Reports are coming in that legendary Japanese singer Nobuo Yamada, also known as NoB, passed away on Saturday, August 9th, 2025, at the age of 61. Yamada previously disclosed in February that he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2018 and was forced to cancel several upcoming events. His agency, MOJOST, made Yamada’s passing public several days later. Yamada was a popular musician who was part of the Japanese hard rock group Make-Up. Together, the group performed “Pegasus Fantasy,” the first opening theme for the Saint Seiya, known as Knights of the Zodiac overseas. Yamada helped compose and write the lyrics for “Pegasus Fantasy.”
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The song became an instant classic, becoming Yamada’s most famous work. Make-Up would also perform the first ending theme of the series, “Blue Forever,” and Yamada would later return to the franchise to perform “Never” for the Saint Seiya film Heaven Chapter ~ Overture. Yamada would have a luxurious solo career after leaving Make-Up, performing more iconic songs for Japanese media. Besides Saint Seiya, Yamada also performed the opening themes of a few Super Sentai series, specifically GoGo Sentai Boukenger (adapted into Power Rangers Operation Overdrive) and Tensou Sentai Goseiger (adapted into the first season of Power Rangers Megaforce).
Why Nobuo Yamada’s “Pegasus Fantasy” Was so Important
It’s probably hard for some anime fans to grasp, especially those who grew up in the United States, but “Pegasus Fantasy” was a massive deal in many parts of the world. While the song is evocative of the 80s, its high energy and rock instrumental help make the Saint Seiya anime a huge success. Yamada’s vocals effectively convey the song’s enthusiasm, with the singer’s trademark “SAINT SEIYA” yell that opens the track serving as an anime trademark. The Spanish version of “Pegasus Fantasy” used for Latin America was also hugely influential, especially in Mexico, where the anime was a hit as Los Caballeros del Zodiaco.
The Saint Seiya brand continues to have a massive following in Latin America, with Yamada scheduled to appear in the Saint Seiya “Pegasus Fantasy” Grand Finale performance in Mexico this passed March. Yamada was forced to cancel the event, making his cancer diagnosis public for the first time. While Saint Seiya had a strong foothold in Latin America and parts of Europe, specifically France, the series could never break through to the United States or Canada.
There were multiple attempts, including airing an English dub of the series in the 2000s. The dub replaced Make-Up’s iconic “Pegasus Fantasy” with a different song when it aired on Cartoon Network. There were several other attempts to bring the franchise to the United States, including a 3D-animated remake and an English-speaking live-action film from 2023. Neither was able to capture the same success the franchise had achieved in other parts of the world.
Nobuo Yamada’s death is not only a big blow for the Japanese community but also for fans of Latin America. There’s a generation of Mexican fans who grew up rocking to “Pegasus Fantasy,” helping cement anime as the next big thing for Central America. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Yamada’s friends, family, and anyone else deeply affected by his passing.
H/T: Anime News Network, MOJOST
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