Back on March 31st, Yamamoto announced that he had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and is undergoing treatment. He died from the leukemia on July 21st at the age of 76. Yamamoto’s daughter, actress, Yamamoto Mirai (who is married to actor Shiina Kippei) wrote:
On July 21st, my father, Kansai Yamamoto, passed away at the age of 76. He left this world peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.
In my eyes, my father was not only the eclectic and energetic soul that the world knew him as, but someone who was also thoughtful, kind-hearted, and affectionate. He valued communication and showered me with love throughout my entire life.
He also taught me to persist throughout failures and to never let go of a positive, forward-looking mindset. He viewed challenges as opportunities for self-development and always believed in the brighter days ahead.
I want to thank everyone who has touched my father’s life in some way, shape, or form. Without you, his legacy would not exist.
I will continue supporting this legacy of my father through my work at KANSAI SUPER STUDIO, alongside my acting career. In doing so, I hope to spread Kansai Yamamoto’s spirit of “Genki” to the world.
Sincerely,
Mirai Yamamoto
7/27/2020
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Kansai has talked about his family life and the complicated family environment because his father was carefree and always with different women that he abandoned his children. Kansai said that he experienced loneliness and pain and decided he would not be a man like his father.
So, when his daughter was born, it was during a time he was experiencing frustration as a designer and living poor, he named her “Mirai” in the sense of entrusting hope in the future. He had a special bond with Mirai and at her wedding he designed the wedding outfits for her and his son-in-law and was their wedding producer.