Tsutomu Shibayama is remembered for his work on Doraemon.
Animation studio AJIADO announced on its website and official X (formerly Twitter) account that the former Representative Director and President for the studio, Tsutomu Shibayama, has passed away on 6 March, 2026 due to lung cancer. He was 84 years old.
The funeral for Shibayama was held in the privacy of close family members. A memorial service is planned to be held at a later date, with details to be announced in the future.
Shibayama shaped childhoods with Doraemon and Ranma 1/2
Although Tsutomu Shibayama's obituary highlighted his role as AJIADO's former Representative Director and President, many adults will remember him for his enduring legacy in Doraemon.
Shibayama served as Chief Director for the 1979 Doraemon anime television series, which lasted until 2005 under Shin-Ei Animation. Besides the 1979 television series, Shibayama also directed 22 movies within the Doraemon franchise, his last being the 2004 “Doraemon: Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime Odyssey”.
Besides Doraemon, Shibayama also directed the first season of the original Ranma ½ anime adaptation by Studio Deen, which aired in 1989. He also directed the anime adaptation for “Makoto-chan” and “Nintama Rantaro”.
Before becoming an anime director, Shibayama started out as a manga artist under the pen name Hajime Sanjo. He also worked on character design, storyboarding, layouting, and animation in a number of anime series and movies. His dedication to animation earned him the Agency for Cultural Affair Award in 2012.
Just recently, Shibayama's first Doraemon film, the 1983 “Doraemon: Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil”, received a remake that premiered last 27 February.
The anime community mourns the loss of Tsutomu Shibayama deeply.