Beloved Voice of Doraemon, Nobuyo Oyama, Passes Away at 90
Nobuyo Oyama, renowned as the voice of the iconic cartoon character Doraemon, has passed away at the age of 90. Her agency, Actors Seven, confirmed that she died of natural causes on September 29.
Oyama lent her talents to the role of the blue-and-white robotic cat for an impressive span of over 25 years, from 1979 until 2005.
Doraemon was brought to life by cartoonist Fujiko F. Fujio in 1970, capturing the hearts of audiences with tales of friendship between a kindhearted but slothful boy named Nobita. The anime and manga series have amassed a massive following around the world, being translated into numerous languages and enjoyed by millions in Japan and beyond.
The story revolves around Doraemon, a cat-like robot from the 22nd century who assists Nobita in navigating life’s challenges, often employing futuristic gadgets like the “anywhere door” and “take-copter” to aid his friend.
Born in Tokyo in 1933, Oyama showed an early passion for acting, making her television debut in a 1956 drama on Japan’s NHK. She stepped into her first voice acting role in 1957, lending her voice to the dubbed version of the popular show “Lassie.”
Her distinctive raspy voice made her a prominent figure in the anime and children’s entertainment sectors. Prior to her iconic role as Doraemon, she voiced one of the three piglets in a beloved children’s puppet show during the 1960s and the teenage character Katsuo in the family anime “Sazaesan.”
Oyama stepped down from her role as Doraemon in March 2005 as part of a broader change in voice actors for key characters. At the time, she expressed her hope that Doraemon would continue to be cherished by audiences far into the future.
In 2015, it was revealed by her husband that Oyama had been battling dementia; nevertheless, she was noted for her remarkable ability to flawlessly perform her Doraemon voice upon request, thanks to her position as the head of a sound arts school.
According to her agency, a private funeral for Oyama was conducted for her family and close relatives. This news of her passing follows the recent loss of Noriko Ohara, the voice actress of Nobita, who died in July.
