# Fumihiko Tachiki (立木文彦)
**Fumihiko Tachiki** (立木文彦, born 1961) is a Japanese voice actor, live-action actor, and narrator affiliated with Osawa Office (大沢事務所), best known as the voice of Gendo Ikari in *Neon Genesis Evangelion*, Kenpachi Zaraki in *Bleach*, and Vodka in *Detective Conan*, and for his narration of fight-sport broadcasts and variety television.[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/) • [2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1465)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1961, Minamimatsuura District, Nagasaki Prefecture (now Goto City)[3](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html) • [4](https://www.allcinema.net/person/121241) |
| Agency | Osawa Office; previously Troubadour Music Office and Ken Production[2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1465) • [5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) |
| Signature roles | Gendo Ikari (*Evangelion*), Kenpachi Zaraki (*Bleach*), Vodka (*Detective Conan*), Akainu (*One Piece*), Taizo Hasegawa (*Gintama*)[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/) |
| Narration | *Kaiji*, *Gintama*, Kamen Rider Kuuga and W, PRIDE, DREAM, RIZIN, NTV's *Quest! To the Ends of the World*[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/) • [5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) |
| Dubbing | Near-exclusive Japanese dub voice of John Ratzenberger in Disney/Pixar films; also Forest Whitaker, Michael Rooker, Tom Sizemore[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) |
| Award | Supporting Actor Award, 16th Seiyu Awards (2022)[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) |
| Credit totals | 1,340 credits in one database; 392 roles across 352 titles in another; 176 video games in a third[6](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) • [7](https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Fumihiko-Tachiki/) • [8](https://www.mobygames.com/person/188443/fumihiko-tachiki/) |
## Early life and career entry
Tachiki was born in 1961 in Minamimatsuura District, Nagasaki Prefecture, an area now organized as Goto City.[3](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html) • [6](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) His agency lists his birthday as April 29 and his home prefecture as Nagasaki, and [Anime News Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/anime-news-network) and allcinema independently confirm the 1961 date.[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/) • [2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1465) • [4](https://www.allcinema.net/person/121241)
His own account of his debut contains a wrinkle. He has said he debuted with the 1983 television anime *Aura Battler Dunbine* (聖戦士ダンバイン), but the same account notes he had already appeared in a bit part in the preceding series *Combat Mecha Zabungle* (戦闘メカ ザブングル), so the two claims sit in tension.[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) He has been active since the 1980s and remains so.[6](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) Over the course of his career he moved through the Troubadour Music Office (トルバドール音楽事務所) and Ken Production (賢プロダクション) before joining his current agency, Osawa Office.[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6)
## Career overview
Tachiki's work spans four registers. In anime he plays deep-voiced authority figures and heavies; in narration he is the announcer for fight broadcasts and variety shows; in tokusatsu he narrated *Kamen Rider Kuuga* (2000) and *Kamen Rider W* (2009–2010); and in games he voices gruff leads and antagonists.[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/) • [5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) • [6](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6)
**Narration is a second career in itself.** He narrated PRIDE mixed martial arts events, returned as PRIDE narrator on 5 November 2006 at PRIDE Bushido 13, and later narrated DREAM and RIZIN broadcasts.[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) On television his agency credits narration for NTV's *Sekai no Hate made Itte Q!* and *Quiz! Anata wa Shōgaku 5-nensei yori Kenai no?*, and Fuji TV's PRIDE and RIZIN coverage.[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/)
He has also sung. In 2003 he formed the vocal unit 2HEARTS with fellow voice actor [Toshiyuki Morikawa](https://www.edgepedia.org/toshiyuki-morikawa), and earlier performed as TAKADA BAND with Ami Mimatsu, including the *Blue Seed* opening theme "Carnaval Babel".[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) • [9](https://vgmdb.net/artist/4284)
## Signature roles
**Gendo Ikari** made Tachiki's career. Director [Hideaki Anno](https://www.edgepedia.org/hideaki-anno) told him "don't act" (芝居をやらないでください), demanding restrained emotion even though the character was written as 48 years old while Tachiki was in his early 30s; Tachiki has described the role as a turning point.[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) He reprised Gendo through the rebuild films, including *Evangelion: 3.0+1.0* (2021), and appeared as Gendo on the 72nd [NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen](https://www.edgepedia.org/nhk-kohaku-uta-gassen) on 31 December 2021.[3](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html) • [5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6)
His other franchise anchors are long-running. He voices Kenpachi Zaraki in *Bleach*, Vodka in *Detective Conan*, Don Krieg and later Akainu (Sakazuki) in *One Piece*, and Taizo Hasegawa in *Gintama*, where he also serves as narrator.[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/) In the live-action *Gintama 2* film (2018) he played Hasegawa on screen, a role he had long voiced in the anime.[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6)
