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The year 2024 brings sad news for the anime/manga community as Chibi Maruko-chan's lead Voice Actor (VA) Tarako passes away, aged 63. This news comes as another shock, following the very recent demise of legendary mangaka and Dragon Ball creator, Akira Toriyama.
This is the second piece of unfortunate news surfacing in the same month. Fuji TV made this announcement on Saturday, 9th March, 2024 with a heavy heart. Presently, the television is undecided on how to proceed once the final episode airs.
Chibi Maruko-chan VA Tarako passes away aged 63
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Reports claim that Tarako had passed away on March 4, 2024 and the news was kept under wraps for obvious reasons. As mentioned above, the announcement was made on March 9, 2024, which shocked the anime/manga community.
Tarako was renowned for being the voice of the popular character Maruko in Chibi Maruko-chan. Beginning in 1990, she held the position for 34 years. Despite having health issues, she continued with her recordings. This served as a source of alarm for her colleagues when the news of her sudden demise surfaced.
Tarako was a native of Gunma Prefecture in eastern Japan. She made her debut as a voice artist in 1981, assigned to the role of a kindergartner in the Urusei Yatsura anime series. She voiced Maruko in Chibi Maruko-chan for a consdirably long time, which earned her the repute she was enjoying in the present.
Chibi Maruko-chan is based on an autobiographical story about Momoko Sakura (died in 2018), a third-grade elementary school student in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Following Tarako's passing, previous Chibi Maruko-chan episodes will be rebroadcast on the network for the time being starting Sunday, Fuji TV Inc. informs. The final episode will be aired on March 24, 2024. At the moment, no one has been chosen as a successor to Tarako in the anime series.
Apart from Maruko, Tarako has also worked as a VA in numerous other works like Fushigi Na Koala Blinky (Mark), Hunter x Hunter 1999 (Melody), InuYasha and Hanyo no Yashahime (Kirara), Mikan Enikki (Mikan), Noir (Altena), Urusei Yatsura (Sugar, Wishing Star in 2022) and others.
In Conclusion
Tarako's passing means the world has lost a talented and loving individual. As reported by Tokyo Hive, she was not shy to lay forth her views and would openly discuss life and death. She found solace in the notion that we would reunite with the ones we loved in heaven.
The message she left for Sakura was tender and heartfelt and it reflects the deep bonds within the industry. As she places down the mic, Tarako departs and leaves behind a great legacy. Her unique voice will forever be cherished by fans.
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