Taro Ishida was a highly respected Japanese actor and voice actor, renowned for his deep, resonant voice and his ability to portray a wide range of characters, from dignified authority figures and villains to gentle, comedic roles. Born Gentaro Ishida on March 16, 1944, in Kyoto, he was the son of actor Shigeki Ishida, which placed him in an artistic environment from a young age. He attended Sophia University, where he studied Spanish in the Foreign Language Department, but left before graduating to pursue a career in acting. Ishida was also a chief priest of the Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist temple Jōkei-ji in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, a role he balanced with his demanding acting career. He was married to actress Fusako Tachibana until her death in 2006. Ishida passed away on September 21, 2013, from a myocardial infarction while on location for a television drama.

Ishida's career in voice acting was extensive and impactful, beginning in the 1970s and spanning over four decades until his death in 2013. He was affiliated with Granpapa Production in his later years and was also known by the former stage name Gentarō Ishida. His voice became a staple in Japanese animation, where he frequently lent his talents to theatrical films and original video animations (OVAs), particularly during the 1980s and 1990s.

His filmography includes a vast array of significant roles. In theatrical animation, he is well-known for his performances as Count Cagliostro in the classic film The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) and as Colonel Shikishima in the cyberpunk masterpiece Akira (1988). He also voiced the villainous Duke Red in Metropolis (2001) and the Nightmare King in Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989). He took on the role of Gasparde in One Piece: Dead End Adventure (2003) and Bishop Daimon in Brave Story (2006).

The roles specified in the query are all confirmed parts of his extensive body of work. He played Zeda in Arcadia of My Youth (1982) and Lugal I in Final Yamato (1983). In The Dagger of Kamui (1985), he voiced the characters Tenkai and Saigō Takamori. He was the voice of Saint Asgard in Odin: Starlight Mutiny (1985) and took on the role of Hanzui the Evil Messiah in the OVA series Giant Robo. His role as Seijuro Tabe is confirmed in the OVA BioHunter. He also voiced Zhang Fei across the three films of the Sangokushi series: Eiyū-tachi no Yoake, Chōkō Moyu!, and Harukanaru Taichi. His later work included the role of Old Man Hotaru in the film Rainbow Fireflies (2012).

Beyond these roles, Ishida was a familiar presence in OVAs, appearing in Record of Lodoss War as Emperor Beld and in Legend of the Galactic Heroes as Heydrich Lang. In television animation, his credits include roles in Space Brothers as Deneil Young, Detective Conan as Police Inspector Radish Redwood, and Astro Boy: Mighty Atom as General Red.

In addition to his work in original animation, Ishida was a prolific voice actor in the field of dubbing, providing the Japanese voices for numerous Hollywood stars. He was particularly well-known as the regular dubbing voice for actors such as Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins (including his iconic portrayal of Hannibal Lecter), and Jack Nicholson. He also voiced characters in many Disney films, including King Triton in The Little Mermaid series and Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh franchise. This dual mastery of both original anime roles and foreign film dubbing established him as one of Japan's most versatile and in-demand voice actors. His sudden passing in 2013 was widely mourned, marking the end of a distinguished career that left an indelible mark on the Japanese entertainment industry.