©Rumiko Takahashi / Shogakukan, Inc.
Nagai gave voice to Ranma 1/2‘s Happousai, Sazae-san‘s Namihei, Hunter x Hunter‘s Netero.
Japanese broadcaster TBS reports that Ichiro Nagai, the voice actor of characters like Hunter × Hunter’s Isaac Netero and Ranma ½’s Happousai, has passed away.
According to reports, Nagai was discovered collapsed in a city hotel in Hiroshima. He was taken to the hospital, but was pronounced dead. He was 82 years old.
Nagai was at a television station in Hiroshima on Sunday afternoon to record the narrations for a television program, and headed back to the hotel after finishing a meal.
Since he did not check out of the hotel the next morning, the staffs has decided to check on his status, but then discovered that he collapsed in the room’s bathtub.
The cause of death is currently unknown, and the police is still investigating the matter.
His colleagues in the industry took to the social networking site Twitter to voice their reactions on the passing of the veteran voice actor.
Toshio Furukawa, seiyuu of Lamu the Invader Girl character Ataru, says that he was surprised on Nagai’s death, and he had just talked to him during their New Year’s Party.
Akira Kamiya, voice of Detective Conan character Kogoro Mori, offered his prayers and thanked his mentor for his kindness.
And the male dubber of Ranma Saotome, Kappei Yamaguchi, told in his tweets that he was shocked in the news and he was deeply hurt by the loss of the popular television voice actor.
SOURCE: TBS News via Anime News Network
