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Voice Actor Ayao Wada Passes Away
posted on by Egan Loo
Played Higeoyaji (Pompous) in 1st Astro Boy (Mighty Atom) anime
Voice Actor Ayao Wada passed away on Monday, September 6 due to pneumonia. He was 81. Wada is best known for playing Higeoyaji (Pompous) in the first Astro Boy (Mighty Atom) television series. Higeoyaji (also known as Shunsaku Ban) is the familiar white-mustached character seen in many Osamu Tezuka works from Jungle Emperor Leo to Metropolis. Wada replaced Masaaki Yajima in that role for the 1963-1966 series.
Wada also played roles in the Panda! Go, Panda! films, Under Sea Boy Marine, and several live-action special-effects series. From 1967 to 1992, he served as the head of the Theatre Echo group.
Services will be held for family members only.
Sources: Sankei Sports, Mainichi Shimbun