Kōichi Yamadera

History

Yamadera was the manager of the Tagajō Senior High School basketball team before he made a name for himself. His voice acting debut was the OVA Megazone 23 as the motorcycle-riding Shinji Nakagawa, while his television debut was the anime Bosco Adventure as the cowardly Otter. Yamadera's break-out role as a voice actor was the anime Ranma ½, in which he played the dual role of Hibiki Ryōga and the Jusenkyō Guide. In 1991, Yamadera joined forces with Toshihiko Seki and Noriko Hidaka to form the acting unit Banana Fritters (バナナフリッターズ, Banana Furittāzu). In October 1997, Yamadera became a host on the TV Tokyo children's variety show Oha Suta. In March 2016, after almost two decades, he announced his retirement from it.

In 2011, Yamadera took over the role of Koichi Zenigata in Lupin III media from Gorō Naya.

In a 2012 article by Japan Times, it was mentioned that he didn't consider doing voice acting at first, and was interested in going into sales or being an onscreen actor.

Yamadera's also known for his versatile range, as shown in the video game Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony where he voiced all five Monokuma Kubs, including Monophanie (female). According to the Danganronpa V3 official blog, Yamadera is the first person who came to mind as "the same person voicing multiple characters at the same time". No one has as much "multiple characters" experience as him. He was able to take the individual quirks of each of the Monokuma Kubs and make all of them unique.

Other notable examples of multiple voice acting include the Kingdom Hearts series where he voiced Donald Duck, Genie (from Aladdin), Sebastian (from The Little Mermaid), Beast (from Beauty and the Beast), Mushu (from Mulan), and Jaq (from Cinderella) and the Japan Animator Expo series of 35 short films where Yamadera and Megumi Hayashibara voiced all characters.

Yamadera is known as "the man with the seven-colored voice". During casting he is also said to be called "When in doubt, Yamadera".

In 2011 and 2017, TV Asahi conducted a poll among Japanese voice actors and actresses on "who they thought was really the most amazing person in their profession". Yamadera ranked first both times. In 2017, Niconico conducted a survey on popular anime voice actors and actresses. Yamadera ranked first overall, third among female voters and first among male voters.

Personal life

Yamadera has been married three times; first, on May 23, 1993, to fellow voice actress Mika Kanai. They divorced in 2006, although it wasn't publicized until 2007.

His second wife was voice actress Rie Tanaka, then 33-years-old, and he was 51. They married on June 17, 2012, with a ceremony held in Hawaii on January 3, 2013.

In August 2018, they announced that they had filed for divorce.

On June 14, 2021, at age 60, he announced his marriage to radio personality Robin Shoko Okada, who is 31 years younger than him.

Filmography

Television animation

1986

Bosco Adventure (Otter)

Mock & Sweet (Cookie, mole, man)

1987

Red Photon Zillion (Guardock (episodes 26, 28, 30 and 31), navigator #A (episode 13), Mash (episodes 15 and 16), Nōza soldier (episode 16), Nōza Army staff officer (episode 19), staff officer #A (episode 26))

Bikkuriman (Heikō-oni)

City Hunter (Abe, hitman, skunk, Inspector Fukamachi, additional voices)

Esper Mami (Subordinate #A, pupil #B, director, man #C, Kabi)

Akakage (Tomizō Karakuri, Jōshū-man, Tenjiku Yami, ninja)

Legend of the Century's End Savior: Fist of the North Star 2 (Villager)

Machine Robo: Battle Hackers (Drill Crusher)

Slippy Dandy (Slippy Dandy)

1988

Sonic Soldier Borgman (Dust Jead, Thunder)

City Hunter 2 (Silver fox, Rubāto, Shirozaru, government person, Mosada, Misawa, Akira, Kazama, Master, Schmit, additional voices)

Wowser (Officer Whistle)

Ikinari Dagon (Pilot)

Mashin Hero Wataru (Kurama Wataribe, Bibide Sēkima Tsū (episode 30), Umashika (episode 34), Niō Otōto (episode 36))

Original net animation (ONA)

2023

Lupin the 3rd vs. Cat's Eye (Koichi Zenigata)

Pluto (North No. 2)

Original video animation (OVA)

1985

Megazone 23 (Shinji Nakagawa)

Dancouga – Super Beast Machine God (Abel)

1986

Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos (Velt Zaruck (episodes 2 and 3))

1987

Bubblegum Crisis (Fargo (episodes 5, 7 and 8))

Gai: Yôma kakusei (Guy)

Lupin III: The Fuma Conspiracy (Police Officer B)

1988

Armor Hunter Mellowlink (Borufu)

Bio Booster Armor Guyver (Zelbubuth)

Ten Little Gall Force (Kennichi Shonora)

Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Bruno von Silverberg)

Mahjong Hishō-den – Naki no Ryū (Hiramatsu)

1989

Ariel (Demonova)

Goku Midnight Eye (Coroner #1)

Guyver (OVA) (Zerebuth)

Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato (Dragon King Ryōma)

Megazone 23 Part III (Shion)

