Yoshio Obara, sound engineer for Summer Wars and Evangelion, dies

Yoshio Obara, recording engineer and sound mixer, died on October 28, 2026. The news was confirmed on their X/Twitter accounts by voice actress Naoko Matsui and director Sunao Katabuchi, with whom Obara worked on In This Corner of the World.

His name doesn't appear in the main credits, but his work is in the dialogue, ambient effects, and final mix of dozens of productions. Obara worked on Mamoru Hosoda films such as Summer Wars and Wolf Children, and on The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

A career between Hosoda, Katabuchi, and long-running franchises

Obara's career spans several decades and very different styles. In the 1990s he worked on Neon Genesis Evangelion, the mecha and psychological drama series that redefined the genre. Decades later, his name appears in Dragon Ball Daima, the recent production of one of anime's longest-running franchises.

In between, he worked on the romantic comedy Love Hina, the fantasy of Slayers Revolution, and the surreal humor of FLCL Alternative and FLCL Progressive. The variety of genres reflects a technical profile that adapted to very different registers.

In In This Corner of the World, Katabuchi's film about the daily life of a young woman during World War II, the sound contributes to the intimate atmosphere and the emotional impact of each scene. In Summer Wars and Wolf Children, the mix reinforces the combination of family drama and fantasy elements that characterizes Hosoda's cinema.

A craft that doesn't make headlines

Obara's death is a reminder that an anime production is a collective effort. Directors, animators, writers, voice actors, composers, and engineers build every detail away from the spotlight. The sound mixer decides how voices, effects, and music are balanced so each scene has the clarity and intensity it needs.

Obara leaves behind a filmography tied to some of the most influential films and series in Japanese animation, from the historical drama of In This Corner of the World to the action of Dragon Ball Daima.