Hiromi Tsuru, well known for her voice work for the Dragon Ball franchise as a popular fictional character named Bulma. She recently passed way after she was found unconscious in her vehicle. While not 100% confirmed, reports are pointing to an aortic dissection. Her last lines in the Dragon Ball Super, which the show is still broadcasting, was aired on episode 96, June 25, 2017 in Japan. Toei Animation has not responded on the replacement for Tsuru.
Dragon Ball Super was not only the latest work she was involved in. Upcoming video game, Dragon Ball FighterZ involves Tsuru’s voice work as well. While the game has not been released yet, we’ve reached out to Arc System Works and Bandai Namco via Twitter if any changes need to be made with her passing.
With the wake of Tsuru’s passing, we look back on other voice actors/actresses that were involved with the Dragon Ball franchise and have passed away. Like the actors/actresses before Hiromi Tsuru, the show must go on.
Hiromi Tsuru
Birth Date: March 29, 1960
Death Date: November 16, 2017 (57 years old)
Cause of Death: Aortic dissection
Dragon Ball Roles: Bulma, Child version of Piccolo Jr., Baby Trunks, Bra, West Kaiō-shin, Bulma’s Descendant (Dragon Ball GT), Tights
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Ryūji Saikachi
Birth Date: March 27, 1928
Death Date: September 29, 2017 (89 years old)
Cause of Death: Heart failure
Dragon Ball Roles: Daikaiō (Grand Kai)
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Ichirō Nagai
Birth Date: May 10, 1931
Death Date: January 27, 2014 (82 years old)
Cause of Death: Coronary artery disease
Dragon Ball Roles: Karin, Tsuru-sen’nin (Master Shen)
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Kenji Utsumi
Birth Date: August 26, 1937
Death Date: June 13, 2013 (75 years old)
Cause of Death: Cancerous peritonitis
Dragon Ball Roles: Shenron, Mutaito, Commander Red, Tenkaichi Budōkai Announcer, Porunga, Reacoom, Senbei Norimaki, Raisin
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Takeshi Aono
Birth Date: June 19, 1936
Death Date: April 9, 2012 (75 years old)
Cause of Death: Stroke
Dragon Ball Roles: Ninja Murasaki, Ginkaku, Piccolo Daimao and Kami
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Daisuke Gōri
Birth Date: February 8, 1952
Death Date: January 17, 2010 (57 years old)
Cause of Death: Suicide by sharp instrument
Dragon Ball Roles: King Enma, Mister Satan, King Cold, Vinegar, Porunga, Umigame, Gyū-Maō, Colonel Yellow, Cymbal, Drum, Yaochun, Inoshikachō, Gora, Black Smoke Shenron, Shenron (Dragon Ball GT), Misokattsun, Dorodabo, additional voices for minor characters in series
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Hirotaka Suzuoki
Birth Date: March 6, 1950
Death Date: August 6, 2006 (56 years old)
Cause of Death: Lung cancer
Dragon Ball Roles: Tien Shinhan, Tenkaichi Budōkai Announcer, Alien Announcer, Karoni, Dolltaki, Wû Xing Lóng (Five Star Dragon)
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Kaneto Shiozawa
Birth Date: January 28, 1954
Death Date: May 10, 2000 (46 years old)
Cause of Death: Cerebral contusion following a fall
Dragon Ball Roles: Namu, Tenron, Sān Xīng Lóng (Three Star Dragon)
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Kōhei Miyauchi
Birth Date: August 4, 1929
Death Date: June 2, 1995 (65 years old)
Cause of Death: Abdominal varices
Dragon Ball Roles: Kame-Sennin (Master Roshi), Udoh
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