Takaya Katō (加藤 孝也, Katō Takaya; 8 September 1952 – 27 August 2025), known professionally as Takaya Hashi (土師 孝也, Hashi Takaya), was a Japanese voice actor. He voiced Toki in Fist of the North Star, Kakuzu in Naruto, Vearn in Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, and Donovan Desmond in Spy × Family. He was a representative director at the talent agency Apte Pro until his death.
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Life and career
Takaya Hashi, a native of Tokyo, was born on 8 September 1952. He graduated from Musashi Institute of Technology High School and Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music Department of Arts, where he was a theatre major.
Hashi was originally a member of the Seinenza Theater Company, joining in April 1974 and having major roles in some of their plays. Hashi also appeared in television dramas, appearing in Aoi, Chūgakusei Nikki, Shinjitsu Ichiro , Tengoku made no Hyaku Mile , and Yumemiru Budō .
After voicing some characters in the 1983 anime Aura Battler Dunbine and Galactic Whirlwind Sasuraiger, Hashi voiced Toki, a major character in the Fist of the North Star anime, before voicing Ernest Mecklinger in Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Kurosaki in Patlabor: The TV Series, and Jubei Yagyu in Yaiba. He subsequently voiced Kakuzu in Naruto, James Black in Case Closed, Pharaoh 90 in Sailor Moon Crystal, Donovan Desmond in Spy × Family, and Vearn in Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai (2020–2022).
In video games, he voiced Skull Face in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (2014) and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015), Slayer in Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- (2015) and Guilty Gear Strive (2021) (until Season 4), Yoseph Calvert in Astral Chain (2019), Fugen in Monster Hunter Rise (2021), and Triton in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (2022). He also made posthumous appearances as Takeda Shingen in Nioh 3 (2026) and Doctor Doom in Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls (2026) He also dubbed several characters portrayed by Alec Baldwin and Alan Rickman, including Severus Snape in the Harry Potter film series.
Despite his advanced age, Hashi remained in voice acting during his senior years, and his voice acting career lasted several decades. Joshua Fox of Screen Rant called Hashi a "true anime legend", citing his deep voice and ability to improve even at an advanced age. Robert Ito of The New York Times called Hashi "[one] of Japan's top voice actors".
Hashi served as representative director for talent agency Apte Pro until his death.
Hashi died from a heart attack on 27 August 2025, at the age of 72.
Selected filmography
Television animation
Aura Battler Dunbine (1983), Shunka Zama, Admiral Scott
Fist of the North Star (1985), Toki
Crying Freeman (1988), Ryuji Hanayama
Patlabor: The TV Series (1989), Kurosaki
Moomin (1990–1991), Police Inspector
Yaiba (1993), Jubei Yagyu
Case Closed (1996), James Black, Jun Omura, Sotaro Goshi
Trigun (1998), Sheriff
Outlaw Star (1998), Gilliam
Cowboy Bebop (????), Teddy Bomber
One Piece, Dogstorm
Human Crossing (2003), Aizawa
Fullmetal Alchemist (2003), Majhal
Tide-Line Blue (2005), Cpt. Gould
Black Lagoon (2006), Vice President
Naruto (2008), Kakuzu
Fafner in the Azure, Kyōhei Mizoguchi
Sailor Moon Crystal (2014–2016), Pharaoh 90
Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju (2016), Head Boss
Onihei (2017), Shugoro Hakabi/Kawagoe
Princess Principal (2017), Duke of Normandy
Original video animation
Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988), Ernest Mecklinger
Patlabor: The New Files (1990), Kurosaki
Doomed Megalopolis (1991), Noritsugu Hayakawa
Mighty Space Miners (1994), Noda
Sanctuary (1996), Tokai
Hajime no Ippo: Mashiba vs. Kimura (2003), Kimura's father
New Fist of the North Star (2003), Roushi
Original net animation
Spirit of Wonder (2001), Gordon Lindoverberg
Baki Hanma (2021), Gerry Strydum
Fate/Grand Carnival (2021), James Moriarty
Pluto (2023), Superintendent Tawashi
Theatrical animation
Sekiro: No Defeat (2026), Owl
Video games
Drakengard 2 (2005), General Oror
Fist of the North Star: Twin Blue Stars of Judgment (2007), Toki
Bravely Default (2012), Argent Heinkel
Dragon's Dogma (2012), Daimon
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (2014), Skull Face
The Evil Within (2014), Marcelo Jimenez
Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- (2015), Slayer
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015), Skull Face
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (2016), Gabriel Roman
Fate/Grand Order (2017), James Moriarty
Dragon Quest Rivals (2017), Baramos
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (2017), Auroral Serpent
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (2017), Ace
Gintama Rumble (2018), Sadasada Tokugawa
Astral Chain (2019), Yoseph Calvert
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019), Owl
Guilty Gear Strive (2021), Slayer (until Season 4)
Monster Hunter Rise (2021), Fugen
Tactics Ogre: Reborn (2022), Warren Omon
Live-action television
Aoi (2000)
Chūgakusei Nikki (????)
Shinjitsu Ichiro (????)
Tengoku made no Hyaku Mile (2001)
Yumemiru Budō (2005)
