Noriko Ohara
Japanese actress (1935–2024)
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Noriko Tobe (戸部 法子, Tobe Noriko; October 2, 1935 – July 12, 2024), née Ohara, better known by her stage name Noriko Ohara (小原 乃梨子, Ohara Noriko), was a Japanese actress and narrator.[2]
Noriko Ohara | |
|---|---|
小原 乃梨子 | |
 | |
| Born | Noriko Tobe (戸部 法子) October 2, 1935 |
| Died | July 12, 2024 (aged 88) |
| Other name | Nokko[1] |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1955–2024 |
| Agent | 81 Produce |
| Notable credit(s) | Doraemon as Nobita Nobi Time Bokan as Majo Yatterman and its 2008 remake as Doronjo Zenderman as Muujo Rescueman as Atasha Yattodetaman as Mirengo-hime Gyakuten! Ippatsuman as Mun-Mun Itadakiman as Yan-Yan Time Bokan 2000: Kaitou Kiramekiman as Ruuju Future Boy Conan as Conan Heidi, Girl of the Alps as Peter Wacky Races as Penelope Pitstop Urusei Yatsura as Oyuki Super Dimension Fortress Macross as Claudia LaSalle |
| Spouse | Shinichi Tobe |
| Children | Atsuo Tobe |
| Website | www |
Career
She was previously represented by Aoni Production, then Production Baobab, but was later freelance.[3]
She is best known for the roles of Nobita Nobi (Doraemon), all of the female lead villains in the Time Bokan series (including Doronjo in both the original Yatterman and its remake), Conan (Future Boy Conan), Peter (Heidi, Girl of the Alps), Penelope Pitstop (Wacky Races), Oyuki (Urusei Yatsura), and Claudia LaSalle (Super Dimension Fortress Macross).
In the 1st Seiyu Awards in 2007, she won the Achievement Award.[4] In the 7th Seiyu Awards in 2013, she won the Synergy Award for maximizing the appeal of voice-acting in a work as a whole.[5]
Personal life
Her son is Sunrise animator Atsuo Tobe (戸部敦夫, Tobe Atsuo).
Death
Ohara died following an unsuccessful illness treatment on July 12, 2024, at the age of 88.[6][7]
Earlier that same year in March, she attended an event for acquaintances, and the next month, she had met up with Eiko Yamada, Sachiko Chijimatsu, and Mari Shimizu.[8][9] In June, she met up again with Yamada.[9][10] But according to close friend and Doraemon co-star Michiko Nomura, Ohara had been secretly battling an illness for the past few years and started living at a care facility.[11]
The news of her death was officially announced by her agency 81 Produce on July 23.[6][7]
Tributes
Several tributes and condolences from fans, voice actors, colleagues, and entertainment industry figures were shared in the days following the announcement of her death.[12][13]
At the end of the broadcast of Doraemon on July 27, 2024, a video with a eulogy message for Ohara was played featuring scenes with her voice as Nobita.[14][15]
In October 2024, the "Noriko Ohara Farewell Ceremony", was held. Her son Atsuo Tobe was the representative organizer.[16] Those in attendance included Nomura,[17] Wasabi Mizuta, Yumi Kakazu,[18] Michio Hazama, and Yū Mizushima.[19] At the start of the service, footage from the anime she appeared in as a voice actress, including Doraemon, alongside the theme songs from each, were played, with flowers laid all around.[20]
In March 2025, she and Doraemon co-star Nobuyo Ōyama posthumously received the "Special Award from the Chairman" in the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize for "outstanding contributions and outstanding results in the film industry over many years".[21][22]
