News: Japanese PokeAni voice actor Unsh? Ishizuka dies aged 68

Japanese PokeAni voice actor Unshō Ishizuka dies aged 68

https://bulbanews.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Voice_actor_Unshō_Ishizuka_passes_away

Long-time narrator and voice actor for the Japanese version of the Pokemon anime, Unshou Ishizuka, has passed away earlier this week from esophageal cancer. He was 68 years old.

Ishizuka was best known as the narrator of the anime, as well as voicing characters such as Professor Oak, Samson Oak, Gurkinn, Alder, and several Pokemon, including three of Ash's Pokemon (Boldore, Muk, Swellow), Dawn's Mamoswine, Paul's Torterra and Ursaring, Brock's Steelix and Forretress, James' Weezing and Amoonguss, Gary's Blastoise, Misty's Gyarados, and most recently, Tapu Bulu and Sophocles' Charjabug.

Ishizuka was hinted to have been in poor health lately, due to Keichii Nakagawa (Kukui's Japanese VA) recently replacing him as narrator, with said change of narration happening in the recent Stakataka episode (SM085). Since SM is still ongoing, Charjabug and Samson Oak will likely have to be recast in the Japanese version as well.

A very sad news, it a part of our childhood who has passed away...

Charjabug recast? Pff evolve it already god damnit. With Oak actor dying, maybe that will give them an excuse to replace Ash with a brand new protagonist.

I believe that there will be a hiatus in Japan until a new voice actor will be found. Deepest sympathies to his family.

Very sad news indeed. I'm more familiar with him as being the voice of Kizaru in One Piece, who is a character I really love.

CodeHelmet said:

Charjabug recast? Pff evolve it already god damnit. With Oak actor dying, maybe that will give them an excuse to replace Ash with a brand new protagonist.

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I doubt it. If Giovanni's VA dying wasn't enough to kick JJM off the show, Oak's VA dying probably won't kick Ash off, either, let alone replace him.

CodeHelmet said:

With Oak actor dying, maybe that will give them an excuse to replace Ash with a brand new protagonist.

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I hope this is sarcasm, because it literally makes no sense for them to replace Ash just because of Oak's voice actor dying. There's like no correlation whatsoever between the two scenarios.

Quiji said:

I hope this is sarcasm, because it literally makes no sense for them to replace Ash just because of Oak's voice actor dying. There's like no correlation whatsoever between the two scenarios.

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Not to mention they didn't even replace Team Rocket after Battle Frontier regarding a similar situation involving Giovanni's VA. If they can't even do that with Team Rocket, they certainly aren't going to do it with Ash.

CodeHelmet said:

Charjabug recast? Pff evolve it already god damnit. With Oak actor dying, maybe that will give them an excuse to replace Ash with a brand new protagonist.

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Unfortunately, I don't see any hint of Charjabug evolving anytime soon.

But this shouldn't be an excuse to retire Ash as protagonist, unless if the anime was to undergo a total reboot. Hirotaka Suzuoka passed away in 2006 when Battle Frontier was still going, and Giovanni was eventually recast with Kenta Miyake when DP started.

Professor Oak is a very iconic character in Pokemon, so a recast is very much happening. As for Samson Oak, who Ishizuka also voiced, I could see Samson being absent for a few episodes so that the anime staff get time to find a replacement. Episodes going on hiatus could also be possible, but then it could face being rushed next year due to 8th Gen's impending release.

Both Oaks haven't made a huge appearance except for at the start, so I don't think there will be a hiatus, not to mention October is probably the end of the current Japanese season. Especially since they film a large amount of episodes at a given time. They are probably already half done with the final season of sun and moon anime. So they will probably recast and start with a new VA in the next SM Japanese season and go back and just re record Oak's parts.

Extremely sad news. It's heartbreaking to lose such an iconic voice, especially for me who sticks solely to the original Japanese version of the anime. Condolences to his family =(

Sheep said:

Extremely sad news. It's heartbreaking to lose such an iconic voice, especially for me who sticks solely to the original Japanese version of the anime. Condolences to his family =(

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You've never watched an ounce of the English dub? As for recasting, it will have to be done but my point regarding Ash was largely my disgust at the current version of Ash. I thought his Unova variant was atrocious with regards to maturity and competency but this one... makes me puke inside at times.

Of course I have; I grew up with the English version and spent over a decade watching it, but nowadays I prefer the original for multiple reasons. This isn't the thread to discuss that, though.

This is difficult to swallow when I'm caught in between my country's celebration and sad news like this at the same time, not to mention that Prof. Oak's Japanese voice actor is iconic for those who likes to watch in Japanese language (myself included), so condolences to Ishizuka-san's family.

It just now hit me that even dub viewers have heard Mr. Ishizuka's voice since he voiced Brock's Onix, Ash's Kingler, and a bunch of other Pokemon that kept their Japanese voices. It's like his vocal talent transcended borders.