While everyone loves all the members of Team 7 — Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno, there's no denying that their original trainer, Kakashi's handis one of the most beloved characters Naruto series. He initially comes off as lazy and careless but eventually proves himself to be a great friend, an inspirational mentor, and a brave ninja with a tragic backstory, and his voice actor in the Japanese version, Kazuhiko InoueDid an excellent job in portraying the various aspects of his character properly.
Inoue himself is a legendary voice actor who has been working in the anime industry since 1975, and, while Kakashi was clearly the role that put him on the map, he has also voiced many iconic characters in other popular animated shows. From irredeemable villains to heroic warriors, Inoue has demonstrated his talent and range on numerous occasions, with the following eight performances being the most infamous of his career.
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Cars in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Pillar man who tried to become God
This is one of those roles that always blows people's minds when they find out about it. How is it possible that the voice actor behind Kakashi also voices one of the most hated villains in all of anime? Well, that's exactly why Kazuhiko Inoue is a master of his craft, seeing as he helped bring Cars Adapting to life in the 2010s JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 2: Battle Instinct.
Knowing that fact, you can hear Katashi's voice in Cars, but the truth is that Inoue is almost unrecognizable in this role. The leader of the Pillar Men is quite unpredictable, as he can sound suave and charming one moment but become over-the-top and ruthless the next, especially after he basically becomes a god at the end of Part 2. Inoue's performance was one of the highlights of his long-running career, and often remains the strongest voice as a villain.
Yorichi Sugikuni in Demon Slayer
Ancestor of breathing styles
At the complete opposite end of the spectrum, there is Yoriichi Tsugikuni from Demon SlayerThe strongest demon slayer in history and the purported creator of the series' signature breathing style. While he only appears in flashbacks, Kazuhiko Inoue has been voicing him for a few years now, and he continues to give emotional performances as him.
Despite his immense power, Yorichi is a kind, quiet, and slightly tragic man who has made a huge impact on the world, even Muzan Kibutsuji is terrified of his existence, and Inoue's pleasant voice perfectly conveys how lovable he is. At the end of the day, Yorichi, Kars and Kakashi are three completely different characters, which shows that this voice actor can adapt to any type of role.
Toichiro Suzuki in Mob Psycho 100
The most dangerous esper in the series
Although mostly known for his work as Kakashi NarutoIt's safe to say that Kazuhiko Inoue excels at voicing powerful anime villains, which is why he's been cast as one of the most memorable people in the industry. He didn't just paint cars jojoBut he also raised his voice Toichiro SuzukiThe main antagonist of Mob Psycho 100.
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As Klaw's leader and the series' second most powerful esper, Toichiro is an endlessly fascinating villain: he's basically a foil for Mob, who believes he's better than everyone else because he has psychic powers, so the dynamic between the two is nothing short of fascinating. While the crowd is calm and kind, Toichiro is arrogant and arrogant, and their climactic fight scene wouldn't be nearly as memorable if it weren't for the impeccable voice work of both Kazuhiko Inoue and Setsuo Ito.
Faraday in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
A cold and calculating villain with cybernetic enhancements
Cyberpunk: The Edgerunners was a surprise hit that made many people fall in love with the world Cyberpunk 2077. Those watching in English are the only Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring in Bad braking) as the main antagonist, faradayThe same character was voiced by Kazuhiko Inoue in the Japanese dub, and she certainly did not disappoint.
This is another prime example of the voice actor's skill for voicing a cold and ruthless villain that sounds and doesn't feel like Kakashi. Unlike Kars or Toichiro, however, Faraday almost never raises his voice, making him very realistic and, by extension, dangerous at times. This makes sense when considered in terms of the world Cyberpunk This is compared to all the other anime on this list.
Willy Tiber in Attack on Titan
A charming Aldean noble
Kazuhiko Inoue has voiced both heroes and villains throughout his extensive career, but his latest performance Willie Tyber in Attack on Titan He proves that he can also portray morally gray characters in series with complex political themes. He is a charming and respectable Aldean noble living in Marley who initially comes across as quite likable, but he also instigates a military conflict between Paradis and Marley by warning everyone about the existence of the Ramblings.
Like most Attack on Titan characters, he is very easy to both love and hate, and yet, Inoue still excels at portraying different aspects of his personality. It's also worth mentioning that the show deliberately tries to trick the audience into thinking Willy is the wielder of the War Hammer Titan, so he comes off as a bit of an attention seeker.
Delicious Tansu Flock in the dungeon
A wise Gnome scholar
Kazuhiko Inoue is clearly not afraid to step out of his comfort zone to play characters no one would expect him to voice. As a result, when animated customization Delicious in the dungeon began airing in 2024, many fans were surprised to hear his voice coming out of the sad old gnome, Mr. Tansu.
He initially comes off as a smart but arrogant old scholar who has no patience for others, but he eventually shows another side of his personality and becomes very popular among fans, not to mention that he is very important to the lore of the series. As expected, he has the classic “old man voice” that characters like him usually have, which makes the fact that he's partnered with Kakashi and Cars' favorite actor even more incredible.
Happosai in Ranma ½ (2024).
A deformed old man in an absurd world
But Tansu, voiced by Kazuhiko Inoue, isn't the only elderly character; Although one of the most recognizable in his career, Happosai From the 2024 remake Ranma ½ It is completely different in terms of design and personality. While he was a martial arts expert, he is often remembered for his perverted antics, which is a good thing considering this is a romance/comedy anime.
Needless to say, the “perverted old man” trope in anime isn't for everyone and has proven to be quite polarizing among mainstream audiences, but no one can deny that Inoue excels as Happosai. He seems like Tansu at first (older and wiser), but he eventually turns everything up to eleven in comic scenes in which he acts as an annoying pervert. It may be an odd performance, but it fits this character well.
Gildart's Clive in Fairy Tale
Looks like Suspect, sounds like Kakashi
Kazuhiko Inoue is undoubtedly one of the most famous roles in his extensive career (right behind Kakashi). Gildarts CliveOne of the most powerful S-class magicians in the world Fairy Tail. This character is notorious for appearing more often than Shanks a piece During his previous appearances, and while he proved to be very different in terms of personality and story role (not to mention that his design changed drastically in arcs after that), they have a similar voice.
At first, it seemed that Inoue was sometimes trying to imitate the voice of Shuichi Ikeda (the Japanese voice actor for Shanks), but his iconic performance as Gildarts eventually evolved, and now it seems that it plays completely to his strengths. After all, he is a powerful and respected warrior who acts relaxed and carefree most of the time but is known to take things seriously at times, like Kakashi Hatake himself. Needless to say, both Naruto and Fairy Tail Fans can bond over the fact that two of the best characters from their respective series were voiced by the same person.
Naruto
- Release date
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October 2, 2002
- network
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Adult swimming
