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Unshō Ishizuka

Voice Actor

Unshō Ishizuka was one of Japanese anime's most prolific veteran voice actors, lending his deep baritone to Professor Oak in Pokemon, Jet Black in Cowboy Bebop, and countless other mature male roles before his death in 2018. In the 1997 Berserk television series produced by OLM, he voiced Void, one of the five members of the demonic God Hand.

Role: Voice Actor
Nationality: Japanese
Years Active: 1984-2018
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Berserk Role

Ishizuka voiced Void in the original 1997 Berserk anime, one of the five otherworldly beings that make up the God Hand, the entities who orchestrate the story's central tragedy. The role suited an actor already known for playing imposing, world-weary figures, and it stands as one of his numerous forays into dark fantasy during the late 1990s. He also contributed narration work to the production, a skill he was widely known for throughout his career.

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Career and Notable Roles

Across more than three decades, Ishizuka became one of the defining voices of Japanese anime, best known as the narrator and Professor Oak in Pokemon, Jet Black in Cowboy Bebop, and Van Hohenheim in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. He also voiced Zabuza Momochi in Naruto and Kizaru in One Piece, then went on to take over Japanese duties for Mr. Satan in the Dragon Ball anime and Heihachi Mishima in the Tekken games, succeeding both characters' previous actors after their deaths. Ishizuka additionally became the go-to Japanese dub voice for Hollywood stars Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, and Liam Neeson, and he died in 2018 at age 67.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who does Unshō Ishizuka voice?

Unshō Ishizuka voiced Professor Oak and the narrator in Pokemon and Jet Black in Cowboy Bebop, among many other roles, including a part in the 1997 Berserk anime. His deep baritone made him one of the defining voices of Japanese anime across more than three decades.

What anime did Unshō Ishizuka star in?

Ishizuka voiced Van Hohenheim in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Zabuza Momochi in Naruto, and Kizaru in One Piece. He also took over Mr. Satan in the Dragon Ball anime after the role's previous actor died.

What role did Unshō Ishizuka play in Berserk?

In the original 1997 Berserk anime, Ishizuka voiced Void, one of the five otherworldly beings that make up the God Hand. He also contributed narration work to the production, a skill he was widely known for throughout his career.

Who does Unshō Ishizuka dub in Japanese?

Ishizuka became the go-to Japanese dub voice for Hollywood stars Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, and Liam Neeson. That work ran alongside his extensive anime and video game voice credits.

When did Unshō Ishizuka die?

Unshō Ishizuka died in 2018 at age 67, having been born in 1951. He remained active as a voice actor from 1984 until his death.

Sources & Information

This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Berserk anime series, manga, and official materials. Berserk was created by Kentaro Miura, published by Hakusensha, and animated by OLM. All rights to Berserk and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.

Rights holders

All rights belong to their respective owners.

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 OLM and Hakusensha.
  • Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
  • Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Hakusensha and Kentaro Miura.

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