One of the oldest voices in Japanese entertainment, Genzo Wakayama, passed away on May 18 at the age of 88.
According to Japanese media such as Asahi Shimbun Y Nikkan Sports, the veteran seiyuu and radio host would have died at his home, where his relatives held a private funeral service. Sources reveal that the family has not planned a public ceremony for their fans.
Renowned for his deep tone of voice, he was the voice of numerous instances for renowned Hollywood actors such as Sean Connery in multiple roles, from his classic James Bond films onwards. In the same vein, he dubbed Peter Graves as Jim Phelps on the legendary Mission Impossible series in the 1980s.
In the anime field, their roles were generally for support characters, always in the mature, serious and intense character style, such as their participation in Doraemon as the Devil and in the 1978 Treasure Island anime (Takarajima) , like Captain Long John Silver.
However, his longest-running role was as an announcer on the programs Otsukaresama 5-Ji Desu and its direct and custom successor Wakayama Genzō no Tokyo Dial 954 on TBS Radio for more than 22 years. A brand in Japanese entertainment that is likely to last for years to come.
Veterans of the world of dubbing, voice over and television have had their games in recent months, due both to the nature itself and the conditions that the pandemic has imposed. With populations of advanced ages being among the most at risk, care in Japan has been complex due to the high sector of its citizens in those ages.
Although Genzo Wakayama was not reported as a victim of COVID-19, it is important to bear in mind that the elderly are one of the most vulnerable populations in the world to this disease and that care should be maximized, even in the presence of the vaccine in many places of the world.
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