Talent agency Ken Production announced that voice actor Takahiro Fujiwara passed away on May 14 at the age of 43.
According to the agency, a private funeral service attended only by close family members has already been held in accordance with the wishes of his family.
The news shocked anime and gaming fans, especially those familiar with Fujiwara’s many deep-voiced and memorable supporting roles across anime, games, and Japanese dubbing projects.
Known for Kurogiri in My Hero Academia and Many Other Roles
Takahiro Fujiwara built a long career as a character actor in anime, often voicing intimidating, powerful, or eccentric characters.
Among his most recognized anime roles were:
- Kurogiri in My Hero Academia
- Kan Jou (Huan Chang) in Kingdom
- Jerome Guizbatt in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War
- Pippin in Berserk: The Golden Age Arc
- Eikichi Nebuya in Kuroko’s Basketball
- Bol Gil Bol in BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy-
- Zenzō Inukai in Laughing Under the Clouds
- Goichi Shima in Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Z
Last year, Fujiwara stepped away from his role in Kingdom due to health issues, with Teruyuki Tanzawa later replacing him in the series.
He Also Had a Major Presence in Video Games
Beyond anime, Fujiwara was also active in the gaming industry, voicing several characters across major franchises.
Some of his game roles included:
- Walter Eckhardt in Detective Pikachu
- Deadshot and Lagase in Batman: Arkham Shadow
- Goro Daimon in The King of Fighters XIV and The King of Fighters: All Star
- King Curlking in The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
- Jackal Mabuza in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Koryu in Hokuto no Ken: Legend Revive
His distinct voice made him especially recognizable in larger-than-life or physically imposing characters.
Work in Japanese Dubbing
Fujiwara also contributed heavily to Japanese dubbing work for international productions.
Among his notable dubbing performances:
- Harry in the Japanese dub of Sing
- Marshmallow in Frozen
- Dr. Screwball Jones in Wander Over Yonder
- Kevin Crawford in the U.S. series CSI
His agency profile humorously described him as someone who loved video games so much that he would forget to eat or sleep, while also calling himself a complete homebody.
The profile also joked that while his appearance and voice made him seem intimidating, he personally believed he was actually “quite cute.”
Fans and Colleagues Continue Sharing Tributes
Following the announcement, fans online began sharing condolences and revisiting many of Fujiwara’s performances across anime and gaming.
His role as Kurogiri in My Hero Academia remains one of the most recognizable voices in modern shonen anime, while longtime anime viewers also remember his work in series like Berserk, Bleach, and Kingdom.
Takahiro Fujiwara leaves behind a large catalog of performances that helped shape countless anime, games, and dubbed productions over the years.
I don't know what's causing so many VAs and other anime industry workers to die so young, but if it has anything to do with stress on the job then we need an intervention right now so this doesn't keep happening.
He was also Dorry in One Piece; succeeded Daisuke Gouri.
Rest in peace.