is a Japanese actor, voice actor and singer affiliated with Aoni Production. His major roles include Byakuya Kuchiki in Bleach, Treize Khushrenada in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Hisashi Mitsui in Slam Dunk, Meisuke Nueno in Hell Teacher Nūbē, Kunimitsu Tezuka in The Prince of Tennis, Alucard in Castlevania, Zero in Mega Man X, Yuu Matsuura in Marmalade Boy, Shigure Sohma in Fruits Basket, Dark in D.N. Angel, Toriko in Toriko and Kokushibo in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. As a singer, he was one of the members for Entertainment Music Unit from 1995 to 2000. He is married to voice actress Ai Maeda. His range is A～E♯ and his dialect is Osakan. His older sister is an animator.
He is the official voice-over dub for Scott Foley, Taylor Kitsch, Lin Gengxin and Stephen Fung.
Biography Okiayu was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture in 1969, moved to Osaka Prefecture when he was in the third grade of elementary school due to his parents' work, and lived in Nankō Port Town in Suminoe-ku, Osaka. His father had worked at a movie company for a time before Okiayu was born, and he would sometimes get anime posters and cels from his old colleagues. Because of this environment, Okiayu and his sister, who is one year older than him, loved anime and often listened to theatrical anime records and dramas together. His sister was skilled in the field of drawing, having been involved in animation for some time, but Okiayu found more enjoyment in imitating the voices of characters than in drawing, and he came to feel that speaking dialogue was an interesting thing to do. In his first year of high school after entering Abeno High School, he began to think about becoming a voice actor, and began to request information about training schools, but due to financial reasons, he decided to wait until after graduation and began working part-time during his high school years to save money. However, he spent the money on other things, so he ended up borrowing from his parents to attend the training school. His parents advised him to go to college, but he decided to go to the training school because he had no goals in mind. While there were almost no training schools in Osaka at the time, he auditioned and entered the Aoni Juku Osaka School.声優になるマガジン 置鮎龍太郎インタビュー 2015-01-27 『声優になる！ 夢が近づく！！ヒントが見える！！人気声優たちのリアルインタビュー』 He passed an audition for Aoni Production through an in-house screening and moved to Tokyo from Osaka. He is said to have cried when he got the acceptance letter. When he first moved to Tokyo, he went to his cousin's place to find a room.
Okiayu claims that his first jobs as a voice actor were a radio commercial for a prep school and the voice of a remote-controlled robot roaming around the Expo '90 site. His first work in anime was as a Bodkin archer in Dragon QuestSeiyū Collection 2003, page 68置鮎龍太郎 2012/07/30 and his first regular role was as Franz Heinel in Future GPX Cyber Formula. His first starring role was in the OVA Dark Cat. The role of Meisuke Nueno in Hell Teacher Nūbē was his first leading role in a TV anime. He said that Nūbē was the culmination of his career and that he was able to put himself fully into the roleSeiyū Collection 2003, page 71 and play it naturally because he was close to Meisuke's age, and he said he cried when he heard it was over.
Okiayu has taken over some of the roles from late Kaneto Shiozawa, Kazuyuki Sogabe, Tsuyoshi Takishita, and Unshō Ishizuka. Since 2016, he has also been working as a stage actor in the theater company Hero Hero Q Company. In 2023, Okiayu was a recipient of the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 17th Seiyu Awards.