In games he has led as Yangus in *Dragon Quest VIII*, Kratos Aurion in *Tales of Symphonia*, and Raoh in *Hokuto Musou* (2010).[6](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) A fan poll on Behind The Voice Actors ranks his most-liked roles as Kenpachi Zaraki (26.5% of votes), Taizo Hasegawa (24.5%), Gendo Ikari (16.3%), and Akainu (6.1%), though the sample is small (13 votes for the leader).[7](https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Fumihiko-Tachiki/)
## Dubbing work
Tachiki's foreign-media dubbing profile is unusually concentrated. He is almost exclusively the Japanese dub voice for [John Ratzenberger](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-ratzenberger) in Disney/Pixar films, and has also dubbed [Forest Whitaker](https://www.edgepedia.org/forest-whitaker), Michael Rooker, and [Tom Sizemore](https://www.edgepedia.org/tom-sizemore).[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) His agency credits include Mr. Yama in *Big Hero 6*, Idi Amin in *The Last King of Scotland*, and Lt. Col. McKnight in *Black Hawk Down*.[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/) In games he dubbed Overlord in the Japanese version of *Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3*.[2](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1465)
## By the numbers
Credit totals differ sharply by database, and the differences reflect methodology rather than a single count. The Muzium profile records 1,340 credits across animation, games, theatrical animation, foreign-film and tokusatsu dubbing, audio drama, and other categories.[6](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) Behind The Voice Actors counts 392 roles across 352 titles, and MobyGames credits him on 176 video games.[7](https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Fumihiko-Tachiki/) • [8](https://www.mobygames.com/person/188443/fumihiko-tachiki/) The databases count different media, different credit types, and different deduplication rules, so no single figure describes the filmography.
What the numbers agree on is breadth and tenure: roughly four decades of activity since the 1980s, franchise roles held into the 2020s (Evangelion through the 2021 finale film, Bleach, Conan, and [One Piece](https://www.edgepedia.org/one-piece)), and work in every major voice-acting medium.[6](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) • [3](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html)
## What has changed since 2023
Tachiki has remained active across film, games, and narration. He voiced Vodka in the film *[Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine](https://www.edgepedia.org/detective-conan-black-iron-submarine)* (2023) and Sakazuki/Akainu in *One Piece: Odyssey* (2023).[3](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html) • [8](https://www.mobygames.com/person/188443/fumihiko-tachiki/) In 2024 he narrated *Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura* (範馬刃牙VSケンガンアシュラ), dubbed Dr. Onda in the Japanese version of *ULTRAMAN: RISING*, voiced Vaseraga in *Granblue Fantasy: Relink*, and reprised Rost in *LEGO Horizon Adventures*.[3](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html) • [8](https://www.mobygames.com/person/188443/fumihiko-tachiki/)
The 2025 slate includes Kenpachi Zaraki in *Bleach: Rebirth of Souls*, roles in *Super Robot Wars Y* and *Raidou Remastered*, and わにくん in *Tabekko Doubutsu: The Movie* (たべっ子どうぶつ THE MOVIE).[8](https://www.mobygames.com/person/188443/fumihiko-tachiki/) • [3](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html) Announced 2026 projects include the anime *Akané Banashi* (あかね噺) as Araikawa Zen'ō (阿良川全生) and *Bayside Shakedown N.E.W.* (踊る大捜査線 N.E.W.) as the 長官 (commissioner).[6](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) • [3](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html)
## Reception and recognition
At the 16th Seiyu Awards in 2022 he received the Supporting Actor Award (助演男優賞).[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) His standing in the industry is that of a character actor rather than a leading man: in his 20s he was typically cast as villains and older supporting characters, and he is known for a distinctive deep voice suited to authority figures, heavies, and deadpan narrators.[5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6) The longevity of his franchise roles, his near-exclusive hold on a Hollywood actor's Japanese voice, and his decades as a broadcast narrator are the practical measures of that reputation.[1](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/) • [5](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6)
## References
1. [立木文彦 – 大沢事務所 (Osawa Office official profile)](https://osawa-inc.co.jp/men/tachikifumihiko/)
2. [Fumihiko TACHIKI – Anime News Network Encyclopedia](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=1465)
3. [俳優情報 立木文彦 – Movie Pal](http://www.moviepal.jp/actor/00000003228.html)
4. [立木文彦 – allcinema](https://www.allcinema.net/person/121241)
5. [立木文彦とは？ – Weblio](https://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6)
6. [Tachiki Fumihiko profile – Muzium](https://muzium.kr/en/voice/actors/osawa-office/%E7%AB%8B%E6%9C%A8%E6%96%87%E5%BD%A6)
7. [Fumihiko Tachiki – Behind The Voice Actors](https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Fumihiko-Tachiki/)
8. [Fumihiko Tachiki – MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/person/188443/fumihiko-tachiki/)
9. [Fumihiko Tachiki – VGMdb](https://vgmdb.net/artist/4284)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Voice performers › American voice performers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license