Hiroshi Ohtake was a Japanese actor and voice actor, known for his energetic and humorous portrayals of a wide range of characters across more than six decades in the entertainment industry. He was born on March 14, 1932, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. At the time of his death, he was represented by the agency 81 Produce.

Ohtake's career began in the 1950s. He initially pursued stage acting with children's theater companies before making his broadcast debut in an NHK radio drama in 1953. His voice acting work started with television puppet shows in the mid-1950s, with his first major anime role coming in 1963 as Black in Wolf Boy Ken. Throughout his long career, he became a familiar voice in Japanese popular culture, often cast in comedic roles or as animal characters, a niche where his distinctive, high-pitched tenor voice became instantly recognizable. He was also a founding member of the talent agency Aoni Production.

Ohtake amassed a vast filmography, voicing numerous iconic characters. He was particularly known for his long-running roles in series created by Fujiko Fujio, including Perman No. 2, also known as Booby, in the various Perman adaptations, a role he played consistently from the 1967 series through to a 2004 film. He also voiced Daisho in the original 1969 Himitsu no Akko-chan and Buta Gorilla in Kiteretsu Daihyakka. In the world of superheroes and mecha, he was the voice of Albert Heinrich, the cyborg 004, in the 1968 Cyborg 009 series. He was also closely associated with the Mazinger Z franchise, voicing the character Boss, a role for which he famously ad-libbed the character's catchphrase Jan-jajaaan. Other major roles in this genre included Yattaran in Space Pirate Captain Harlock and roles in Great Mazinger and UFO Robo Grendizer.

In addition to his work in classic anime, Ohtake continued to take on prominent roles in later years. Younger audiences may recognize him as the voice of Roger Ruvie in Death Note, Zeno Zoldyck in the 2011 adaptation of Hunter x Hunter, and as Satoshi's Primeape in the Pokémon anime. He also voiced King Nikochan in Dr. Slump and appeared in tokusatsu dramas such as Gekisō Sentai Carranger, where he voiced President Gynamo. His versatility extended to dubbing foreign films, including providing the Japanese voice for Grandpa George in a 2008 Nippon Television broadcast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

In 2015, Ohtake was awarded the Merit Award at the 9th Seiyu Awards and was also honored at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival the same year, recognizing his lifetime of contributions to the voice acting profession and the animation industry. Beyond his performance work, he was also dedicated to mentoring young talent, serving as an instructor at various voice acting schools.

Hiroshi Ohtake passed away on August 1, 2022, due to acute heart failure at the age of 90. His death was announced by his agency on August 9, following a private funeral service with relatives. He left behind a legacy as a beloved and hard-working figure who brought joy to generations of anime fans with his lively characterizations.