Akira Kamiya
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese voice actor
. He has been represented by Theater Echo, Aoni Production
, and others. He is currently represented by Saeba Shoji.
in Fushigi na Merumo.
In 1973 he played the title character in Babel II
, and then went on to play the lead role in many Super Robot
anime
, such as Nagare Ryou in Getter Robo
, Akira Hibiki in Yuusha Raideen, Jimmy Orion in Mechander Robo
, and Takuma Ichimonji in Wakusei Danguard Ace. Because of his tendency to shout dramatically, he earned the nickname .
Kamiya has also played many playboy lady-killer types, including pretty-boy pitcher Satoru Satonaka in Dokaben
, Godai's tennis-coach rival Shun Mitaka in Maison Ikkoku
, and rich and arrogant characters such as Shinnosuke Kazamatsuri in Yawara!
and Mendou Shuutaro in Urusei Yatsura
. (When Urusei Yatsura creator Rumiko Takahashi
's later work Ranma 1/2 was adapted to anime, Takahashi had Kamiya in mind for the role of another rich and arrogant playboy character, Tatewaki Kuno, but the directors chose Hirotaka Suzuoki
for the role instead.) In addition to this he has also played goofier roles, like Tosaka-senpai in Kyuukyoku Choujin R
and Nyarome in Mouretsu Atarou. Until 2009, he was playing the lazy, washed-up private detective Kogoro Mori in the long running Detective Conan anime
.
The 1980s would see a string of memorable performances from Kamiya, including Shutaro Mendou in Urusei Yatsura
, Suguru Kinniku
in Kinnikuman
, Kenshirou in Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star
), Roy Focker
in Macross
and Ryo Saeba in City Hunter
.
Apart from anime
, Kamiya has done some dub work, most notably dubbing Pierce Brosnan
in Remington Steele
and 2 James Bond
movies (Goldeneye
and Tomorrow Never Dies
).
In recent years, he has lectured at the Nihon Kogakuin Vocational School. Some of his students include Megumi Toyoguchi
, Ryoko Shintani
, and Ai Shimizu
.
movie series and Kenshiro
for the Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star
) video games, Kamiya reprised the role of Kinniku Suguru for the initial Kinnikuman Nisei movie and the GameCube game Kinnikuman Nisei: Legend Chojins vs. New Generation Chojins. However, he was replaced by Toshio Furukawa
for the Nisei (Ultimate Muscle
) TV series and the expanded version of the video game (Kinnikuman Generations, PS2). No official reason had been given for this cast change and Kamiya himself claimed in an interview on Waratte Iitomo
that he was never even offered the roles. Most fans were upset by the change and confused about why it was done. During a February 3, 2007 guest appearance on Seishun Radimenia, Kamiya said that he was unable to play Kinnikuman on those occasions because of the production budget
.
As of the second expansion of the video game (Kinnikuman Muscle Generations, PSP
), Kamiya has resumed the role of Kinniku Suguru.
Kamiya also ceased playing Kenshiro in 2001 and Kogoro Mori in 2009.
(Shuutarou Mendou) and Maison Ikkoku
(Shun Mitaka). She was so impressed with his performances that she personally recommened him for the part of Tatewaki Kuno from Ranma ½
. However, director Tomomi Mochizuki
wished to use newer voice actors (as anime based on Takahashi's works tended to use the same voice actors), so he chose the late Hirotaka Suzuoki
instead (though Hirotaka previously did the voice of Inaba in UY). Takahashi then requested that Kamiya portray Kuno's anime original servant Sasuke Sarugakure, but this too was rejected and Shigeru Chiba
was chosen instead (although Chiba, too, had had major roles in previous Takahashi anime, as Megane in UY and Yotsuya and Soichiro-san the dog in MI).
Kamiya would later appear in two episodes of Rumic Theater
. He did not do any voices in InuYasha
.
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
. He has been represented by Theater Echo, Aoni Production
Aoni Production
Aoni Production is a Japanese talent agency representing a fair number of voice actors and other Japanese entertainers.-Voice actors currently affiliated with Aoni:...
, and others. He is currently represented by Saeba Shoji.
Career
Kamiya made his debut on Mahou no Mako-chan in 1970 while working for Theater Echo. He went on to have a regular role on Akaki Chi no Eleven as Sasuke Yatsume and later co-starred with Kei TomiyamaKei Tomiyama
, better known by his stage name , was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator from Anshan, Manchukuo. During his life, Tomiyama was affiliated with Aoni Production and Production Baobab....
in Fushigi na Merumo.
In 1973 he played the title character in Babel II
Babel II
is a 1971 manga series by Mitsuteru Yokoyama.Yokoyama's manga has been animated three times: in 1973 as a television series, in 1992 as an original video animation series, and in 2001 as a 13 episode television series....
, and then went on to play the lead role in many Super Robot
Super Robot
is a term used in manga and anime to describe a giant robot or mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons, extreme resistance to damage unless the plot calls for it, sometimes transformable or combined from two or more robots and/or vehicles usually piloted by young, daring heroes,...
anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, such as Nagare Ryou in Getter Robo
Getter Robo
is a Super Robot manga series created by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa, as well as an anime series produced by Toei Animation. The series was broadcast on Fuji TV from April 4, 1974 to May 8, 1975, with a total of 51 episodes.- Plot :...
