Voice actor known for dubbing Cherry Maruko in “Chibi Maruko-chan” passes away at 63
On March 09, 2024, the voice actor TARAKO, known for dubbing the protagonist “Cherry Maruko” in the popular Japanese animation “Chibi Maruko-chan”, passed away at the age of 63. The news was reported by Japanese media “Sponichi”, with TARAKO’s family informing Fuji TV and her agency of her passing. The cause of death was not disclosed, and the funeral was a private affair attended only by family members.
TARAKO, born on December 17, 1960, had a long and successful career as a voice actor, debuting in 1981. She became the voice of Maruko-chan in “Chibi Maruko-chan” for 35 years after auditioning in 1990. TARAKO also lent her voice to characters in other popular Japanese animations such as “HUNTER×HUNTER” and was the narrator for the variety show “The Japanese Wife is Surprised”.
In a previous interview, TARAKO had spoken about death, expressing that she was not afraid of it and looked forward to reuniting with her loved ones in heaven. She had also mentioned her funeral preferences and desired to be memorialized through a staged play featuring a script she had written.
Following TARAKO’s passing, attention has turned to who will take over the role of dubbing the protagonist in “Chibi Maruko-chan”. Fuji TV is currently discussing whether to find a voice actor with a similar voice to TARAKO or to change the voice image and hire a new voice actor. As there is limited pre-recorded inventory for the show, a decision will need to be made soon on finding a replacement for TARAKO’s iconic voice.