Nobuyo Oyama, Voice Actor of Doraemon, Dies at 90

On October 11, 2024, the talent agency Actors Seven confirmed the unfortunate news regarding the death of Nobuyo Ōyama, the beloved voice actress behind iconic characters such as Doraemon and Monokuma. She passed away on September 29, at the age of 90, succumbing to complications related to senility. Nobuyo had been battling dementia since 2012.

Born on October 16, 1933, in Tokyo, Nobuyo Ōyama embarked on her acting journey at a local school and made her acting debut in an NHK drama in 1956. A year later, she transitioned into voice acting, marking her entrance into that domain in 1957. However, it was in 1979 that she captured the hearts of many when she voiced the titular character in the beloved anime series, Doraemon, a role she embraced for 26 remarkable years.

Dementia Diagnosis Affected Nobuyo Ōyama’s Career

Talent agency Actors Seven announced the passing of Nobuyo Ōyama on October 11, 2024. The voice actress, originally known as Nobuyo Yamashita, passed away on September 29 at 90, due to senility-related issues.

In a 2015 radio interview, her husband, Keisuke Sagawa, disclosed that she had been coping with dementia since 2012. Nobuyo had thought the symptoms were merely residual effects from her cerebral infarction treatment, which she had undergone in 2008.

Monokuma as seen in Danganronpa: The Animation (Image via Lerche) — Monokuma from Danganronpa: The Animation (Image via Lerche)

Nobuyo continued her voice acting career for some time until she had to pause all projects indefinitely, which included her reprisal of the iconic role of Monokuma in the Danganronpa series. Following her departure, Tarako took over the role until her own passing in March 2024.

From 2016 onward, Nobuyo resided in a retirement community. After the death of her husband in 2017, her longtime manager Akiko Kobayashi remained a consistent visitor. Despite her advancing dementia, she maintained good health later in life, engaging socially with fellow residents and participating in various activities, including singing in a choir.

A Glimpse into Nobuyo Ōyama’s Impressive Voice Acting Career

Doraemon as seen in the anime series (Image via Shin-Ei Animation) — Doraemon from the anime series (Image via Shin-Ei Animation)

Nobuyo Ōyama provided the voice for the character Doraemon in both television series and films for an impressive span of 26 years, from 1979 until 2005. Prior to this iconic role, she lent her voice to various characters, including Punch in Hustle Punch, Katsuo Isono in Sazae-san, Norakuro in Norakuro, and Kappei Jin in Invincible Superman Zanbot 3.

In her later career, she voiced characters such as Monokuma in Danganronpa: The Animation and Minota in Oniku Daisuki! Zeushi-kun.

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