TOKYO - Death Note voice actor Shido Nakamura has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will postpone work to receive treatment.

That means that the 44-year-old, who is best known for lending his raspy voice to the supernatural character of Ryuk in the immensely popular Death Note films,will be pulling out of a planned kabuki performance next month.

In a handwritten statement issued through his company, he said that the doctors are optimistic about his situation, and that it is likely he will recover as long as he gets immediate treatement.

Nakamura most recently brought Ryuk to life in Death Note: Light Up The New World (2016). Death Note is based on the hit manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata.