Noriko Tobe (戸部 法子), neé Ohara, better known by her stage name Noriko Ohara (小原 乃梨子), was a Japanese actress and narrator.

Career

She was previously represented by Aoni Production, then Production Baobab, but was later freelance. 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 first ever Seiyu Awards in 2007, she won the Achievement Award. 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.

Personal life

Her son is Sunrise animator Atsuo Tobe (戸部敦夫).

Death and tributes

Ohara died after an unsuccessful treatment for an illness she had on July 12, 2024, at the age of 88. Tributes to her from other Japanese voice actors and fans were shared the following days after her death was officially announced on July 23rd, 2024. The ongoing Doraemon (2005) series paid tribute and honored her 26 year career as Nobita Nobi in the Doraemon (1979) series with a mini tribute at the end of the premiere of Episode 821, which aired on July 27th, 2024, four days after her death was announced and fifteen days after she had died.

Filmography

Television animation

Theatrical animation

Original video animation

Television drama

Video games

Dubbing

Live-action

Animation