Naruto & Bleach Executive Producer, Pierrot founder Yuji Nunokawa passes away at 75

On Monday, December 26, Studio Pierrot reported that Naruto & Bleach Executive Producer and anime industry icon, Yuji Nunokawa, suddenly passed away at the age of 75 on December 25, 2022.

He was best known as the Founder of Studio Pierrot, former chairman, and Supreme Adviser of the company. During his career, he helped establish many initiatives, including The Association of Japanese Animations collective.

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Studio Pierrot Founder Yuji Nunokawa passes away at 75

Studio Pierrot founder Yuji Nunokawa suddenly passed away at the age of 75 on Sunday, December 25, 2022. The same was announced by Naruto & Bleach's animation company Studio Pierrot’s official Twitter account.

Studio Pierrot gave their utmost respect to their former Supreme Adviser as they conveyed how everyone in the organization will sorely miss his leadership, commitment, and passion.

While the cause of death wasn't revealed, the studio stated that Nunokawa’s family will hold a private funeral for the icon with close family and friends in attendance. Meanwhile, Studio Pierrot will have a party in his honor later.

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Fans share their thoughts on the sad demise

Screenshot of a tweet replying to Studio Pierrot's tweet (Image via Sportskeeda/Twitter)

Fans of Yuji Nunokawa's work instantly headed to the tweet as they expressed their remorse due to the sad demise of the Studio Pierrot founder. While some fans thanked the former Chairman for his contributions to anime, such as Urusei Yatsura, Osomatsu-kun, and Creamy Mami, others thanked him for his work in Gekisō! Ruben Kaiser.

Meanwhile, some people on Twitter expressed how surprised they were by the news, as one fan revealed how they had seen him recently during Creamy Mami's 40th-anniversary event, during which the founder seemed fine, thus, the news left them puzzled.

Another fan expressed how 75 was still an early age for Yuji Nunokawa to pass away and prayed that he rest in peace.

It is truly a sad day for anime fans as even the new anime fans who started following the latest Studio Pierrot anime like Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, also expressed their condolences over the sad passing away of the former chairman.

Anime other than Urusei Yatsura, Naruto, Bleach, and Creamy Mami, in which Yuji Nunokawa worked, are some of the best hits by Studio Pierrot, such as Yu Yu Hakusho, Tokyo Mew Mew, Great Teacher Onizuka, and Kimagure Orange Road.

After losing such a valuable asset, hopefully, the studio will soon recover and produce more incredible works in the former Supreme Adviser's memory.