Kousei Tomita was a highly respected Japanese actor and voice actor, born on February 4, 1936, in Tokyo Prefecture. He passed away on September 27, 2020, at the age of 84. His career in the entertainment industry began in 1956 as a stage actor with the Gekidan Tōgei theatrical troupe before he transitioned to voice acting. Over a career that spanned more than five decades, he became known for his deep, distinctive voice and his ability to portray a wide range of characters, from heroes and mentors to villains. In recognition of his lasting contributions to the industry, he was honored with an Achievement Award at the 3rd Seiyu Awards in 2009.

Tomita's entrance into anime came in 1963 with a role in the original Astro Boy series. One of his most historically significant roles was as the voice of the titular character in the first-ever anime adaptation of Doraemon in 1973. He was also a quintessential voice actor for the works of Osamu Tezuka, frequently voicing the beloved character Shunsaku Ban, also known as Higeoyaji or Mustachio, in numerous productions. This included notable appearances in anime specials like Undersea Super Train: Marine Express and The Green Cat.

Throughout his career, Tomita was a dominant presence in the mecha and superhero genres that defined anime in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the original voice of the iconic mad scientist Dr. Hell and his henchman Nuke in the seminal series Mazinger Z, a role he would reprise in various productions for decades, including the Mazinkaiser OVA. He also voiced Dr. Saotome in the Getter Robo series and Danbei Hayami in the original Cutie Honey and its later sequel, New Cutie Honey. His other major roles from this golden era include Halvar in Vicky the Viking, Don Hakka in Science Fiction Saiyuki Starzinger, and General Gandal and Danbei Makiba in UFO Robo Grendizer.

His prolific work continued into the 1980s and beyond with roles in landmark series. He was the voice of Bouleuse Gotho, a recurring character in the real-robot classic Armored Trooper Votoms and its subsequent OVAs. He played the wise Admiral Alexander Bucock in the epic Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Emperor Daibazaal and served as the narrator for Beast King GoLion, and was the voice of Dr. Watson in the anime series Sherlock Hound. In his later years, he took over the role of Jirokichi Suzuki in the long-running Detective Conan franchise, beginning with the special Detective Conan - Episode One: The Great Detective Turned Small and continuing in later films. His final anime roles included Danbei Hayami once again in the 2018 series Cutie Honey Universe and the voice of Pluto in the 2016 web series Pokémon Generations.

Beyond anime, Tomita was also highly active in dubbing foreign films and television shows. He was the regular Japanese voice for actors such as Ernest Borgnine, Orson Welles, and Charles Durning. His dubbing credits include providing the voice for Mario, played by Bob Hoskins, in the Japanese dub of the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie. His work also extended to narration and even theme park attractions, with his voice being featured in Tokyo Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain ride. Kousei Tomita left behind an immense body of work that has left an indelible mark on the anime industry and continues to be enjoyed by fans around the world.