Veteran Voice Actor Kōzō Shioya Passes Away at 71
Veteran Japanese voice actor Kōzō Shioya has passed away at the age of 71. His talent agency confirmed that Shioya died on January 20 due to a cerebral hemorrhage. A private funeral service was held by his immediate family.
Born on August 18, 1955, in Kagoshima Prefecture, Shioya built a long and respected career in the anime industry. He was also the older brother of fellow voice actor Yoku Shioya.
Shioya was widely recognized for his role as Majin Buu in the Dragon Ball franchise, a performance that left a lasting mark on generations of fans. His work within the series also included the character Totapo in Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku.
Beyond Dragon Ball, his voice acting career spanned decades. He portrayed Abura Sumashi in the 1988 GeGeGe no Kitaro series and later became closely associated with the franchise through his role as Konaki Jijii in the 1996 television series and multiple feature films. Additional notable performances include Dr. Sewashi in Mazinger Z: Infinity and Genzo in the One Piece franchise.
In more recent years, Shioya continued to contribute to anime, voicing characters such as Motokichi Kinuta in World Trigger, Temruogtaf in Ragna Crimson, and Hammond Pleide in As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill.
Kōzō Shioya’s legacy lives on through the many characters he brought to life, and his contributions to anime voice acting will be remembered with respect and gratitude.
