wada Dead At 84: Did Oscar Winning Costume Designer Die Of Illness?

By Alexandria Reeves

Japanese designer Emi Wada, who scored an Oscar for her work on the 1985 movie "Ran," has died. She was 84.

Several family members confirmed the tragic news to Japanese media on Sunday, with the Associated Press reporting it afterward. Wada reportedly passed away on November 13, and no cause of death has been released since then.

Still, her death has been mourned over by several notable people who have worked with her and fans who saw her designs on several flicks.

Isaac Feldberg shared several photos of Wada's design and paid tribute to her, writing: "Emi Wada, costume designer on Kurosawa's RAN and many others, has passed away. Her work was lavish, passionate, and resoundingly authentic. Wada won the Oscar for RAN, for which she spent three years creating 1,400 costumes using 16th-century techniques. (It shows.)"

"Emi Wada's work on House of Flying Daggers (2004) is absolutely stunning. The costumes in motion were characters themselves, dancing and fighting alongside the actors," a fan wrote.

Meanwhile, theater director Amon Miyamoto, who worked with her several times, also left a heartfelt message on Facebook.

"I've never known anyone who pursued perfection and authenticity as much as you," he said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. "To have been able to create something with you is an honor I will never forget for the rest of my life."

Emi Wada's Life Honored

Before her death, Wada established a commendable name in the industry.

She famously scored an Oscar after creating costumes for Akira Kurosawa's 1985 movie, "Ran." The following year, she attended the Academy Awards and notably told the crowd that the man-shaped statue "does not need her costuming."

Aside from her winning pieces, she also worked with several famed directors for their cast members' costumes, including Nagisa Oshima and Zhang Yimou. The series and movies that led her to fame include "Prospero's Books," "Hero," "House of Flying Daggers," "The First Emperor," and "The Peony Pavillion."

Before her death, she shared a wonderful marriage life with director Ben Wada, who passed away in 2011.

She also told the viewers of the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2017 that she was lucky to be able to work in the industry for over six decades. One of her last projects was for Ann Hui's "Love After Love" in 2020.