Filmography
Television animation
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Astro Boy | Additional voice | ||
| 1964 | Wolf Boy Ken | Additional voice | ||
| 1965 | Dolphin Prince | Dolphin Prince | Lead role | [23] |
| W3 | Additional voice | |||
| 1966 | Harris no Kaze | Megane | [24][25] | |
| 1966 | Hang On! Marine Kid | Marine Kid | Lead role | [26] |
| 1967 | Sally the Witch | Ken Kanagawa | ||
| Gokū no Daibōken | Mimi | |||
| Donkikko | Ayame | [27] | ||
| 1968 | GeGeGe no Kitarō | Additional voice | [28] | |
| 1969 | Attack No. 1 | Cathy | ||
| Undersea Boy Marine | Marine Boy, Carmen (Fake Marine) | Lead role | [29][30] | |
| Ninpu Kamui Gaiden | Santa | [31] | ||
| The Genie Family | Rumiko Tachibana | |||
| Moomin | Additional voice | |||
| 1970 | Sazae-san | Kōichi Ishida | ||
| 1971 | Andersen Stories | Ferone the Ice Maiden | ||
| Kunimatsu-sama no Otōridai | Megane | [32][33] | ||
| GeGeGe no Kitarō | Additional voice | |||
| Genius Bakabon | Additional voice | |||
| Marvelous Melmo | Maruko, female officer | |||
| 1972 | The Gutsy Frog | Mom | [34] | |
| Hazedon | Tabou | [35][36] | ||
| Mazinger Z | Additional voice | |||
| 1973 | Zero Tester | Hiroshi | [37][38] | |
| Doraemon | Tamako Nobi | [39][40] | ||
| Babel II | Additional voice | |||
| Bōken Korobokkuru | Love Love | [41] | ||
| Wansa-kun | Wansa | Lead role | [42][43] | |
| 1974 | Alps no Shōjo Heidi | Peter | [44] | |
| 1975 | Arabian Nights: Sinbad's Adventures | Sinbad | [45][46] | |
| Time Bokan | Majo, Sinbad | [47][48] | ||
| Maya the Honey Bee | Ifui, Merry | |||
| La Seine no Hoshi | Catherine | |||
| 1976 | Dino Mech Gaiking | Erica | ||
| 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother | Concetta | [49] | ||
| Machine Hayabusa | Mary Wells | |||
| Little Lulu and Her Little Friends | Wilbur, Martha | [50] | ||
| 1977 | Nobody's Boy: Remi | Mattia | [51][52] | |
| Ippatsu Kanta-kun | Shōgo, Bob Kent | |||
| Voltes V | Hiyoshi Goh, Ri Katherine | [53][54] | ||
| Temple the Balloonist | Sammy | episode 14 | ||
| Yatterman | Doronjo | [55][56] | ||
| UFO Robot Grendizer | Rubina | |||
| 1978 | Space Pirate Captain Harlock | Miime, President | [57][58] | |
| Space Battleship Yamato II | Savellah (Invidia), Jiro Shima | [59][60] | ||
| Starzinger | Beramis | [61][62] | ||
| Future Boy Conan | Conan | Lead role | [63][64] | |
| Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3 | Jeera | |||
| Lupin the 3rd Part II | Emanuelle Poirot, Bolonco | Emanuelle Poirot in episode 52, Bolonco in episode 72 | ||
| 1979 | The Adventures of Marco Polo | Boy, Raja's son | ||
| Galaxy Express 999 | Ryūzu, Maetal of Mud | [65] | ||
| The Ultraman | Takashi | |||
| Zenderman | Muujo | [66][67] | ||
| Doraemon | Nobita Nobi, Young Nobisuke Nobi, Nobisuke Nobi Jr. | [68][69] | ||
| Daikyōryū Jidai | Additional voice | television film | [70] | |
| 1980 | Space Emperor God Sigma | Shota Kasuga, Supreme Commander Teral | [71][72] | |
| Rescueman | Atasha | [73][74] | ||
| Astro Boy | Rug | |||
| 1981 | Urusei Yatsura | Oyuki | [75] | |
| Belle and Sebastian | Sebastian | Lead role | [76] | |
| Yattodetaman | Mirenjo-hime, Do-Re-Mi Otama A, Doronjo | [77][78] | ||
