Bruno Cattaneo was an Italian actor and voice actor, born in Gallipoli, Puglia, on October 31, 1938. He became one of the most prominent and recognizable voices in Italian dubbing for Japanese animated series during the 1970s and 1980s. In addition to his voice work, Cattaneo was also active as a live-action television and film actor from the early 1960s until the early 1980s. Later in life, he moved to England, where he resided in Sheffield until his death on May 8, 2019.

Cattaneo's career in anime dubbing was extensive, characterized by a wide range of roles in many series that defined the genre for Italian audiences. He frequently lent his voice to multiple characters within a single series, demonstrating his versatility. This was particularly evident in the first Italian dubbing of the original Fist of the North Star series, where he voiced a multitude of key characters including Ryuken, Shin, Rei, Jagger, Shu, and Toki. He continued this work in Fist of the North Star 2, providing the voices for characters such as Falco and Jako. Another of his most iconic and beloved roles was that of the eccentric inventor Senbei Norimaki, the titular character in the first Italian dubbing of Dr. Slump & Arale.

His voice was heard in a vast array of other popular series. He was the voice of Dracula and Izuru in Don Dracula, Daigo Inokuma in the volleyball anime Attack No. 1, and Dr. Victor Frankenstein in the horror series Kyōfu Densetsu: Kaiki! Frankenstein. He also voiced Boyakki and Doctor Dokrobei in Yattaman, Baba in Tiger Mask, and multiple characters in the beloved romantic comedy Maison Ikkoku, including the master of the boarding house and the father of the protagonist, Yusaku Godai. His other notable credits include roles in Candy Candy, General Daimos, Galaxy Express 999, and the first Italian edition of Dragon Ball, where he voiced Sergeant Metallic.

Beyond performing, Bruno Cattaneo was also an accomplished dubbing director, overseeing the Italian voice casting and adaptation for numerous important anime series. His directorial work included the two Fist of the North Star television series and their movie adaptation, as well as the romantic comedy Maison Ikkoku. He also directed the dubbing for other series such as Lightspeed Electroid Albegas and Dr. Slump & Arale-chan.

Bruno Cattaneo passed away on May 8, 2019, at the age of 80. His legacy is that of a foundational figure in Italian anime dubbing, whose voice brought to life a vast array of characters for a generation of viewers. His work as both a voice actor and director left an indelible mark on the industry, and he is remembered for his significant contributions to the popularity of Japanese animation in Italy.