Kenji Utsumi was a highly influential Japanese actor and voice actor, celebrated for his deep, resonant voice and his portrayal of powerful, often villainous, characters across several decades of anime history. He was born on August 26, 1937, in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and passed away on June 13, 2013.

Utsumi's career began in the mid-1950s, and he became a foundational figure in the voice acting industry. He founded his own talent agency, Ken Production, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing future talent. He was married to fellow voice actress Michiko Nomura. For his immense contributions to the field, he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the third Seiyu Awards.

His voice became synonymous with characters of immense strength and stature. He is perhaps best remembered for his iconic roles as the mighty Raoh in the original Fist of the North Star anime and later as his brother, Kaioh, in Fist of the North Star 2. Another generation of fans came to know his work as the flamboyant and powerful Alex Louis Armstrong in Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. He also brought to life the immortal warrior Zodd in the 1997 Berserk series and the determined Coach Genji Kamogawa in Hajime no Ippo.

Beyond these serious roles, Utsumi demonstrated remarkable comedic range. He was the original voice of the lecherous yet brilliant inventor Senbei Norimaki in the Dr. Slump series, a role he reprised in numerous films and even crossed over into the Dragon Ball franchise. His voice was also a staple of the Dragon Ball universe, where he voiced the Eternal Dragon Shenlong, the villain Commander Red, and the Ginyu Force member Reacoom.

Throughout his extensive career, Utsumi took on a vast array of other memorable roles. He was the original voice of Cyborg 009's Albert Heinrich (004) in the 1968 series, General Do Bergan in Voltes V, and the villainous Braiking Boss in Casshan: Robot Hunter. He voiced Don Dracula in the anime of the same name, the character Yoisho in The Adventures of Gamba, and the cunning gambler Daniel J. D'Arby in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OVA. He also played the role of the Captain in the 2011 adaptation of Hunter × Hunter. His later years saw him continue to work, with roles such as Todoroki Sensei in Silver Spoon, which aired the year of his passing.

Kenji Utsumi's legacy is that of a titan of the industry, whose commanding voice and versatile performances left an indelible mark on Japanese animation and its fans worldwide.