Takeshi Aono(青野 武, Aono Takeshi; June 19, 1936– April 9, 2012) was a Japanese voice actor and narrator from Asahikawa, Hokkaidō. He was attached to Aoni Production at the time of his death. He graduated from Hokkaidō Asahikawa Higashi High School.

Career

Aono was most known for the roles of Shiro Sanada (Space Battleship Yamato), Rihaku (Fist of the North Star), Nurarihyon (GeGeGe no Kitaro), Piccolo Daimao and Kami-sama (Dragon Ball), Kumahachi Kumada (Kiteretsu Daihyakka), Dakuan (Ninja Scroll), Gen Fu (Dead or Alive), Dezsaras (Transformers: Victory), Jinpachi Mishima (Demon form) (Tekken 5/Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection) and Tomozō Sakura (Chibi Maruko-chan). In the live action field, Aono was the official dubbing artist of Joe Pesci and Christopher Lloyd. Aono was also known to appear in the first ten One Piece films. He is also known to gamers as the voice of Dr. Wily in the PlayStation-era Mega Man games, and Colonel Roy Campbell in the Metal Gear franchise. Aono is mostly remembered for his harsh voice for many Japanese anime series.

Illness and death

In May 2010, Aono checked into a hospital for an aortic dissection and suffered a stroke shortly thereafter, thus ending his career as a voice actor. His ongoing roles were replaced by other voice actors.

At about 4:38pm on April 9, 2012, Aono suffered a bout of post-operative multiple cerebral infarctions and was found dead. Voice actress Eiko Hisamura announced Aono's death via her Twitter feed, and video game designer Hideo Kojima stated via his Twitter that he would retire the Roy Campbell character from the Metal Gear series out of respect for Aono. Aono was 75 years old at the time of his death.

Voice roles

Anime television series

1965

1968

1970

  • Bakuhatsu Gorō (Kudo)

1971

  • Animentarie Ketsudan

1972

1973

1974

1975

  • Arabian Nights: Sinbad's Adventures (Blue Genie)

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

  • Ultraman Kids no Kotowaza Monogatari (Grosser-sensei)
  • Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin (Benizakura)
  • Dragon Ball (Ninja Murasaki, Ginkaku, King Piccolo, and Kami)
  • High School! Kimengumi (Seiretsu Zenin)

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

  • City Hunter '91 (Phantom Killer (ep. 5~6))
  • Tanoshii Moomin Ikka Adventure Diary (Commander)
  • Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibōken (Hadlar, Mazohho)
  • The Laughing Salesman (Yosuke Uchinaki (ep. 73))

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

OVAs

Anime movies

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotesSource
1996Tobal No. 1Oliems
1998Dragon Force IIKansuke
2003Tales of SymphoniaRodyle
2007ASH: Archaic Sealed HeatBullnequ

Live-action

Dubbing roles

Live-action

Animation

External links