Michael Schwarzmaier is a German actor and voice actor born on September 11, 1940, in Frankfurt am Main. His career background is rooted in classical theater and German television, which laid the foundation for his extensive work in dubbing. After completing his Abitur, he studied German studies for seven semesters and took acting, singing, and pantomime lessons. He began his stage career in the mid-1960s, performing at renowned theaters in cities such as Göttingen, Hannover, Münster, and Munich, as well as at the Deutsche Kammerspiele in Buenos Aires. He became a freelance actor in 1974 and has since appeared in numerous German television series and films, with one of his well-known on-screen roles being Joachim Herbolz in the telenovela Lotta in Love from 2006 to 2007.

As a voice actor, Schwarzmaier is particularly recognized for his contributions to the German dubs of numerous anime series and films. He has voiced several prominent characters in the One Piece franchise, including the roles you mentioned: Blueno (also known as Bruno) in One Piece Episode of Merry: Mō Hitori no Nakama no Monogatari and other One Piece productions, and the character Kubota in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society. His anime work is extensive and includes being the long-standing German voice of the narrator in the Pokémon anime from 1999 to 2012. He is also known for voicing Soun Tendo in both the original Ranma ½ series and its 2024 adaptation. Other notable anime roles include Nefeltari Kobra in One Piece, Dr. Geiger in Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water - The Motion Picture, and Chihiro's father in the film Spirited Away.

Beyond anime, Schwarzmaier's voice acting career features several recurring collaborations and notable achievements in dubbing international film and television. He has lent his voice to many iconic characters, including Daniel Stern as Marv Merchants in the Home Alone films and Artus de Penguern in Amélie. He is a primary dubbing voice for several actors and characters, such as Chris Noth in the first four seasons of Law & Order, Michael Gross in Family Ties, and Lorenzo Lamas in Falcon Crest. A significant recurring role is his voice work for various incarnations of the Doctor in the long-running British series Doctor Who. In animated series, he is known as the voice of Mayor Joe Quimby in The Simpsons, a role he took over from Randolf Kronberg. In addition to his on-screen and voice work, Schwarzmaier has narrated over one hundred audiobooks, including works by authors such as Agatha Christie, Andreas Föhr, and Douglas Adams. He is the father of three children, including actress Katharina Schwarzmaier and voice actors Caroline and Tim Schwarzmaier.