Ichiro Nagai passes at 82.

[CrazyDude]

Ichiro Nagai, the voice actor of Sazae-sans Namihei and Ranma ½s Happosai, died Monday. He was 82.

Nagai was at a Hiroshima television station to record a programs narration Sunday afternoon. After finishing a meal, he stayed at a hotel in the city. Since he did not leave his room by checkout time the next morning, the hotel staff went in to check on his status, and discovered him collapsed in the bathtub. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Nagais agency Aoni Production reported that the cause of death was ischemic heart disease or coronary artery disease.

Nagais many voice roles include Konakii-jiji in several versions of Gegege no Kitaro, Dr Sakezo Sado in Space Battleship Yamato (Star Blazers), the narrator in the first Mobile Suit Gundam series and movies, Jigoro Inokuma in Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl, Karin-Sama and Tsuru Sennin in Dragon Ball, Netero in the ongoing Hunter x Hunter anime, Cherry in Urusei Yatsura, Professor Amamori in Queen Millennia, Dr Reichwein in Monster, and Mito in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. He had just played the old man at the Phantom Ramen Shop in the second episode of Space Dandy. In live-action films, he voiced Dumbledore in the Japanese dub of the Harry Potter films and Yoda in the Star Wars films.

RIP, and thx for all the memories.

[antibiotictab]

No matter how much I may say, I can't explain how well his voices are known among the people in Japan.

We have grown up with the characters he played, especially Isono Namihei. And of course, Machida Sensei, Cherry, and so on.

He also was a narrator of Jouhou 7 Days News Caster recently.

Thank you so much, Nagai-san.

RIP

Edited January 29, 2014 by antibiotictab

[CrazyDude]

Floored me too. Only been here for 17yrs but watched anime in Europe since age 6(many decades as go), wife was also involved in the Industry and was a junior at animator school to some big names.

Too many good talents have passed over the last fees years, like the voice of Raoul, etc.