Noriko Ohara (Noriko Tobe), a multifaceted Japanese performer known in anime circles for providing the voice of Nobita in Doraemon, died July 12 from an illness which was not responding to treatment. The news of the 88-year-old actor’s passing was shared by her home studio, 81 Produce, which shared that a private family funeral has already taken place.
Ohara was born October 2, 1935 in Tokyo, and started her career as a child actor on NHK children’s programs and in stage productions. She took a professional break during high school, where she nevertheless continued to hone her craft in the drama club, and returned to work after completing her schooling. Ohara achieved television roles in the early days of Japan’s commercial broadcasting industry in addition to her stage work, as well as providing localized voice over for imported English- and French-language films.
The actress had her first major anime role as the title hero in Marine Boy (1965), with other early roles including Chiro in Horus: Prince of the Sun (1968) and Ferone in the Hans Christian Andersen series (1971), Peter in Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974), Conchetta in 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1976) and Wansa in Little Wansa (1973), Majyo in Time Bokan (1975), Miime in Space Pirate Captain Harlock: The Mystery of the Arcadia (1978), Doronjo in Yatterman (1977), Hiyoshi Go in Voltes Five (1977), the Prince in Thumbelina (1978), the Narrator in The Rose of Versailles (1979) and multiple roles for Galaxy Express 999 and Space Battleship Yamato II (1979).
Ohara originally played Nobita’s mother in the long-running Doraemon franchise in 1973, later returning to provide the boy’s voice both in the series and in more than 60 movies from 1979 to 2005. Another major role was the title character in Future Boy Conan (1977), Hayao Miyazaki’s directorial debut series.
In the 1980s, she took on Oyuki in Urusei Yatsura, Claudia in Macross, and Ricky in Crusher Joe — characters she reprised across series, movies, OVAs and video games. She also recently brought back her take on Peter from Heidi for a series of commercials. While Megumi Ohara (no relation) took over the role of Nobita after 2005, Noriko Ohara continued to work up to the present, her most recent IMDb credit being the romantic drama Hide from the Rain (2023).
Ohara is survived by her son, Atsuo Tobe, who continues her animation legacy as an animator and animation director whose credits include entries in the Gundam, Slayers, Patlabor, Tenchi Muyo, Lupin III, Love Hina — and even the Doraemon — franchises.
[Sources: NHK, 81 Produce via Crunchyroll, IMDb]
