Fumihiko Tachiki
Voice ActorFumihiko Tachiki is a Japanese voice actor and narrator born in 1961, and he originates the role of Gendo Ikari in the Japanese-language version of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Neon Genesis Evangelion Role
Tachiki originated Gendo Ikari, the commander of NERV and Shinji's estranged father, in the original 1995 Japanese broadcast of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and he has voiced the character across every subsequent film, including the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy. His deep, controlled delivery became the definitive sound of Gendo for Japanese audiences, framing the character's coldness without tipping into cartoonish villainy. Three decades after the original series, Tachiki was still voicing Gendo through the 2021 finale, Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time.
Career and Notable Roles
Tachiki is also known for voicing Kenpachi Zaraki in Bleach and Sakazuki, also called Akainu, in One Piece, along with Don Krieg earlier in that same series. He plays Sloth in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and works regularly as a narrator, including for the Pride Fighting Championships. Before moving into voice work in the 1990s, he had pursued a career as a blues singer, and in 2022 he won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Seiyu Awards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Fumihiko Tachiki's most recognizable roles?
Tachiki is known for voicing Sakazuki, also called Akainu, in One Piece, as well as Don Krieg earlier in that same series. He also plays Sloth in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Who voices Kenpachi in Japanese?
Fumihiko Tachiki voices Kenpachi Zaraki in the Japanese version of Bleach. It's one of the roles that established him as one of Japan's most recognizable character actors.
Who does Fumihiko Tachiki voice in Neon Genesis Evangelion?
Tachiki originated Gendo Ikari, the commander of NERV and Shinji's estranged father, in the original 1995 Japanese broadcast of Neon Genesis Evangelion. He continued voicing the character across every subsequent film, including the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy through its 2021 finale, Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time.
What has Fumihiko Tachiki done outside voice acting?
Tachiki works regularly as a narrator, including for the Pride Fighting Championships. Before moving into voice work, he had pursued a career as a blues singer.
Has Fumihiko Tachiki won any awards?
In 2022, Tachiki won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Seiyu Awards. The recognition came decades into a voice acting career that began in the early 1980s.
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Sources & Information
This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Dragon Ball 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 Toei Animation and Shueisha.
- Game pages: official box art, credited to Bandai Namco, Atari, and other publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: Jump Comics volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Akira Toriyama.
Official resources:
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