The veteran animator of Dragon Ball Z, Slam Dunk, Sailor Moon, and others, Yoichi Onishi, passed away on Wednesday, January 08, 2025. The anime industry is mourning the loss of one of the most celebrated figures, Yoichi Onishi, whose contributions to series like Gintama, Majestic Prince, and Clannad left an incredible mark on the medium.
As soon as the news broke on the internet, fans wasted no time and took over”X” (Formerly known as Twitter) and remembered his incredible work. The news of his passing was revealed by a fellow animator and his friend, Eisaku Inoue, known for his work in One Piece and Dragon Ball Z. In a heartfelt Facebook post, Inoue shared his regret of not spending more time with Onishi before his passing. Here’s the thing Inoue mentioned on a Facebook post,
I was contacted by animator Tomita-kun. He has passed away. Yoichi Onishi, who designed the characters for Hell Teacher Nube, Denshin Mamotte Shugogetten!, Kanon, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, and others, is said to have passed away. He is close to my desk, so I made sure he was there every time I went to pour coffee, but I haven’t seen him for 2-3 days, so it’s unfortunate.
The cause of death has yet to be revealed about Onishi passing, but fans already started mourning and celebrating the work of the legendary animator.
Not know when the legendary animator started his career in the industry, but he was part of successful anime series like Dragon Ball Z, Gintama, Slam Dunk, Sailor Moon, and many more. His most recognizable work came from the Dragon Ball franchise when he worked as an animator for various films, including Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan, Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler, and Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound.
In his long career, he gave 80 plus anime episodes & films combined, including Sailor Moon SuperS: The Movie, Gintama: The Final, Majestic Prince -Genetic Awakening, and others. Even after that, he will be remembered for Dragon Ball Z.
Yoichi Onishi’s Work As A Dragon Ball Super Animator
Yoichi Onishi worked on several episodes of Dragon Ball Super, getting his start on the sequel series in the 6th episode of the anime adaptation during the God of Destruction Beerus Saga. This wasn’t the only time Onishi worked around the Z Fighters long-running story. The legendary animator took part in various lengthy featured films, starting with Dragon Ball: The Path to Power.
From here, Onishi was the key animator for various projects, including Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound, Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan, Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13! , and Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler.
Dragon Ball wasn’t the only franchise Oishi helped to bring to life. His vast portfolio included Fruits Basket, A Certain Scientific Railgun, Haruba-Ke no Sanninme, and many more. Spending decades in the anime industry, his work wouldn’t vanish soon.
Animeking: Summary
Yoichi Onishi was a legendary animator of Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and many more. He animated 80-plus anime episodes and films combined, including Haruba-Ke no Sanninme, Raven of the Inner Palace, and World Trigger. He will always be remembered for the work he did with Dragon Ball Z.
