Actor Shuuichirou Moriyama, best known for his role as the titular character in Hayao Miyazaki's Kurenai no Buta (Porco Rosso), died of pneumonia while hospitalized on Monday, February 8. He was 86 years old. His health began deteriorating last year but suddenly took a turn for the worse on the day of his death.

Moriyama was born as Hiroo Ootsuka on July 26, 1934, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and grew up in the nearby city of Inuyama. He worked extensively as an actor and voice actor—particular in the dubbing of foreign films and television—throughout his career, and first lent his voice talents to animation in Osamu Tezuka's Big X in 1964. His television anime credits in the '60s and '70s include voicing multiple characters in Sasuke and Tiger Mask.

In 2012, he provided the narration for Jormungand and Jormungand: Perfect Order, and in 2014 had a supporting role as Shunzou Mamiya in Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance).

Shortly before his death, he portrayed Genzou Gondou—grandfather to the male protagonist, Yuuichi Koyama—in the 102nd NHK Asadora series, Yell. The series ran for 120 episodes from March 30 to November 27 in 2020.

Source: Asahi Shinbun Digital