'Doraemon' director Tsutomu Shibayama dies at 84
Tsutomu Shibayama, the creative mind behind the classic Doraemon anime, died of lung cancer on March 6 at age 84.
Ajia-do Animation Works confirmed his passing on March 19, 2026, sharing that he had a private family funeral and asking fans to hold off on tributes for now.
A memorial service will be announced later.
His career and achievements
Shibayama was a Tokyo native who began his animation career prior to his work on Doraemon and went on to co-found Ajia-do studio.
He was best known for serving as chief director for the TV series Doraemon and directed the Doraemon film series for over 20 years, and also worked on favorites like Ranma 1/2 and Chibi Maruko-chan.
Honored with major industry awards, his work helped shape generations of anime fans around the world.