Naoto Takenaka is a Japanese entertainer with a prolific career spanning acting, voice acting, film direction, comedy, and music. Born on March 20, 1956, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, he is a graduate of Tama Art University. His career in the performing arts began in the early 1980s, and he has since become a highly respected and recognizable figure in Japanese popular culture, known for his versatility and distinctive character roles across both live-action and animated works.

As a voice actor, Takenaka has contributed his talents to a wide array of anime series and films, often bringing a unique presence to his characters. His filmography includes a range of roles in the 21st century. In the anime series D4DJ First Mix, he voiced Dennojō Inuyose. He took on the role of the Ghost Navigator in the 2021 series Digimon Ghost Game. His work in animated films is equally extensive, with credits including the role of Hamamoto's Father in the 2018 film Penguin Highway, Ōba in the 2020 film ON-GAKU: Our Sound, and Mogari in the 2020 film Over the Sky. Earlier in his career, he appeared as the Head Priest in the 2012 film Fusé: Memoirs of a Huntress and as Ganpachi Chabane in the 1988 live-action film The Scary Bionic Man: The Ultimate Teacher, a role which also features voice work. He also voiced a character in the 1988 OVA series What's Michael?.

Beyond these specific credits, Takenaka is renowned for several prominent voice roles. He is the official Japanese dubbing voice for actor Samuel L. Jackson, most notably as Nick Fury in numerous films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with The Avengers in 2012. He has also provided the Japanese voice for Diego in the Ice Age film series and Puss in Boots in the Shrek franchise. In the anime world, he is well-known for voicing the character Shiki the Golden Lion in the One Piece franchise, first appearing in the anime in 2009 and the film One Piece Film: Strong World the same year.

Takenaka's work is marked by recurring collaborations, particularly in the realm of dubbing foreign films and animations, where he has become the established voice for several major Hollywood actors and characters. His achievements in the entertainment industry are considerable and have been recognized with numerous awards, primarily for his live-action film work. These include the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor and the Hochi Film Award for Rookie of the Year, both for his directorial debut Munō no Hito in 1991, which also won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Venice Film Festival. He has also won Japan Academy Film Prizes for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in East Meets West (1995) and Shall We Dance? (1996).