Sonic Soldier Borgman: Lover's Rain (Thunder)

Film animation

1986

Captain Tsubasa: Sekai Daikessen!! Jr. World Cup (Ramon Victorino)

1988

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (Gyunei Guss)

Kimagure Orange Road: I Want to Return to That Day (Policeman)

Kyoufu no Bio Ningen Saishuu Kyoushi (Convenience store employee)

1989

The Five Star Stories (Man #B)

Kiki's Delivery Service (Osono's husband, police officer, TV announcer)

SD Sengokuden Chapter of Abaowakuu (Imiko)

Soreike! Anpanman: Kira Kira Boshi no Namida (Cheese, Kamameshidon, Sakasaman)

Utsunomiko (Fisher)

Venus Wars (Jeff)

1990

Sonic Soldier Borgman: Lover's Rain (Thunder)

MAROKO (Bannai Tatara)

Soreike! Anpanman: Baikinman no Gyakushū (Cheese, Kamameshidon)

1991

Gekkō no Piasu: Yumemi to Gin no Bara Kishi Dan (Devil King Child)

Ranma 1⁄2: Chūgoku Nu Kunlun Dai Kessen! Okite Yaburi no Gekitō Hen (Ryōga Hibiki)

Web animation

2006

Intrigue in the Bakumatsu – Irohanihoheto (Sakamoto Ryōma)

2008

Megumi (Shigeru Yokota)

2014

Japan Animator Expo (multiple characters)

2019

Gen:Lock (Kazu Iida)

2020

Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 (Togusa)

2021

Eden (Zero)

Baki Hanma (Lips, Teeth, Tongue)

Video games

1993

Tengai Makyō: Fūun Kabukiden (Mangetsu no Ungie, Priest Mōsufīl)

1994

Emerald Dragon (TurboGrafx-16 version) (Yaman)

1995

Logos Panic

Strikers 1945 (Narration)

1996

Valkyrie no Densetsu Gaiden: Rosa no Bōken (Narration)

1997

Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon (Shunpū Danshin)

Neon Genesis Evangelion Girlfriend of Steel (Ryōji Kaji, tank corps group members, soldier)

Tengai Makyō: Daiyon no Mokushiroku (Kakado, Kyōraku no Sukarubīto)

Tales of Destiny (Karyl Sheeden)

1998

Brave Fencer: The Legend of Musashi (Ed, King Yakuinikku)

Gun Bare! Game Tengoku (Pōku)

Mobile Suit Gundam: Gihren's Greed: Blood of Zeon (Master Pierce Rayer)

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Eva to Yukai na Nakama Tachi (Ryōji Kaji)

Rival Schools: United By Fate (Daigo Kazama)

SD Gundam G Generation (Gyunei Guss)

Dubbing roles

Eddie Murphy

48 Hrs. (1990 NTV, 1994 TV Asahi and 2017 WOWOW editions) (Reggie Hammond)

Trading Places (1995 TV Asahi edition) (Billy Ray Valentine)

Beverly Hills Cop (On-demand edition) (Detective Axel Foley)

The Golden Child (1992 TV Asahi and on-demand editions) (Chandler Jarrell)

Beverly Hills Cop II (1997 TV Asahi and on-demand editions) (Detective Axel Foley)

Coming to America (1999 NTV edition) (Prince Akeem Joffer, Clarence, Randy Watson, Saul)

Harlem Nights (VHS/DVD edition) (Quick)

Another 48 Hrs. (1998 NTV and 2001 TV Asahi editions) (Reggie Hammond)

Boomerang (VHS/DVD edition) (Marcus Graham)

The Distinguished Gentleman (2000 TV Asahi and VHS/DVD editions) (Thomas Jefferson Johnson)

Beverly Hills Cop III (1997 TV Asahi edition) (Detective Axel Foley)

The Nutty Professor (2000 NTV edition) (Professor Sherman Klump, Buddy Love, Cletus 'Papa' Marcellus Klump, Anna Pearl 'Mama' Jensen Klump, Ida Mae 'Granny' Jensen, Ernie Klump Senior, Lance Perkins)

Metro (Detective Scott Roper)

Mulan (Mushu)

Dr. Dolittle (2001 NTV edition) (Doctor John Dolittle)

Puppetry

The Three Musketeers (Athos, Planchet, Rochefort, Louis XIII, Patrick and Duke of Orléans)

Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes)

Television drama

Aikotoba wa Yūki (2000) (Chikō Keno)

Natsuzora: Natsu's Sky (2019) (Yūsei Toyotomi)

Welcome Home, Monet (2021) (Katsutoshi Endō)

The 13 Lords of the Shogun (2022) (Jien)

Anpan (2025) (Haruto Zama)

Unknown date

Doyō Drama: Shanhai Typhoon

The Fantastic Deer-Man (Deer (voice))

Half Blue Sky (Doctor)

Hikeshi Ya Komachi (Higashi Mama)

Jyoshiana Icchokusen!

