Tsutomu Shibayama, the beloved director who brought Doraemon to life on screen for more than two decades, has died at 84 from lung cancer. Born in Asakusa, Tokyo, Shibayama founded the animation studio Ajia-do Animation Works in 1978 and directed both the long-running TV series and numerous feature films about the iconic blue robot cat. His work helped consolidate Doraemon’s global popularity and left an indelible mark on the anime industry.
