Noriko Ohara, Voice Behind Nobita from ‘Doraemon’ Dies at 88

On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, the official website of 81 Produce revealed that Doraemon‘s Nobita Nobi voice actress Noriko Ohara passed away at the age of 88 on Friday, July 12, 2024.

Ohara, whose iconic voice brought life to the beloved character of Nobita Nobi, was a pioneer in the Japanese voice acting industry. The Japanese voice actress was seemingly recuperating from an illness when she passed away in July. The talent management firm has yet to reveal the cause behind the voice actress’s untimely death.

Following her death, a funeral ceremony was held by the voice actress’ relatives at the request of the bereaved family members. With that, 81 Produce also expressed their deepest respect and condolences to the voice actress for all the kindness she had shown them during her lifetime.

Ohara’s Works and Career

Noriko Ohara, also known as Noriko Tobe, was a prolific voice actress with a career spanning over 26 years. A Tokyo native, Ohara served as the voice actor for Nobita, the lazy but optimistic boy looked after by the robotic earless cat Doraemon, for 26 years from 1979. She brought to life other iconic characters such as Conan in Future Boy Conan, and Tsuyoshi Hiyoshi in Voltes V.

Her other notable works include playing all of the female lead villains in the Time Bokan series, Oyuki in Urusei Yatsura, and more. She also dubbed several Western Japanese films and cartoons, such as Valerie Brown’s role in Josie and the Pussycats, Penelope Pitstop in The Perils of Penelope Pitstop and Miss Bianca in The Rescuers.

In ‘Doraemon,’ Ohara’s role was pivotal. She not only voiced Nobita Nobi in the TV Asahi version that began airing in 1979 but also played Nobita’s mother, Tamako, in the Nippon Television version that aired in 1973. Her contributions to the series, alongside other talented voice actors, helped shape the beloved characters we know today. With the role, she became known to a wide range of generations.

Besides her work as a voice actress, Noriko Ohara was also actively involved in lectures and reading aloud. She was passionate about sharing her love for literature and storytelling with others. She even released a reading CD, which she produced and performed herself, showcasing her versatility and commitment to her craft.

About Noriko Ohara

Translation:

As announced by her agency, 81 Produce, Obara Noriko passed away on July 12th. We would like to thank all the fans who have shown us their warm support over the years, and to the staff and cast members who have worked with us on creative projects. Thank you very much.

@voice_nohara

Noriko Ohara was born on October 2, 1935 and was represented by Production Baobab while working as a voice actress. Ohara’s journey into the entertainment industry began when she joined the children’s theater group Niji no Hashi in elementary school.

After entering college, she took a break from the industry but continued acting and returned to the early days of commercial TV dramas. She also became involved in dubbing, a new type of work. Particularly after her marriage, it became difficult for her to participate in work in rural areas, so she began taking on more dubbing jobs.