Hiromi Tsuru

Japanese actress

Years active1968–2017AgentAoni ProductionNotable work
Keiichi Nanba
​
(m. 1986⁠–⁠1990)​

Hiromi Tsuru (鶴 ひろみ, Tsuru Hiromi, March 29, 1960 – November 16, 2017) was a Japanese actress and narrator. During her life, she was attached to the Himawari Theatre Group as a child and then to Aoni Production at the time of her death.[1] She was most known for voicing the character of Bulma (Dragon Ball) for over 31 years. She was also known for her roles as Ukyo Kuonji (Ranma ½), Dokin-chan (Soreike! Anpanman), Madoka Ayukawa (Kimagure Orange Road), Miyuki Kashima (Miyuki), Reiko Mikami (Ghost Sweeper Mikami), Meryl Strife (Trigun), Naomi Hunter (Metal Gear series), Oyone-baasan (Chibi Maruko-chan), and Asuna Kujo (Maison Ikkoku).

Biography

Tsuru was born in Chitose, Hokkaido. In the second grade of elementary school, she joined the Himawari Theatre Group with her sister. In 1968, Tsuru auditioned for Princess Comet (TBS) and made her drama debut in episode 63 "Yokai no Mori". In 1969, she also appeared in the fourth episode "Masked Cemetery" of Horror Theater Unbalance (Fuji TV) under the direction of Eizo Yamagiwa and with the same script by Shinichi Ichikawa.

After that, she appeared on the cover of learning magazines, fashion shows for children's clothing, and television dramas such as Aya no Onna (Fuji TV). Tsuru also lent her voice to Jodie Foster in the American film Bugsy Malone aired on Sunday Western Painting Theater (TV Asahi).

Career

After debuting as an actress, Tsuru graduated from Tsurumi High School in Kanagawa Prefecture.[2] In 1978, when she was a junior in high school, she auditioned for the World Masterpiece Theater series The Story of Perrine and made her voice acting debut in the role of the main character, Perrine Paindavoine.[3] After the airing of The Story of Perrine, she hadn't been a voice actor for two years, but in 1981 she was in charge of the cat role in Ohayō! Spank.

In 1982, after auditioning for the role of Revi in Arcadia of My Youth: Endless Orbit SSX, she transferred from the Sunaoka office to Aoni Production in order to work on her voice in earnest. Since then, Tsuru was active as a voice actress.

Starting in the 1990s, Tsuru started working mainly as a narrator on variety shows and newscasts, occasionally appearing on stage. She worked as a narrator until shortly before her death.

Personal life

She was married to Keiichi Nanba from 1986 until they divorced in 1990. They had no children.

Death

On November 16, 2017, at around 7:30 PM, Tsuru was found unconscious in her car on the Inner Circular Route near Nihonbashi in Tokyo. The car was stopped, the hazard lights were on, and Tsuru was still wearing her seatbelt. She was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.[4][5][6] She was 57 years old. There were no external wounds and no sign of an accident. Police believed it was highly likely she died from an illness. Her agency later confirmed that she died from aortic dissection.[7]

Successors

Filmography

Television animation

1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s

Original video animation (OVA)

Movies

  • Arcadia of My Youth (1982) (Mira)
  • Penguin`s Memory: Shiawase Monogatari (1985) (Jill)[9]
  • Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies (1986) (Bulma)
  • Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle (1987) (Bulma)
  • Kimagure Orange Road (1988) (Madoka Ayukawa)
  • Hiatari Ryōkō! Ka - su - mi: Yume no Naka ni Kimi ga Ita (1988) (Keiko Seki)
  • Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure (1988) (Bulma)
  • Ultraman: The Adventure Begins (1989) (Beth O'Brien/Ultrawoman Beth)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone (1989) (Bulma)
  • Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest (1990) (Bulma)
  • Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might (1990) (Bulma)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug (1991) (Bulma)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan (1993) (Bulma, Baby Trunks)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound (1993) (Bulma, Baby Trunks)
  • Slam Dunk: Conquer the Nation, Hanamichi Sakuragi! (1994) (Sanea Nakagawa)[10]
  • Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (1994) (Eliza Masters)
  • Ghost Sweeper Mikami: Gokuraku Daisakusen (1994) (Reiko Mikami)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn (1995) (Bulma)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (1995) (Bulma)
  • Dragon Ball: The Path to Power (1996) (Bulma)
  • Trigun: Badlands Rumble (2010) (Meryl Stryfe)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013) (Bulma)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' (2015) (Bulma)

Games

Tokusatsu

Drama CDs

  • The Origin of Mewtwo (1998 (Radio broadcast), 1999 (CD release)) (Madame Boss)

Dubbing

Live-action

Animation

References

  1. ^ "Tsuru Hiromi". Hitoshi Doi. Retrieved January 22, 2010.
  2. ^ "鶴見高等学校出身の有名人". みんなの高校情報 (in Japanese). Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  3. ^ "鶴ひろみ - TOWER RECORDS ONLINE". tower.jp. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  4. ^ "Voice Actress Hiromi Tsuru Passes Away at 57". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  5. ^ "'Dragon Ball's Hiromi Tsuru Passes Away At 57". comicbook.com. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  6. ^ アンパンマンのドキンちゃん 声優の鶴ひろみさん死亡 首都高速で意識不明の状態で発見 [Anpanman's Dokin-chan voice actor Tsuru Hiromi found dead on the Inner Circular Expressway] (in Japanese). November 17, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  7. ^ "声優・鶴ひろみさん死去 事務所が正式発表 運転中に大動脈解離". November 17, 2017.
  8. ^ "Hiromi TSURU - Anime News Network". www.animenewsnetwork.com. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  9. ^ "ペンギンズ・メモリー 幸福物語". mediaarts-db. Archived from the original on January 12, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  10. ^ "キャラクター／キャスト - スラムダンク 全国制覇だ！桜木花道". lineup.toei-anim.co.jp. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  11. ^ "ドン・サバティーニ[吹]". Star Channel. Retrieved October 27, 2021.

External links

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