Original Doraemon voice actor dies at 84 after suffering a stroke
Japanese voice talent Tomita Kosei also voiced other high-profile anime series Detective Conan and Astro Boy.
(Photo: Weibo and Cartoon research)
The original voice actor of the iconic Japanese anime series Doraemon has died at age 84. Tomita Kosei’s death comes after suffering a stroke on Sep 27.
His agency confirmed the news with an official statement. “Our company’s Tomita Kosei (age of death, 84) passed away on September 27 in the second year of Reiwa [2020] due to a stroke.”
The 84-year-old first voiced Doraemon when the anime series debuted in 1973. He was subsequently replaced by fellow voice actor Masako Nozawa. The switch caused an uproar among Doraemon fans.
Kosei also lent his voice to other high-profile anime series such as Astro Boy and Detective Conan, as well as Hollywood films Kung Fu Panda and While You Were Sleeping dubbed for the Japanese audience.
The voice actor was honored with the Merit Award at the 3rd Seiyu Awards in 2009 at the UDX Theater in Akihabara, Tokyo.
