Unshō Ishizuka was a renowned Japanese actor, voice actor, narrator, and theatre director, celebrated for his deep, resonant voice and his portrayal of wise, mature, and often authoritative characters. Born Yukinori Ishizuka on May 16, 1951, in Katsuyama, Fukui, he was affiliated with the talent management firm Aoni Production at the time of his death.

Ishizuka's career spanned over three decades, beginning in 1984 and continuing until his passing in 2018. He became one of the most recognizable voices in the anime industry, largely due to his long-standing association with the global phenomenon Pokémon. In this franchise, he performed dual roles as the narrator and as Professor Oak, the kindly Pokémon researcher, for over twenty years. He also provided the voices for numerous Pokémon species themselves, such as Onix and Steelix.

His filmography is extensive and marked by a series of iconic performances. He was the voice of the grizzled former detective Jet Black in the critically acclaimed series Cowboy Bebop. In the long-running series One Piece, he voiced the powerful Admiral Kizaru and other characters like Koshiro. He took on the role of the stern Bunta Fujiwara in the street racing anime Initial D and portrayed the older Joseph Joestar in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders. Other significant roles included the alchemist Van Hohenheim in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the ruthless Zabuza Momochi in Naruto, and Mr. Satan in the Dragon Ball franchise, a role he inherited following the death of Daisuke Gōri.

Beyond original anime, Ishizuka was prolific in dubbing foreign films and series, serving as the regular Japanese voice-over actor for Western stars such as Liam Neeson, Laurence Fishburne, and Kevin Spacey. He was also the definitive voice of Captain Gantu in all Japanese versions of the Lilo & Stitch franchise. His video game work was equally prominent, including lending his voice to Heihachi Mishima in the Tekken series and Ryotaro Dojima in Persona 4.

Unshō Ishizuka passed away on August 13, 2018, in Tokyo at the age of 67 due to a colon infection caused by an esophageal tumor. His final works, such as narrating the films Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us and Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back—Evolution, were released posthumously, serving as a lasting testament to his enduring legacy in the world of animation.