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Mermaid Forest Screenwriter Shōichirō Ōkubo Passes Away

Screenwriter Shōichirō Ōkubo passed away due to a stroke in a Tokyo hospital on February 11 at 4:30 p.m. He was 63.

Ōkubo, whose original name was Masaichirō Ōkubo, was born in Fukui City in central Japan. He wrote screenplays for the period drama Mito Kōmon and numerous other live-action television series such as Hana no Arashi and Shabon Tama. He also wrote the screenplay for the original video anime based on Rumiko Takahashi's Mermaid Forest manga as well as scripts for the Lupin III television anime franchise, the Ninja Hattori-kun television series, and the Ganbare!! Tabuchi-kun!! anime film.

A service will be held on February 19 in Tokyo. Ōkubo is survived by his wife Masako.

Sources: 47News, Jiji Press