, Akira Hibiki in Yuusha Raideen, Jimmy Orion in Mechander Robo
Mechander Robo
was an anime series aired in 1977 in Japan. There were 35 episodes aired at 25 minutes each. It is also known as "Gasshin Sentai Mechander Robo", "Mekander", "Mechander", "Gasshin Sentai Mechander Robo", "Combiner Battle Team Mekander Robot", "Combining Squadron Mechander Robo", "Mekander Robot"...
, and Takuma Ichimonji in Wakusei Danguard Ace. Because of his tendency to shout dramatically, he earned the nickname .
Kamiya has also played many playboy lady-killer types, including pretty-boy pitcher Satoru Satonaka in Dokaben
Dokaben
is a baseball manga by Shinji Mizushima, serialized in Akita Shoten Weekly Shōnen Champion magazine from April 24, 1972 to March 27, 1981. Chapters of the series published in 48 Tankōbon volumes by Akita Shoten. It was later made into an anime by the same name...
, Godai's tennis-coach rival Shun Mitaka in Maison Ikkoku
Maison Ikkoku
is a Japanese seinen manga written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi and serialized in the manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1980 through 1987. Maison Ikkoku is a bitter-sweet comedic romance involving a group of madcap people who live in a boarding house in 1980s Tokyo...
, and rich and arrogant characters such as Shinnosuke Kazamatsuri in Yawara!
Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl
YAWARA!, also known as Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl, is a Japanese manga series by Naoki Urasawa which ran in Big Comic Spirits from 1986 to 1993...
and Mendou Shuutaro in Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura
is a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
. (When Urusei Yatsura creator Rumiko Takahashi
Rumiko Takahashi
is a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
's later work Ranma 1/2 was adapted to anime, Takahashi had Kamiya in mind for the role of another rich and arrogant playboy character, Tatewaki Kuno, but the directors chose Hirotaka Suzuoki
Hirotaka Suzuoki
was a Japanese voice actor and actor from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture who graduated from Tokyo Keizai University.His best known roles include Mobile Suit Gundam , Captain Tsubasa , Saint Seiya , Dragon Ball Z , The Transformers , Ranma ½ , Rurouni Kenshin , Pokémon...
for the role instead.) In addition to this he has also played goofier roles, like Tosaka-senpai in Kyuukyoku Choujin R
Masami Yuki
, real name Shūji Satō , is a manga artist.Yuki graduated from Kutchan High School. He is a member of the artist group known as Headgear...
and Nyarome in Mouretsu Atarou. Until 2009, he was playing the lazy, washed-up private detective Kogoro Mori in the long running Detective Conan anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
.
The 1980s would see a string of memorable performances from Kamiya, including Shutaro Mendou in Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura
is a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
, Suguru Kinniku
Suguru Kinniku
, real name , is the main protagonist of Yudetamago's slapstick wrestling manga Kinnikuman and a supporting character in the sequel manga and anime series Ultimate Muscle ....
in Kinnikuman
Kinnikuman
is a manga created by the duo of Yudetamago , which is composed of Yoshinori Nakai and Takashi Shimada. The manga was published in Shueisha's Weekly Jump, and received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen manga in 1985...
, Kenshirou in Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star
Fist of the North Star
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
), Roy Focker
Roy Focker
is a fictional character from the Japanese anime science fiction series Macross and the prequel OVA Macross Zero...
in Macross
Macross
is a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West...
and Ryo Saeba in City Hunter
City Hunter
is a hardboiled manga series written and illustrated by Tsukasa Hojo, published by Shueisha in the Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1985 to 1991. The manga was adapted into an animated television series by Sunrise Studios in 1987...
.
Apart from anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, Kamiya has done some dub work, most notably dubbing Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
in Remington Steele
Remington Steele
Remington Steele is an American television series, co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from 1982 to 1987. The series blended the genres of romantic...
and 2 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movies (Goldeneye
GoldenEye
GoldenEye is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first film in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming...
and Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies
Tomorrow Never Dies is the eighteenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Bruce Feirstein wrote the screenplay, and it was directed by Roger Spottiswoode. It follows Bond as he tries to stop a media mogul from engineering...
).
In recent years, he has lectured at the Nihon Kogakuin Vocational School. Some of his students include Megumi Toyoguchi
Megumi Toyoguchi
is a voice actress, born on January 2, 1978 in Machida, Tokyo, Japan. She is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce.-Trivia:* Toyoguchi is the only seiyū to have the distinction of appearing in every anime in the Saturday 6 p.m...
, Ryoko Shintani
Ryoko Shintani
is a voice actress and singer from Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan. She is under the Lantis and Vi-vo Recording Label and famous as the voice of Milfeulle Sakuraba in the Galaxy Angel Series...
, and Ai Shimizu
Ai Shimizu
is a Japanese voice actress who is employed by Haikyou. She also has a career as a singer an signed to Lantis. She has released 14 singles and four albums. She covered Yumi Matsutoya's "Toki o Kakeru Shōjo" as the B-side of her first single "Angel Fish" in 2003...
