Anime voice actress Nobuyo Oyama, one of the main voices of Doraemon in addition to playing the villainous mascot in Danganronpa, has died. She was 90 years ancient.
The news was announced by Oyama’s agency and spread on X/Twitter. As of 2016, Oyama lived in a retirement home and was reportedly suffering from dementia. She died on September 29.
Nobuyo Oyama and Noriko Ohara.
She was born 1 year, 11 months, 2 weeks and 16 days apart and died less than a year, 2 months, 11 weeks and 2 days apart.
Close friends until they physically can’t anymore during their lives.
Doraemon and Nobita for 25 years in a row.
Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/hQ2IYAT4Aq
— Daily Pictures of Doramula (RIP Nobuyo Ōyama) (@DailyDoramiPics) October 11, 2024
Before her retirement, Oyama was best known for her role as Doraemon, a robot cat from the future who is often seen accompanying Astro Boy as one of the staple characters of newfangled anime. Oyama voiced Doraemon for an incredible 2,338 episodes over the course of over 25 years before finally passing the role to Wasabi Mizuta for the up-to-date series, which began in 2005. She also played the lead role in the 1970s cult mecha anime Zambot 3, in which she played the main character Jin Kappei.
After Doraemon, Oyama took on a up-to-date role: Monokuma, the villainous mascot of Danganronpa, a “walking, talking, psychopathic bear”. The series gained a devoted, cult following in the US and Japan, and Oyama continued in that role for several games before retiring in 2015.
Nobuyo Õyama, the Japanese actress who voiced Doraemon in the TV series “Doraemon” (1979), has been confirmed to have died at the age of 90.
She died on September 29.
Rest in peace. Thank you for everything you gave to this world 🤍😭#Doraemon #Doraemon pic.twitter.com/beOZptuyv3— Tongor ╭Ꙭ╮ (@TungorMonFansub) October 11, 2024
Interestingly, Oyama was a gamer herself and was a particularly large fan of Arkanoid. Her personal Arkanoid locker is reported to have found a home at Mikado, one of Tokyo’s most famed arcades, and the Arkanoid game is popular on Japanese social media.
RIP Nobuo Oyama, Doraemon’s voice actor 🥀 pic.twitter.com/23APkM64am
— Ry 🍉 (@ventableu) October 11, 2024
Meanwhile, fans on social media paid tribute to Oyama by posting ancient photos and videos of her work, thanking her for her contributions to anime over the years.
“Oyama Nobuyo-san, thank you for voicing one of the most iconic anime characters and making my childhood enjoyable,” wrote one fan. “I will really miss you.”
Kat Bailey is IGN’s news director and co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Got a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
