Kazuki Yao
Voice ActorKazuki Yao is a Japanese actor and narrator best known for voicing the shinigami Sidoh, the original owner of the Death Note that Ryuk steals at the outset of the story.
Death Note Role
Yao voices Sidoh, the timid, forgetful shinigami whose notebook is stolen by Ryuk and dropped into the human world, an event that sets the entire plot in motion. Sidoh spends much of the story trying to track down his lost Death Note, giving Yao a chance to play against type with a hesitant, meeker performance compared to many of his other roles. The character's search threads through several arcs of the series.
Career and Notable Roles
Born in 1959, Yao has voiced characters across four decades, including Franky in One Piece and Ging Freecss in Hunter x Hunter, and he works as a narrator alongside his acting. He is currently affiliated with the agency Max Mix and is married to fellow actress Natsuki Hayashi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Kazuki Yao voice in Death Note?
Kazuki Yao voices Sidoh, the timid and forgetful shinigami whose Death Note is stolen by Ryuk and dropped into the human world, setting the entire plot in motion. Sidoh spends much of the series trying to track the notebook down, giving Yao a chance to play against type with a more hesitant performance than many of his other roles.
What is Kazuki Yao best known for?
Outside Death Note, Yao is best known for voicing Franky in One Piece and Ging Freecss in Hunter x Hunter. Both are major, long-running parts that have made him one of the more recognizable voices in Japanese anime.
Does Kazuki Yao do anything besides voice acting?
Yes, Yao also works as a narrator, a job he has carried out alongside his voice acting for years. Narration is a common secondary path for veteran Japanese voice actors, and Yao has maintained both throughout his career.
What talent agency represents Kazuki Yao?
Kazuki Yao is affiliated with the talent agency Max Mix. He is also married to fellow actress Natsuki Hayashi.
How long has Kazuki Yao been a voice actor?
Yao has voiced characters since the 1970s, giving him an active career spanning roughly four decades. He was born in 1959 and continues performing in anime today.
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Sources & Information
This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Death Note anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:
- Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Nippon Television and Warner Bros. Japan.
- Game pages: official box art, credited to Konami and other publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: Jump Comics volume covers, credited to Shueisha, Tsugumi Ohba, and Takeshi Obata.
Official resources:
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