January •
January 20:
Kōzō Shioya, Japanese voice actor (voice of
Majin Buu in
Dragon Ball), dies from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 70-71. •
January 31:
Masaru Ikeda, Japanese voice actor (voice of Yatter Machines in
Yatterman,
General Revil in
Mobile Suit Gundam, Ondron in
Invincible Robo Trider G7,
Jamitov Hyman in
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Maj. Inge Riemann in
Armored Trooper Votoms: The Red Shoulder Document: Roots of Ambition, Huang in
Darker than Black,
Koreyoshi Kitamura in
Death Note), dies from heart failure caused by a heart attack at age 83.
February •
February 11:
James Van Der Beek, American actor (English dub voice of Pazu in
Castle in the Sky), dies from colorectal cancer at age 48. •
February 16: Hideaki Hatta, Japanese businessman (co-founder and president of
Kyoto Animation), dies at age 76. •
February 20: Nozomi Aoki, Japanese composer and arranger (
Galaxy Express 999,
Fist of the North Star,
Akuma-kun,
Patalliro!), dies at age 94. •
February 22: Reiko Katsura, Japanese voice actress (voice of Ikura Namino, Kaori Ozora, and Rika Nozawa in
Sazae-san, O-jirō in
Shin Obake no Q-Tarō, Omotchama in
Yatterman, Sayo-chan in
Ikkyū-san, Kiyo-chan in
Fuku-chan, Harumi in
Dororon Enma-kun, Alois in
Dog of Flanders, Kasumi in
Cat Eyed Boy, Namino Daisuke in
Akado Suzunosuke), dies from respiratory failure caused by aspiration pneumonia at age 89.
March •
March 3:
Masako Ikeda, Japanese voice actress (voice of Maetel in
Galaxy Express 999 and
Harlock Saga, Fuyuka Liqueur in
Silent Möbius, Reika "Madame Butterfly" Ryuuzaki in
Aim for the Ace!, Sharon in
Space Brothers, Hi no Tori/Phoenix in
Phoenix (
Phoenix: Karma Chapter,
Yamato Chapter, and
Space Chapter), Margaret "Marmee" March in the
Little Women TV special, narrator in ''
Kon'nichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables, Barbapapa, and Katanagatari, Chimera Ant Queen in Hunter × Hunter (2011 TV series)''), dies from a cerebral hemorrhage at age 87. •
March 5:
Yonehiko Kitagawa, Japanese voice actor (voice of
Akuma Shogun,
Harabote Muscle, and
Big the Budou in the 1983
Kinnikuman series, the King of Atlas in
30,000 Miles Under the Sea, Anderson in
Gatchaman, Harako's Butler in
Magical Taruruto-kun Moero! Yūjō no Mahō Taisen), dies from pneumonia at age 94. •
March 6:
Tsutomu Shibayama, Japanese businessman (co-founder and former president and CEO of
Ajiado) and director (
Doraemon 1979 anime and
films,
Chibi Maruko-chan,
Nintama Rantarō,
Ranma ½), dies from lung cancer at age 84. •
March 9: Yukie Maeda, Japanese voice actress (voice of Sōsō Mōtoku/Karin in
Koihime Musō, Carlos in
Transformers: Armada, Ino in
Kamichu!), dies at age 52. •
March 23: Shinichiro Sato, Japanese musician and drummer of
The Pillows (provided music for the soundtracks of
FLCL,
BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad,
Moonlight Mile,
Ahiru no Sora,
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer), dies from esophageal cancer.
April •
April 10: Yohsuke Tamori, Japanese manga author (
PopoloCrois), dies at age 74. •
April 14:
Kazuo Ebisawa, Japanese art director and background artist (''
Today's Menu for the Emiya Family, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, GYO: Tokyo Fish Attack, Master of Mosquiton, God Eater, Tales of Zestiria the X''), dies. •
April 24:
Tatsuo Satō, Japanese anime director and writer (
Martian Successor Nadesico,
Bodacious Space Pirates,
Cat Soup), dies from liver failure at age 61. == References ==