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Dragon Ball Narrator, King Kai Voice Actor Joji Yanami Passes Away

king kai

Joji Yanami—a veteran of anime voice acting, with roles that span the beloved baseball anime Kyojin no Hoshi (Star of the Giants), Dragon Ball Z, and more—is no longer with us. As announced through his agency, Aoni Production, Yanami passed away on December 3. He was 90 years old.

Yanami’s roles in the Dragon Ball series alone were iconic, including the likes of Dr. Briefs, King Kai (Kaio-sama), and the long-running narrator fans know and love from the original Japanese version. Beyond his run as Chuta Ban in the anime adaptation of Kyojin no Hoshi, he is also known for roles in Gegege no Kitaro, Yatterman, Mazinger Z, and other classic series.

The family of Joji Yanami recently held a private funeral, and Aoni Production expressed gratitude to the actor for all of his kindness. He will be missed by all who knew him, as well as fans around the world.

Source: Nikkan Sports via Kotaku

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