Isao Tomita, the synthesizer pioneer who composed the score for Tezuka Osamu's anime "Kimba the White Lion" and NHK drama "Hana no Shogai," died of heart failure Thursday at Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital. He was 84.

On Sunday, a message on Tomita's official Facebook page said he was working on a new musical titled "Dr. Coppelius" and that he knew he might not see it finished.

"My priority right now is staying healthy, but I'd like to finish 'Dr. Coppelius' as much as possible so that, even if something happens to me, others could finish it," Tomita told The Japan Times last December.