| 1982 | Gyakuten! Ippatsuman | Mun-Mun | [79] | |
| Songoku Flies Over Silk Road!! | Female Rakshasa | [80] | ||
| Esteban: Child of the Sun | Roca | |||
| Dash Kappei | Marilyn | |||
| The Super Dimension Fortress Macross | Claudia LaSalle, Narrator | [81] | ||
| Don Dracula | Advisor | |||
| Tokimeki Tonight | Sheila Eto | |||
| 1983 | Itadakiman | Yan-Yan, Dark Angel | [82] | |
| Genesis Climber Mospeada | Refless | [83] | ||
| 1984 | Cat's Eye 2 | Yuuki Tamao | ||
| 1985 | Choriki Robo Galatt | Kounetsu | ||
| 1987 | Doteraman | Misao Suzuki | ||
| 1989 | The Laughing Salesman | Kanako/Landlady | episode 99 | |
| 1990 | The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee | Nococo | ||
| 1991 | Let's Go! Anpanman | Black Rose Queen, Ice Queen | First voice | |
| 1993 | Salad Juu Yuushi Tomatoman | Queen Butterfly | ||
| 1998 | Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden | Dark Baaya | ||
| 1999 | The Legend of the End of the Era: Wonderful Tatsunoko Land -The Flying Saucer Alien UBO- | Doronjo, Muujo | ||
| 2000 | Time Bokan 2000: Kaitou Kiramekiman | Ruuju, Doronjo, Majo | [84][85] | |
| 2003 | KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops | Sakura | ||
| 2006 | The Snow Queen | Wind User | ||
| 2008 | Yatterman | Doronjo | [86][87] | |
| 2011 | Nichijou - My Ordinary Life | Apartment building, narration | episode 4 | |
| 2015 | Yatterman Night | Doronjo | episode 12 | [88] |
Theatrical animation
Original video animation (OVA)
Television dramas
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Doraemon, Becoming a Mother ~The Story of Nobuyo Ōyama~ | Narration, herself | Portrayed in drama segments by Tsubaki Nekoze | [164][165][166] |
Video games
| Year | Series | Role | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Gunbird | Rouge | Arcade | |
| 1998 | Gunbird 2 | Shark | Arcade | |
| 2008 | Tatsunoko vs. Capcom | Doronjo | Arcade, Wii |
Dubbing
Live-action
| Title | Role | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Golden Men | Giorgia (Rossana Podestà) | 1982 TV Tokyo edition | [167] |
| Frankenstein Created Woman | Christina Kleve (Susan Denberg) | 1970 TV Asahi edition | [168] |
| Queen Kong | Luce Habit (Rula Lenska) | 2001 Japanese edition | [169] |
| Frankenstein's Army | Sacha (Luke Newberry) | [170] | |
Animation
| Title | Role | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbo | Elephant Giddy (Dorothy Scott) | 1978 TBS Television version | |
| Wacky Races | Penelope Pitstop (Janet Waldo) | ||
| The Perils of Penelope Pitstop | Penelope Pitstop (Janet Waldo) | ||
| Josie and the Pussycats | Valerie Brown (Barbara Pariot) | ||
| The Rescuers | Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) | 2000 Japanese version | |
| Barbapapa | Barbamama, Other female characters, Narration (Ricet Barrier) | 1977 TV Tokyo version | [171] |
| The Rescuers Down Under | Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) | 1996 Japanese version | [172] |
| A Close Shave | Wendolene Ramsbottom (Anne Reid) | 1998 NHK version | [173] |
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1st Seiyu Awards | Achievement Award | Honored | [4] |
| 2013 | 7th Seiyu Awards | Synergy Award | Honored | [5] |
| 2025 | 48th Japan Academy Film Prize | Special Award from the Chairman | Honored | [21][22] |
