Masashi Kishimoto is the author and illustrator of the Japanese anime and manga series Naruto. Because of its exquisite artwork, Naruto has won over a lot of fans and distinguished itself from other television shows.
Numerous voice actors were needed for the global dubbing of Naruto in several languages. This series is more competent than the others because of the dubbing.
With these exceptional voice actors bringing the characters to life in episode after episode, Naruto’s cast seems really authentic. Skilled and passionate voice actors can truly make a character come to life.
Longtime viewers of Naruto may be interested in learning about the other anime parts that these voice actors have played since these roles can be found across the anime industry.
1. Yasumichi Kushida (1976-2023)
Kushida was born in 1977 in Prefecture and was trained at Tokyo Announce Gain Vocation School. Kushida was a well-known and esteemed voice actor in Japan, having provided the voices for several successful animated Western series.
His voice work as the voice of Marvel superhero The Hulk in Japanese dubs of many television series, such as Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Ultimate Spider-Man, and many others, including Naruto, made him especially well-known.
Kushida was perhaps the voice actor in Japanese history who shouted “Hulk Smash” the most, as colleague voice actor Kenichirō Matsuda pointed out.
The talent management company Mausu Promotion released some depressing information on April 10, 2023. He said that Yasumishi Kushida, a voice actor, had died on April 1 at the age of 46. The funeral was private for the family.
2. Michael Lindsay (1963-2019)
American voice actor Michal Linday is best known for portraying Kankuro in the Naruto anime. Lindsay, who was born in May 1963, started his professional acting career in 1979. Over the years, he has contributed to several anime series, including Akira, Code Geass, and Zatch Bell.
Prior to returning to the role in Naruto: Shippuden, Lindsay voiced Kankuro in the first Naruto film. Regarding Bleach, the voice actor brought Kisuke Urahara to life. Lindsay also tackled Joe Kido and Greymon during his time on Digimon.
After deciding to retire in 2012, Lindsay hasn’t been seen as much in the anime world in recent years. Although Doug Erholtz was cast in most of the actor’s parts, Lindsay maintained a unique position in the hearts of fans because of his pioneering work on numerous significant anime dubs.
3. Keiji Fujiwara (1964-2020)
After working in theater after graduating from high school, Fujiwara gained notoriety in the 1990s voice-acting scene. Playing the father of the main star in one of his first performances was with Crayon Shin-chan, and Fujiwara’s career took off from there.
He dubbed Raiga Kurosuki in Naruto. Fans may know Fujiwara most prominently as Maes Hughes in Fullmetal Alchemist and Leorio in Hunter x Hunter. This anime is recognized as a classic in the Shonen genre, and he went on to play other prominent parts.
In the first season of Attack on Titan, Fujiwara played Hannes. Fujiwara’s voice may be heard in almost every major anime series, from Naruto to Fairy Tail and beyond, making him one of the most versatile actors in the entertainment industry.
4. Hikaru Miyata (1930-2018)
Renowned for her excellent voice acting, Hikaru Miyata portrayed Homura Mitokado in the renowned anime Naruto Shippuden and Raymond du Saint-Gilles in Code Geass: Akito the Exiled.
In addition, Miyata performed in a few Japanese TV series and motion pictures. Furthermore, he is well-known for providing the voices of characters in the anime Gungrave and Heat Guy J. He dubbed Homura Mitokado in Naruto.
The news of Hikaru’s death shocked the anime world, with enthusiasts expressing their sorrow and paying respect to the iconic performer. Many fans have gone to social media to share their most memorable events from Hikaru’s long and distinguished career, with his roles as Nappa and Android 8 standing out as standouts.
5. Tomoyuki Dan (1963-2013)
Recognized for his voice work on Naruto’s Hoshigaki Kisame and MS Victory Gundam’s Asher Chronicle, Dan Tomoyuki died suddenly on October 10th, at the age of 50, from a relapsed aortic dissection.
Dan Tomoyuki began his acting career in TV dramas in the 1980s and went on to do voice-acting work for Western films and video games in addition to performing on stage.
He made his acting debut in Victory Gundam as a seiyuu, and up until this year, he voiced many supporting parts. In Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou, his last anime project, he portrayed Honda Koujirou, a struggling business president.
This moment shocked many fans of him, and they gave their condolences to him on various social media platforms.
