Nobuyo Oyama, renowned for her distinctive raspy voice as Doraemon, the beloved futuristic robotic cat, has passed away at the age of 90.
According to her agency Actors Seven, Oyama, who voiced Doraemon for over 25 years, died of natural causes on 29 September.
She brought the iconic blue-and-white robotic cat to life from 1979 to 2005.
The artist Fujiko F. Fujio created Doraemon in 1970, and the tale of his relationship with the kind but sluggish youngster Nobita quickly gained huge acclaim. Millions of fans in Japan and all over the world have read and watched the manga and anime series, which have been translated into several languages.
In the show, Doraemon, who originates from the 22nd century, frequently uses futuristic technology, including a “take-copter” and “anywhere door,” to assist Nobita in difficult situations.
Oyama, who was born in Tokyo in 1933, had aspirations of becoming an actor and made her television debut in 1956 in a drama on NHK. In 1957, she made her voice-acting debut in the dubbed version of the television drama series “Lassie.”
Oyama became well-known in anime and kid’s shows due to her raspy voice. She provided the voice of adolescent boy Katsuo in the family anime series “Sazaesan,” which aired before “Doraemon,” and one of three piglets in a well-liked children’s puppet show in the early 1960s.
In March 2005, Oyama announced her retirement as part of a voice actors’ change for the lead roles. “I hope Doraemon will still be a beloved character in the distant future,” Oyama said.
Oyama’s partner revealed that she had dementia in 2015. Despite this, Oyama was well-known for being the head of a sound arts school and for being able to pull off a Doraemon voice return on her first attempt.
According to Oyama’s agency, her family organised a private funeral for her. Nobita’s voice actor, Noriko Ohara, passed away in July of this year.
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