Nobuyo Oyama, the beloved voice behind Doraemon, the iconic robotic cat from the future, has passed away at the age of 90. Oyama, whose raspy voice gave life to the character for over 25 years, died of natural causes on September 29, as confirmed by her agency, Actors Seven, on Friday. She voiced Doraemon from 1979 to 2005, endearing herself to millions of fans both in Japan and around the world. The character of Doraemon, created by Fujiko F. Fujio in 1970, became a cultural phenomenon, with the manga and anime series being translated into numerous languages.
In the storyline, Doraemon arrives from the 22nd century to help his friend Nobita, often with futuristic gadgets like the “anywhere door” and “take-copter.” Oyama’s distinct voice made her popular among anime and children’s programs. She also lent her voice to another famous children’s puppet show as one of the piglets in 1960 and for a character Katsuo in the show ‘’Sazaesan’’.
Oyama retired from her role as Doraemon in March 2005. On reminiscing her character, he expressed hope that Doraemon would continue to be loved in the future. Her husband revealed in 2015 that Oyama had been diagnosed with dementia. Her funeral ceremony was held privately by her family. News of her demise comes just months after the death of Noriko Ohara who gave voice to Nobita.
(With inputs from AP)