Filmography
Anime
+ List of voice performances in anime Year Title Role Notes Source Legend of the Galactic Heroes Emil von Seclä OVA Future GPX Cyber Formula series Franz Heinel Super Dimensional Fortress Macross II: Lovers Again Ingues OVA The Brave Express Might Gaine Guard Diver, Loose Changer Iron Leaguer Mach Windy Please Save My Earth Issei Nishikiori OVA Brave Police J-Decker McCrane, Mr. Mudra Marmalade Boy Yuu Matsuura –96 Slam Dunk Hisashi Mitsui Haō Taikei Ryū Knight Gratches Ginga Sengoku Gun'yūden Rai Racovian Tekkaman Blade II Darbit Kruger OVA Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai Shūichi Takigawa OVA Sailor Moon R Achiral Sailor Moon SuperS Tiger's Eye Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Treize Khushrenada El-Hazard Katsuhiko Jinnai OVAs & TV series Saint Tail John Fire Emblem Abel OVA Hell Teacher Nūbē Meisuke Nueno Also narrated an episode of the live-action drama Martian Successor Nadesico Nagare Akatsuki Ninja Resurrection Shiro Amakusa Tokisada OVA Flame of Recca Kurei Dr. Slump Dr. Mashirito; Tsukutsun Tsun 2nd TV series Android Announcer Maico 2010 Matsuo Densuke Weiß Kreuz Brad Crawford –99 Sorcerous Stabber Orphen series Hartia –99 Dokkiri Doctor Mitsugu Tajima Mamotte Shugogetten Takashi Nomura Also OVA in 2000 Shin Hakkenden Tomoka Jubei-chan: Secret of the Lovely Eyepatch Koinosuke Odagou Also special in 2004 10 Tokyo Warriors Jingo Kazamatsuri OVA Excel Saga Watanabe Love Hina Kentaro Sakata Legendary Gambler Tetsuya Tetsuya Hare+Guu Asio Sister Princess Akio Yamagami Project ARMS Keith Black Fruits Basket Shigure Sohma Gravitation Claude (K) Cosmic Baton Girl Cometto-san Omasien man –2012 The Prince of Tennis series Kunimitsu Tezuka Mirage of Blaze Oda Nobunaga –06 Kinnikuman series Kevin Mask, Mr. Gacha, Puripuriman Starting with Ultimate Muscle: The Kinnikuman Legacy Digimon Frontier RhodoKnightmon Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Andrew Waltfeld Machine Robo Rescue Koshiro Sasaki, Fire Robo D.N.Angel Dark Mousy Fullmetal Alchemist Scar Transformers: Energon Rodimus Convoy Astro Boy Claus –05 Girls Bravo series Kazuharu Fukuyama Harukanaru Toki no Naka de Hachiyō Shō Akram –11 Ring ni Kakero 1 series Jun Kenzaki Bleach Byakuya Kuchiki –07 Onegai My Melody series Keiichi Hiiragi, My Melody's father –present One Piece Kaku, Kizaru (881-) Clannad series Akio Furukawa Also After Story Gakuen Heaven Koji Shinomiya .hack//Roots Sagisaka, Seisaku –07 The Story of Saiunkoku series Kuro Hong Marginal Prince Joshua Grant D.Gray-man Reever Wenham Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars Raidiese F. Branstein Happy Lucky Bikkuriman Gyuujaku-Tenshi, others 2006 TV series No Money Over Drive Naoto Hyoudou Romeo × Juliet Tybalt Volumnia De Capulet Shining Tears X Wind Haruto Saionji Hatara Kizzu Maihamu Gumi Keisuke Yoshikawa Detective Conan Subaru Okiya Nabari no Ou Kotaro Fuma Junjou Romantica series Kaoru Asahina Akikan! Hidehoko Otokoya Slap-Up Party: Arad Senki Irbek Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra Segal Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings II Toyotomi Hideyoshi –14 Toriko Toriko Blue Exorcist Igor Neigaus –12 Fate/Zero Berserker –13 Haganai series Kashiwazaki Pegasus –13 Recorder to Randoseru series Atsushi Miyagawa Hyouka Masashi Tōgaito Good Luck Girl! Genjūrō Rindo DD Fist of the North Star Shin Strange+ Masamune Date A Live II Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott Love Stage!! Seiya Sena Sengoku Basara: End of Judgement Toyotomi Hideyoshi The Seven Deadly Sins Helbram Cardfight!! Vanguard G Ryutaro Oyama Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Radin Tidat Jihan OVA 7 Fafner in the Azure: Exodus Walter Bargest Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold Gemini Saga Kagewani Masaki Kimura Eps. 4 – 6, 9, 11 – 13 Blood Blockade Battlefront Tonio Kuroko's Basketball Season 3 Shūzō Nijimura Noragami Ebisu Season 2 Aragoto Myriad Colors Phantom World Albrecht Ep. 6 Prince of Stride: Alternative Yuujirou Dan Kagewani: Shō Masaki Kimura Eps. 2, 4 – 13 –17 Super Lovers Takamura Shiro Izetta: The Last Witch Hermann Idol Memories Ren Hayami Masamune-kun's Revenge Eiji Super Lovers 2 Takamura Shiro