Akira Kamiya

Akira Kamiya (神谷 明) is a veteran seiyū who was born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama. He has been represented by Theater Echo, Aoni Production, and others. He is currently represented by Saeba Shoji.

Career
Kamiya made his debut on Mahou no Mako-chan in 1970 while working for Theater Echo. He went on to have a regular role on Akaki Chi no Eleven as Sasuke Yatsume and later co-starred with Kei Tomiyama in Fushigi na Merumo.

In 1973 he played the title character in Babel II, and then went on to play the lead role in many Super Robot anime, such as Nagare Ryou in Getter Robo, Akira Hibiki in Yuusha Raideen, Jimmy Orion in Mechander Robo, and Takuma Ichimonji in Wakusei Danguard Ace. Because of his tendency to shout dramatically, he earned the nickname Sakebi no Kamiya (叫びの神谷).

Kamiya has also played many playboy lady-killer types, including pretty-boy pitcher Satoru Satonaka in Dokaben, Godai's tennis-coach rival Shun Mitaka in Maison Ikkoku, and rich and arrogant characters such as Shinnosuke Kazamatsuri in Yawara! and Mendou Shuutaro in Urusei Yatsura. (When Urusei Yatsura creator Rumiko Takahashi's later work Ranma 1/2 was adapted to anime, Takahashi had Kamiya in mind for the role of another rich and arrogant playboy character, Tatewaki Kuno, but the directors chose Hirotaka Suzuoki for the role instead.) In addition to this he has also played goofier roles, like Tosaka-senpai in Kyuukyoku Choujin R and Nyarome in Mouretsu Atarou. Until 2009, he was playing the lazy, washed-up private detective Kogoro Mori in the long running Detective Conan anime.

The 1980s would see a string of memorable performances from Kamiya, including Shutaro Mendou in Urusei Yatsura, Suguru Kinniku in Kinnikuman, Kenshirou in Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star), Roy Focker in Macross and Ryo Saeba in City Hunter.

Apart from anime, Kamiya has done some dub work, most notably dubbing Pierce Brosnan in Remington Steele and 2 James Bond movies (Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies).

In recent years, he has lectured at the Nihon Kogakuin Vocational School. Some of his students include Megumi Toyoguchi, Ryoko Shintani, and Ai Shimizu.

The Kinnikuman Incident
After reprising the role of Ryo Saeba for the City Hunter movie series and Kenshiro for the Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) video games, Kamiya reprised the role of Kinniku Suguru for the initial Kinnikuman Nisei movie and the GameCube game Kinnikuman Nisei: Legend Chojins vs. New Generation Chojins. However, he was replaced by Toshio Furukawa for the Nisei (Ultimate Muscle) TV series and the expanded version of the video game (Kinnikuman Generations, PS2). No official reason had been given for this cast change and Kamiya himself claimed in an interview on Waratte Iitomo that he was never even offered the roles. Most fans were upset by the change and confused about why it was done. During a February 3, 2007 guest appearance on Seishun Radimenia, Kamiya said that he was unable to play Kinnikuman on those occasions because of the production budget.

As of the second expansion of the video game (Kinnikuman Muscle Generations, PSP), Kamiya has resumed the role of Kinniku Suguru.

Kamiya also ceased playing Kenshiro in 2001 and Kogoro Mori in 2009.

Rumiko Takahashi Works
Kamiya played the rival character in Rumiko Takahashi's works Urusei Yatsura (Shuutarou Mendou) and Maison Ikkoku (Shun Mitaka). She was so impressed with his performances that she personally recommened him for the part of Tatewaki Kuno from Ranma ½. However, director Tomomi Mochizuki wished to use newer voice actors (as anime based on Takahashi's works tended to use the same voice actors), so he chose the late Hirotaka Suzuoki instead (though Hirotaka previously did the voice of Inaba in UY). Takahashi then requested that Kamiya portray Kuno's anime original servant Sasuke Sarugakure, but this too was rejected and Shigeru Chiba was chosen instead (although Chiba, too, had had major roles in previous Takahashi anime, as Megane in UY and Yotsuya and Soichiro-san the dog in MI).

Kamiya would later appear in two episodes of Rumic Theater. He did not do any voices in InuYasha.