.
The Kinnikuman Incident
After reprising the role of Ryo Saeba for the City HunterCity Hunter
is a hardboiled manga series written and illustrated by Tsukasa Hojo, published by Shueisha in the Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1985 to 1991. The manga was adapted into an animated television series by Sunrise Studios in 1987...
movie series and Kenshiro
Kenshiro
is the main protagonist of the manga franchise Fist of the North Star by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. According to Buronson, Kenshiro's character design was inspired by the character of Max Rockatansky from the Mad Max film series and martial artist Bruce Lee.In the story, Kenshiro is the rightful...
for the Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star
Fist of the North Star
is a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
) video games, Kamiya reprised the role of Kinniku Suguru for the initial Kinnikuman Nisei movie and the GameCube game Kinnikuman Nisei: Legend Chojins vs. New Generation Chojins. However, he was replaced by Toshio Furukawa
Toshio Furukawa
is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production and is married to fellow voice actress Shino Kakinuma. His height is 164cm. Hobbies are Fishing, diorama, reading and movies.In July 2011, Furukawa appeared at Anime Expo as a guest.-Career/Personal:...
for the Nisei (Ultimate Muscle
Ultimate Muscle
Ultimate Muscle: The Kinnikuman Legacy, known in Japan as , is a manga and anime series made by Yoshinori Nakai and Takashi Shimada under the pen name Yudetamago . It is the sequel to the hit manga Kinnikuman that they started in 1979...
) TV series and the expanded version of the video game (Kinnikuman Generations, PS2). No official reason had been given for this cast change and Kamiya himself claimed in an interview on Waratte Iitomo
Waratte Iitomo
is a Japanese variety show aired every weekday on Fuji TV. The show is hosted by Tamori and has run since 1982. The show is produced in the Studio Alta building located in Shinjuku, Tokyo...
that he was never even offered the roles. Most fans were upset by the change and confused about why it was done. During a February 3, 2007 guest appearance on Seishun Radimenia, Kamiya said that he was unable to play Kinnikuman on those occasions because of the production budget
Production budget
A film production budget determines how much money will be spent on the entire film project. It involves the identification and estimation of cost items for each phase of filmmaking ....
.
As of the second expansion of the video game (Kinnikuman Muscle Generations, PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
), Kamiya has resumed the role of Kinniku Suguru.
Kamiya also ceased playing Kenshiro in 2001 and Kogoro Mori in 2009.
Rumiko Takahashi Works
Kamiya played the rival character in Rumiko Takahashi's works Urusei YatsuraUrusei Yatsura
is a comedic manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi that premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1978 and ran until its conclusion in 1987. Its 374 individual chapters were collected and published in 34 tankōbon volumes. The series tells the story of Ataru Moroboshi, and the alien...
(Shuutarou Mendou) and Maison Ikkoku
Maison Ikkoku
is a Japanese seinen manga written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi and serialized in the manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1980 through 1987. Maison Ikkoku is a bitter-sweet comedic romance involving a group of madcap people who live in a boarding house in 1980s Tokyo...
(Shun Mitaka). She was so impressed with his performances that she personally recommened him for the part of Tatewaki Kuno from Ranma ½
Ranma ½
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an anime adaptation. The story revolves around a 16-year old boy named Ranma Saotome who was trained from early childhood in martial arts...
. However, director Tomomi Mochizuki
Tomomi Mochizuki
, sometimes incorrectly romanized as Tomomichi Mochizuki, is an anime director and producer. He is married to animator Masako Gotō and sometimes uses the alias when writing screenplays or working on storyboards...
wished to use newer voice actors (as anime based on Takahashi's works tended to use the same voice actors), so he chose the late Hirotaka Suzuoki
Hirotaka Suzuoki
was a Japanese voice actor and actor from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture who graduated from Tokyo Keizai University.His best known roles include Mobile Suit Gundam , Captain Tsubasa , Saint Seiya , Dragon Ball Z , The Transformers , Ranma ½ , Rurouni Kenshin , Pokémon...
instead (though Hirotaka previously did the voice of Inaba in UY). Takahashi then requested that Kamiya portray Kuno's anime original servant Sasuke Sarugakure, but this too was rejected and Shigeru Chiba
Shigeru Chiba
is an actor and voice actor. He has also worked as a sound effects director and music director. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce....
was chosen instead (although Chiba, too, had had major roles in previous Takahashi anime, as Megane in UY and Yotsuya and Soichiro-san the dog in MI).
Kamiya would later appear in two episodes of Rumic Theater
Rumic Theater
Rumiko Takahashi Anthology, also known as Rumic Theater, is a collective manga of many short stories. In Japanese it has been published under several different names, at least as and as . Some editions are numbered 1–3 while other editions are unnumbered. Volume 4 currently only exists in an...
. He did not do any voices in InuYasha
InuYasha
, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
.
External links
- Tokyo Saeba (Japanese)
- Kamiya Akira Fanclub - AKKIE CLUB (Japanese)
- Akira Kamiya at Internet Movie Database