Kiyoshi Kobayashi
Voice ActorKiyoshi Kobayashi was a veteran Japanese voice actor who voiced Watari, L's guardian and technical support, in the Death Note anime.
Death Note Role
Kobayashi voiced Watari, the elderly caretaker and inventor who supports L throughout the investigation, providing equipment, funding, and quiet loyalty until his death partway through the story. The role called on Kobayashi's gravelly, authoritative delivery, a register he had spent decades perfecting in other veteran and mentor-type parts.
Career and Notable Roles
Kobayashi spent over fifty years voicing Daisuke Jigen across the Lupin the Third franchise and served as Japan's standard dub voice for actors James Coburn and Lee Marvin. He also voiced Bem in Humanoid Monster Bem and the Wolf in the Japanese Droopy cartoons. Born in Tokyo in 1933, he died in July 2022 at age 89.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Kiyoshi Kobayashi?
Kiyoshi Kobayashi was a Japanese voice actor born in Tokyo in 1933, with a career spanning decades before his death in July 2022 at age 89. He was known for a gravelly, authoritative delivery that he used across many veteran and mentor-type roles.
Who does Kiyoshi Kobayashi voice in Death Note?
Kobayashi voices Watari, the elderly caretaker and inventor who supports L throughout the investigation, providing equipment, funding, and quiet loyalty until his death partway through the story. The role called on Kobayashi's gravelly, authoritative delivery, a register he had spent decades perfecting in other veteran and mentor-type parts.
What is Kiyoshi Kobayashi best known for?
Kobayashi spent over fifty years voicing Daisuke Jigen across the Lupin the Third franchise, one of the longest-running roles in anime history. That longevity made him one of the medium's most recognizable veteran voice actors.
Did Kiyoshi Kobayashi dub any Hollywood actors?
Yes, Kobayashi served as Japan's standard dub voice for actors James Coburn and Lee Marvin. This dubbing work ran alongside his long career voicing Japanese anime and cartoon characters.
What other characters did Kiyoshi Kobayashi voice?
Kobayashi also voiced Bem in Humanoid Monster Bem and the Wolf in the Japanese dub of the Droopy cartoons. Those roles added to a body of work built around distinctive, authoritative vocal performances.
Sources & Information
This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Anime based on the Death Note anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Rights holders
- Created byTsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
- Published byShueisha
- Animated byMadhouse
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