Notable voice roles
Lead roles in bold

TV Anime

 * Ashita e Attack! (Ichirou)
 * Animation Kikou Marco Polo no Boken (Chapandu)
 * Three Musketeers (Athos)
 * Fist Of The North Star/ Fist Of The North Star 2 (Kenshiro)
 * Iga no Kabamaru (Mejiro)
 * Inakappe Taishou (Classmate, Pupil, Sightseer, Hiroshi, Mike, Ichirou, Masami)
 * Space Pirate Captain Harlock (Tadashi Daiba)
 * Space Battleship Yamato (Saburou Katou)
 * Space Battleship Yamato III (Shirou Katou)
 * Urusei Yatsura (Shuutarou Mendou)
 * Angel Heart (Ryo Saeba)
 * Entaku no Kishi Monogatari: Moero Arthur (Arthur)
 * Oyo Neko Būnyan (Oyoyo Neko)
 * Gatchaman (Romina)
 * Mechander Robo (Jimmy Orion)
 * Mirai Keisatsu Urashiman (Claude)
 * Karate Baka Ichidai (Ariake Shougo)
 * Cutie Honey Flash (Professor Kisaragi)
 * Kinnikuman (Suguru Kinniku (Kinnikuman), Tatsunori Kinniku)
 * Kinnikuman: Scramble for the Throne (Suguru Kinniku)
 * Getter Robo (Ryouma Nagare)
 * Getter Robo G (Ryouma Nagare)
 * Fist of the north star (Kenshiro)
 * Gera-Gera Boos Monogatari (Boos)
 * Kouya no Shonen Isamu (Isamu)
 * City Hunter (Ryo Saeba)
 * Saint Seiya (Perseus Algol, Dubhe Alpha Siegfried)
 * Zero Tester (Shin Fubuki)
 * Daikumaryu Gaiking (Sanshirou Tsuwabuki)
 * Time Travel Tondekeman (Prince Dandarn)
 * Time Bokan Series
 * Time Bokan (Prince, Isotchi)
 * Yatterman (Sasuke)
 * Zenderman (Theseus)
 * Yatodetaman (Michelangelo)
 * Treasure Island (Papy)
 * Earth Defence Family (Mamoru Daichi)
 * The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (Roy Focker)
 * Toushou Daimos (Kazuya Ryuuzaki)
 * Dokaben (Satoru Satonaka)
 * Nine (Kentarou Yamanaka)
 * Nine 2 (Kentarou Yamanaka)
 * Great Dangaiou (Dangaiou Ur)
 * Babel II (Babel II)
 * All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku (Kyusaku Natsume)
 * Sailor Moon (Suichi Tomoe)
 * Golion (Prince Sinkline; ("Prince Lotor" in Voltron))
 * Hyoga Senshi Gaislugger (Mito Kaya)
 * Future Police Urashiman (Claude)
 * Miracle Girl Limit-chan (Jun)
 * Detective Conan (Kogoro Mori (Richard Moore) ep. 1-548)
 * Maison Ikkoku (Shun Mitaka)
 * Mouretsu Atarou 1990 (Nyarome)
 * Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl (Shinnosuke Kazamatsuri)
 * Yuusha Raideen (Akira Hibiki)
 * Grendizer (Ainsu)
 * Wakusei Robo Danguard A (Takuma Ichimonji)

OVA

 * Urusei Yatsura Series (Shuutarou Mendou)
 * Outlanders (Nao)
 * Starship Troopers (Zim)
 * Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Bagdash)
 * Getter Robo: Armageddon (Narrator)
 * Kyuukyoku Choujin R (Tosaka-senpai)
 * Twilight of the Dark Master (Huang Long)
 * Sukeban Deka (Jin Kyouichirou)
 * Nayuta (Kiro)
 * Nekketsu Koukou Dodgeball-bu Soccer-hen (Kunio)
 * Dangaioh (Roll Kran)
 * All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku (Kyuusaku Natsume)
 * All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku DASH (Kyuusaku Natsume)
 * Macross Zero (Roy Focker)
 * Detective Conan
 * Conan vs. Yaiba vs. Kid (Kogoro Mouri)
 * The 16 Suspects (Kogoro Mouri)
 * The Target is Kogoro Mouri!! (Kogoro Mouri)
 * Record of Lodoss War (Ashram)
 * Yagami-kun's Family Affairs (Akira Yokkaichi)
 * Yamato 2520 (Richard)

Anime Movies

 * Space Battleship Yamato (Saburou Katou)
 * Farewell Space Battleship Yamato (Saburou Katou)
 * Be Forever Yamato (Shirou Katou)
 * Space Battleship Yamato Final Chapter (Shirou Katou)
 * Urusei Yatsura Series (Shuutarou Mendou)
 * Kinnikuman Series (Kinniku Suguru)
 * Kinnikuman Nisei (Kinniku Suguru)
 * The Doraemons: Mysterious Thief Dorapan (Dorapan)
 * City Hunter Series (Ryou Saeba)
 * Saint Seiya: Legend of the Crimson Youth (Atlas)
 * Slayers Gorgeous (Lord Culvert)
 * Soreike! Anpanman: Kyouryuu Noshii no Dai Boken (Zorori (Kaiketsu Zorori short))
 * Dr. Slump and Arale-chan: N'cha! Penguin Mura yori Ai wo Komete (Dr. Mashirito)
 * Toushou Daimos (Kazuya Ryuuzaki)
 * They Were 11 (Tadatos Lane)
 * Hokuto no Ken (Kenshirou)
 * Toward the Terra (Seki Leigh Shiroei)
 * Super Dimensional Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? (Roy Focker)
 * Dragon Ball Z: Return My Gohan (Garlic Jr.)
 * Tooi Umi Kara Kita Coo (Tony Bottoms)
 * Ninja Hattori-kun and Pāman: The Psychic Wars (Psychoman)
 * Slayers Gorgeous (Lord Calvert)
 * Pom Poko (Tamasanrou)
 * Detective Conan Series (Kogorou Mouri)
 * Maison Ikkoku: Final Chapter (Shun Mitaka)
 * Wakusei Robo Danguard A vs. The Insect Robot Army (Takuma Ichimonji)
 * Ringing Bell (Adult Chirin)

