Takaya Kuroda is a Japanese actor and voice actor born on April 17, 1965, in Tokyo, Japan. He is affiliated with the talent agency Axlone. He stands 183 cm tall and has AB blood type.

Before becoming a voice actor, Kuroda trained at the literary arts training institute affiliated with the Bungakuza theater company and pursued a career as a stage actor starting in 1984. He transitioned to voice acting around the year 2000, debuting with minor roles in anime and video games. Early in his voice acting career, he was affiliated with several agencies, including Aoni Production, Mausu Promotion, and 81 Produce, before joining his current agency, Axlone, in December 2012.

Kuroda is renowned for his distinctive deep, resonant, and charismatic bass voice. This vocal quality has often led to him being cast in roles that are villainous, authoritative, or mature, such as yakuza members, military officers, and dandies. Due to a vocal resemblance, he was chosen to succeed the late Hirotaka Suzuoki as the voice of Starscream in Transformers: Cybertron. Despite his often intimidating appearance and the tough characters he plays, colleagues have noted his kindness, though juniors can be initially frightened to approach him.

Kuroda has an extensive filmography across anime, video games, and live-action. His most iconic and long-running role is as the protagonist Kazuma Kiryu in Sega's Yakuza (Like a Dragon) video game series, a part he has played since the franchise's debut in 2005. His anime roles are numerous and varied, including many of the parts specified by the user. These include:
Elmo in Tesla Note
Yasuomi Ōno in Salaryman's Club
Throughhand in EX-ARM
Flame Poison Dragon (Sabrac) in Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle
Otter (Kawauso) in Sarazanmai
Sullivan in Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun
Joan Rodrigo Banderas (Juan Rodrigo Bandereas) in The Pilot's Love Song
Masamichi Yaga in Jujutsu Kaisen
Takeru Kinjō in After School Dice Club
Meldarz in Uchū Senkan Yamato 2205: Aratanaru Tabidachi
Eiken Asuka in Farewell, My Dear Cramer
Yūshō Tōi in VazzRock the Animation
Suezō Hokari in Cap Kakumei Bottleman DX
Grimms in Sword Gai: The Animation Part II
Misuzu in Natsume's Book of Friends (Natsume Yūjin-Chō) and its movie, a role he has played since 2008
Jibanyan in the Yo-kai Watch: Shadowside anime and film
Enki Gokū in Nanbaka
Kyoshiro Jimon in World Conquest Zvezda Plot
Kaoru "Jōji" Jōjima in Cuticle Detective Inaba
Soldier Ul in The Girl Who Leapt Through Space
Jeda in Slap Up Party: Arad Senki
Tadayoshi Tōyama in Rainbow - Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin
Physical Education Teacher in Spelunker Sensei
Don Giuliano in Ring ni Kakero 1: Sekai Taikai-hen
Lestion (Leon) in Dream Eater Merry
Oda Nobunaga in the Tono to Issho series
Yūji Sanada in And Yet the Town Moves
Arges in Appleseed: Ex Machina
Odin in Cannon Busters
General Danga in Ozma
Goat in Chō Soku Henkei Gyrozetter
Abygale in the Future Card Buddyfight series
Daraku (Dharak) in Bakugan Battle Brawlers: Gundalian Invaders
Starscream in Transformers: Cybertron
Rei Amayado in the Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- anime series

Additionally, other notable anime roles include Simon Brezhnev in Durarara!!, Maruo Nakano (the father) in The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬, and Capricorn in Fairy Tail.

Beyond acting, Kuroda is the lead singer of a rock band called Takaya Kuroda & Goodfellas. He also participates in events and has hosted a net radio program with fellow voice actor Akio Ōtsuka. In recognition of his work, the character of Kazuma Kiryu, which he voices, received the Character Voice Award at the 2013 Famitsu Awards.