Voice Actor Takahiro Fujiwara Dies at 43, Colleagues Pay Tribute
The breadth of tributes from game publishers, anime production committees, and dozens of fellow voice actors reflects how Fujiwara's career spanned both major anime franchises and high-profile game localization work, making his loss felt across multiple industry sectors at once.
Reporting from 1 sources: Anime News Network.
Voice actor Takahiro Fujiwara died on May 14, 2026, at age 43, his agency Ken Production announced on May 21. Fujiwara was known for a wide range of roles including Kurogiri in My Hero Academia, Jerome Guizbatt and Kenpachi Kiganjo in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Zenzō Inukai in Laughing Under the Clouds, Bol Gil Bol in BASTARD!!, Pippin in the Berserk: The Golden Age Arc films, Lu Gonghu in The irregular at magic high school, Goro Daimon in The King of Fighters XIV, and the Japanese voice of Revenant in Apex Legends. Following the announcement, dozens of fellow voice actors, production staff, and game publishers posted tributes on social media. Colleagues remembered him as a kind, warm presence on set who put nervous newcomers at ease, and praised his deep, resonant voice. SNK, the official Apex Legends Japan account, and the production committees for My Hero Academia, Bleach, and The irregular at magic high school all issued statements of condolence. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Colleagues recalled Fujiwara's warmth on set across many productions. Shunsuke Takeuchi, who voiced Peter Quill, said Fujiwara's "incredibly powerful portrayal of Thanos" in the animated Guardians of the Galaxy captivated the entire recording studio. Kenji Kitamura remembered the laughter during those sessions and the rushed recordings for Sons of Anarchy.
Several tributes mentioned a shared drink. Kenta Ōkuma posted a photo of a bag stained by whiskey and Coke Fujiwara spilled years ago, writing, "I hoped we'd go drinking again." Hiroshi Kōsaka and Takayuki Miyamoto also noted they had planned to meet for drinks.
Fellow voice actors highlighted his kindness to newcomers. Masaya Fukunishi recalled Fujiwara telling him, "You'll be just fine, Fukunishi-kun!" during a nerve-wracking dubbing session early in Fukunishi's career. Ayumi Nagao called him "an incredibly thoughtful icebreaker who put nervous newcomers at ease."
Yukiko Aruga remembered that after she mentioned liking cheese rice crackers, Fujiwara brought them for her every week for about ten years. Yuuna Inamura noted they were the same age and had close birthdays. Tōru Nara said the first time they met was on Jormungand, and the contrast between Fujiwara's powerful voice and reserved demeanor left a lasting impression.
Shaun Noguchi, GM of Electronic Arts Japan, stated that Fujiwara's Revenant "will remain in the memories of many Japanese players." Kentaro Utsumi, CEO of Ken Production, wrote, "Your deep, resonant voice and your spirited performances will live on in your work for years to come."
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.