Games

 * Space Battleship Yamato (Saburou Katou)
 * Farewell Space Battleship Yamato (Saburou Katou)
 * Kingdom Hearts (Iago)
 * Kinnikuman Nisei: New Generation vs. Legends (Kinniku Suguru)
 * Kinnikuman Muscle Generations (Kinniku Suguru)
 * Kinnikuman Muscle Grand Prix Series (Kinniku Suguru)
 * Sakura Wars 2 (Kyougoku Keigo)
 * Super Robot Wars (Ryouma Nagare, Tsuwabuki Sanshirou, Kazuya Ryuuzaki, Akira Hibiki, Roy Focker, Roll Kran)
 * Popful Mail (Blacky)
 * Far East of Eden (Sangue)
 * Tobal No. 1 (Gren Cuts)
 * Hokuto no Ken Series (Kenshirou)
 * Super Dimensional Fortress Macross (Roy Focker)
 * Super Dimensional Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love? (Roy Focker)
 * Detective Conan: Tsuioku no Mirajiyu (Kogoro Mouri)
 * Red Alert (Guy Kazama)
 * Unison (Dance Instructor)

Dub Work

 * Aladdin Series (Iago)
 * Goldeneye (Pierce Brosnan: James Bond)
 * Logan's Run (Michael York: Logan)
 * Tomorrow Never Dies (Pierce Brosnan: James Bond)
 * Remington Steele (Pierce Brosnan: Remington Steele)
 * Face/Off (John Travolta: Sean Archer)
 * Hokuto no Ken ~ Fist of the North Star (Gary Daniels: Kenshirou)
 * Ordinary People (Timothy Hutton: Conrad)
 * Bad Boys
 * An Officer and a Gentleman
 * Tequila Sunrise (Mel Gibson: Mac)

Pachinko

 * Sammy: Hokuto no Ken (Kenshirou)

Tokusatsu

 * Chouriki Sentai Ohranger (Ganmajin)
 * Ganbare!! Robokon (Robo-Deki)
 * Akumaizer 3 (Basukaru)
 * Voicelugger (Ganmaa)

Puppet Show

 * Purinpurin Monogatari (Bon-Bon, Zerozerozebun Hennakibun)
 * Benikujaku (Kotemoku)

Radio

 * A Megumi no Dream Dream Party (Nippon Cultural Broadcasting)
 * XYZ Ryo's Bar (FM NACK5)
 * All Night Nippon [Thursday Evenings] (Nippon Broadcasting System)
 * Konnichiwa Kamiya Akira desu (TBS Radio)
 * Shougakusei Challenge Housoukyoku (TBS Radio)

Internet Radio

 * Kamiya Akira Returns (AII Radio) May 9, 2005
 * Kamiya Akira Hot Beat Party (Saeba Shouji) May 3, 2005~

CD

 * Condition Green (Phillip Emitt)
 * Rockman: Kiki Ippatsu (Narrator)

Commercials

 * Sega Mega Drive (Gunstar Heroes) (Narration)
 * Super Robot Wars F (PlayStation version) (Instructor Kamiya)
 * Super Robot Wars α
 * Yamagata Bank (Narration)

Other

 * Kinnikuman: Choujin Daizenshu [Soundtrack] (Kinniku Suguru)
 * Cyborg 009 1979 Radio Drama (Joe Shimamura/009)
 * Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo: 1985 Jump Festival Anime (Keiichi Nakagawa)
 * Ore-tachi Hyoutekin Zoku (Hyoutekin Star Tanjou Shikai)
 * Sengoku Jieitai (2006 Narrator)
 * Hey! Spring of Trivia (Asking trivia questions as Kenshirou [2004-12-8]; Onsei Tajuu Housou Narrator [2006-5-3])
 * Denki Groove [Cafe de Oni (Kao to Kagaku)] (Narration)
 * Tadaki Muscle! (Chuugyou TV) Heavenly Voice (Narration)

Music

 * Performed Endings 2-4 on Kinnikuman
 * Performed the Opening to Oyo Neko Būnyan
 * Performed on the Urusei Yatsura, Hokuto no Ken, Kinnikuman, and City Hunter soundtracks
 * Performed Theme song to 1993 Kaiketsu Zorori short film
 * Played bass in a band called Slapstick with fellow seiyūs Toshio Furukawa, Toru Furuya, and Kazuyuki Sogabe.