Kiteretsu Daihyakka (Kiteretsu's father)

Koeharu! (Genmai Odawara)

Koinu no Waltz (Katsuyuki Imai)

Psycho Doctor (Chikaraishi)

The Way of the Househusband (Narrator (episode 9))

Yoishyo no Otoko (Shinya Matsunaga, Narrator)

Sources:

Live-action films

Talking Head (1992), Ōtsuka

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus: G Extermination Strategy (2000), Yama-chan

Minna no Ie (2001), Kikuma Aonuma

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), TV producer

Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), narrator

The Uchōten Hotel (2006), Dabudabu the Duck (voice)

20th Century Boys Chapter 2: Saigo Kibō (2009), Konchi (Yūichi Konno)

Yatterman (2009), Narration, Yatter-Wan (voice), Odatebuta (voice)

A Ghost of a Chance (2014), various voices

Galaxy Turnpike (2015), various voices

Gintama (2017), Shoyo Yoshida (voice)

Hit Me Anyone One More Time (2019), various voices

Akira and Akira (2022)

Shin Ultraman (2022), Zōffy (voice)

Sono Koe no Anata e (2022), himself

Sources:

Tokusatsu

Ultraman G (Lloyd Wilder (Dub))

Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger (Densuke Hamazaki)

Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger vs. Go-Busters: The Great Dinosaur Battle! Farewell Our Eternal Friends (Tyrannosaurus/Zyudenryu Gabutyra)

Ultraman Orb The Movie (Alien Gapia Sadeath)

Kamen Rider Zero-One (Narration)

Kamen Rider Gavv the Movie: Invaders of the House of Snacks (ZEZTZ Driver (Voice))

Kamen Rider ZEZTZ (ZEZTZ Driver (Voice), ZEZTZ Darkness Nightmare)

Sources:

Variety shows

D no Gekijō ~Unmei no Judge~ (Narrator)

Down Town DX (Guest appearance)

Mecha-Mecha Iketeru! ("Bakuretsu Otō-chan" guest)

Mirai Sōzō Dō (Narrator)

Monomane Battle (Master of Ceremonies, Louis Armstrong, Hiroto Kōmoto, Yutaka Ozaki, Scatman John, Kōji Tamaki, Stevie Wonder, Masayoshi Yamazaki)

Monomane Grand Prix (Scatman John, Yūsaka Kimura and Louis Armstrong)

Oha Suta (Main host, as "Yama-chan")

Seiyū Club (Host)

Shall We Dance?

SmaSTATION!! (Guest appearance)

Takeshi: Tokoro no WA Fu Kita! (Host)

Sources:

Radio

BAY LINE 7300 (Bay FM)

Emerald Dragon (radio drama) (Yaman) (Nippon Cultural Broadcasting)

Hyper Night Monday (April 1994 – March 1995) (Kyoto Broadcasting System)

Kōichi Yamadera no Gap System (Tokai Radio Broadcasting, Osaka Broadcasting Corporation, Aomori Broadcasting Corporation)

OHA-OHA NIGHT (Nippon Broadcasting System)

CDs

Breath

Gap System Menthol

Gap System Super Light

Glay ("Giant Strong Faust Super Star") (Doctor Moog)

Allison & Lillia Drama CD I ~Allison to Vil: Another Story~ (Carr Benedict)

Bourbon no Fūin (Adrian Maurice)

Combination (Shigemitsu Hashiba)

Gaia Gear (Messar Metto)

Koi no Shinsatsushitsu 1 & 2 (Ryuuichi Kuronuma)

Mō itori no Marionette (Masayuki Jin)

Monster Maker: Maken Desuderibā wo Sagase! (Marion)

Ōto Ayakashi Kitan (Masayuki Fujiwara)

Saint Seiya (Cancer Deathmask)

Saiyuki (Sha Gojyo)

Shiowase no Katachi: Suishō no Namera Nezumi (Koitsu)

Sound Picture Box: Mewtwo no Tanjyō (Mew)

Special Duty Combat Unit Shinesman (Shogo Yamadera/Shinesman Gray)

Western Antique Cake-Shop (Keīchirō Tachibana)

X Character File 1: Yuzuriha & Sorata (Sorata Arisugawa)

Xenosaga: Outer File (Gaignun Kukai)

Commercials

Anrakutei (Father, Narrator)

House Foods (Kokumaro Curry Stew)

Kirin Freezing Chūhai (Narration)

Kōwa (Narration)

McDonald's (2000, voice) (Ronald McDonald)

Pokémon film series (Narration)

Sonic Adventure (Narration)

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (Narration)

Toyota Ractis (Narration)

Confessions (Narration)

The Intouchables (Narration)

Pixels (Narration)

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (Narration)

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (Narration)

Rockman 5: Blues's Trap!? (Narration)

Dragon Quest VIII (Narration)

Sources:

Other

Anime Giga (NHK BS2) first guest

M-1 Grand Prix 2002 (December 29, 2002, Yoshimoto Kōgyō) (Main chairman)

Sky A Sports Plus name announcer

Disney Channel name announcer

Tokyo Disneyland "Disney's Halloween" (2003–2007) (Narrator)