Star-Myu: High School Star Musical 2 Ritsu Saotome Fate/Apocrypha Lancer of Black/Vlad III Clean Freak! Aoyama-kun Aoyama Black Clover Heath Grice, Gaja Ninja Girl & Samurai Master 3rd Season Kennyo Honganji Asobi Asobase Maeda How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Emile Bichelberger Date A Live III Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott 7 Seeds Mansaku Tsunomata Actors: Songs Connection Satsuma Kadonoōji Babylon Kaika Itsuki Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It Professor Ikeda Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Kodama/The Confession Tree A3! Reni Kamikizaka The Misfit of Demon King Academy Ivis Necron King's Raid: Successors of the Will Dominicus Back Arrow Kai Rhodan Godzilla Singular Point Bayler "BB" Barn Shaman King Boris Tepes Dracula Getter Robo Arc Emperor Gore III Salaryman's Club Sentaro Ibuki Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It Heart Professor Ikeda Ya Boy Kongming! Zhuge Kongming Date A Live IV Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Kunimitsu Tezuka Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth Raikou Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Byakuya Kuchiki Me & Roboco Gachi Gorilla Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre Sonohara The Tale of the Outcasts Commander of the Knights of the Sword Cross Run for Money: The Great Mission Maurice Shoemaker Blue Orchestra Ryūjin Aono Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc Kokushibo Record of Ragnarok II Hades Rurouni Kenshin Hannya Ragna Crimson Olto Zora I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness Gosetsu Sasaki and Peeps Akutsu The Foolish Angel Dances with the Devil Zwei Pokémon Horizons: The Series Hassaku Date A Live V Isaac Ray Pelham Westcott Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World Season II Talisman My Happy Marriage Tadakiyo Kudo Season 2 I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons Neil Kowloon Generic Romance Miyuki Hebinuma Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube Meisuke Nueno The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity Keiichiro Tsumugi Cat's Eye Michael Heintz Akane-banashi Shomei Tsubakiya Dandivine Daigo Shijima
Film
+ List of voice performances in anime feature films Year Title Role Notes Source Slam Dunk: Shohoku's Greatest Challenge! Hisashi Mitsui Slam Dunk: Howling Basketman Spirit!! Hisashi Mitsui Rennyo Monogatari Rennyo (young) Gensomaden Saiyuki Requiem: A Requiem for The One Not Chosen Go Dougan Detective Conan: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital Fumimaro Ayanokoji Bleach: Memories of Nobody Byakuya Kuchiki Clannad Akio Furukawa Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion Byakuya Kuchiki Bleach: Fade to Black Byakuya Kuchiki The Garden of Sinners: Oblivion Recording Satsuki Kurogiri Bleach: Hell Verse Byakuya Kuchiki Tekken: Blood Vengeance Lee Chaolan Detective Conan: Dimensional Sniper Subaru Okiya Yo-kai Watch Shadowside: Oni-ō no Fukkatsu Seiryuu Fate/Grand Order: Camelot – Wandering; Agaterám Lancelot Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet Subaru Okiya Nintama Rantarō: Invincible Master of the Dokutake Ninja Zenpōji Isaku Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle Kokushibo
Tokusatsu Year Title Role Notes Source Mirai Sentai Timeranger Computer Engineer Gate Ep. 46 Mahou Sentai Magiranger Hades Warrior God Cyclops Eps. 35 – 38 Shuriken Sentai Ninninger Mangetsu Kibaoni Eps. 39 – 42 Come Back! Shuriken Sentai Ninninger: Ninnin Girls vs. Boys FINAL WARS Mangetsu Kibaoni OV Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger Narrow Kilmer Ep. 18 2023Kamen Rider GotchardDreadriver (voice), Gigist (voice), Eldoradriver (voice)Eps. 12–50
Other live-action Year Title Role Notes Source 2021 Reach Beyond the Blue Sky Ōgimachisanjō Sanenaru Episode 19; Taiga drama 2024 Saint Young Men: The Movie Additional Warrior Red (voice) Film
Audio dramas + List of voice performances in audio dramas Title Role Notes Source 7 Seeds Mansaku Tsunomata Drama CD Sengoku basara 2: Hyakkaryōran! Odawaranoeki Hideyoshi Toyotomi Drama CD Legend of Chun Hyang Mong Ryong Drama CD Paradox LiveBaek Chungsung
Video games