Tesshō Genda
Voice ActorTesshō Genda ranks among the most prolific voice performers to come out of Japan, famous for playing Kurama on Naruto and Kaido on One Piece, who voiced All Might in the 2015 promotional VOMIC adaptation that introduced My Hero Academia's opening chapter.
My Hero Academia Role
Before the TV anime existed, Genda voiced All Might for the 2015 VOMIC, a short voice-comic adaptation of the manga's first chapter produced to promote the series ahead of a possible anime. That casting did not carry over once the show was greenlit; Kenta Miyake became All Might's voice for the actual television series, making Genda's performance a one-off piece of the franchise's earliest promotional history rather than a recurring role.
Career and Notable Roles
Employed by talent agency 81 Produce, Genda has racked up well over 200 credited roles across a career built on Kurama for Naruto, Kaido for One Piece, and the Japanese-language voice of Optimus Prime throughout the Transformers franchise. He also serves as the standard Japanese dub voice for Arnold Schwarzenegger, has voiced Batman across numerous animated shows and films, and plays Kratos in the Japanese God of War games, work that earned him a Merit Award at the 4th Seiyu Awards in 2010.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did Tesshō Genda voice All Might in My Hero Academia?
Tesshō Genda voiced All Might, but only for a 2015 VOMIC, a short voice-comic adaptation of the manga's first chapter made to promote the series before an anime was greenlit. When the TV series was actually produced, Kenta Miyake took over as All Might's voice, making Genda's performance a one-off piece of the franchise's earliest promotional history.
What is Tesshō Genda best known for?
Tesshō Genda is best known for voicing Kurama in Naruto and Kaido in One Piece, two of the standout roles in a decades-long anime career.
What talent agency represents Tesshō Genda?
Genda is affiliated with the talent agency 81 Produce and has racked up well over 200 credited roles since entering the industry around 1970.
Who does Tesshō Genda voice in the Transformers franchise?
Genda provides the Japanese-language voice of Optimus Prime throughout the Transformers franchise. He is also the standard Japanese dub voice for Arnold Schwarzenegger and has voiced Batman across numerous animated shows and films.
What awards has Tesshō Genda won?
Genda received a Merit Award at the 4th Seiyu Awards in 2010, recognition tied to a career that includes voicing Kratos in the Japanese God of War games. Born in 1948, he remains one of the most prolific voice performers in Japan.
Sources & Information
This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the My Hero Academia anime series, manga, and official materials. My Hero Academia was created by Kohei Horikoshi, published by Shueisha, and animated by Bones. All rights to My Hero Academia 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 Bones and Shueisha.
- Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Kohei Horikoshi.
Official resources:
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