Hidekatsu Shibata is a highly respected Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator with a career spanning over six decades. He was born on March 25, 1937, in the Asakusa district of Tokyo. He is a graduate of the acting program at Nihon University's College of Art. He is married to fellow voice actress Akiko Sekine. As of 2020, he is affiliated with the agency RME, which he founded in 2006, having previously been a long-time member of Aoni Production.

Shibata's career in entertainment began in 1957 as a stage actor, with his entry into voice acting occurring in 1969. In that same year, he co-founded the now-major talent agency Aoni Production with a university classmate. His voice, often described as deep, gravelly, and authoritative, has made him a quintessential choice for characters of great power, wisdom, and villainy. He has cited his university studies of kabuki and Edo literature as the foundation of his distinctive vocal style.

His filmography is extensive, featuring numerous iconic roles across several decades. One of his earliest major anime roles was the mysterious Mr. X in the original 1969 Tiger Mask. He gained widespread fame in the 1970s for his work in the Mazinger Z franchise, notably voicing the androgynous antagonist Baron Ashura. He also played Kenzou Kabuto in Great Mazinger. In the realm of space operas, he has had significant roles such as Captain Harlock's rival Mitsuru Kiruda and the narrator in Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Count Mecha in Galaxy Express 999, and Dantetsu Ichimonji in Planet Robot Danguard Ace.

In more contemporary anime, Shibata is renowned for voicing several powerful patriarchs and mentors. He is the voice of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in the global hit Naruto and its sequel Naruto Shippuden. In Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, he portrayed the formidable Führer King Bradley. He also voices the mysterious revolutionary Monkey D. Dragon, the father of the protagonist, in One Piece, as well as the warrior Calgara from the Skypiea Arc. His other notable roles include the fire dragon Igneel and the narrator in Fairy Tail, and the One-Star Dragon, Yi Xing Long, in Dragon Ball GT.

Beyond anime, Shibata has a prolific career in tokusatsu live-action productions. He provided the voice for many iconic supervillains, including General Shadow in Kamen Rider Stronger, Captain Zahab in Seijuu Sentai Gingaman, and the Youkai Daimaou in Ninja Sentai Kakuranger. He has also lent his distinctive voice to numerous video games, such as Emperor Gramis Gana Solidor in Final Fantasy XII and Takashi Niihara in Yakuza 0.

Throughout his career, Shibata has been recognized for his contributions to the performing arts. He received the Minister of Education Award and the Minister of International Trade and Industry Award at the 28th and 29th International Film and Television Festivals, respectively. Despite his advanced age, he continues to work, expressing a desire to persist in voice acting as long as he continues to receive offers. He remains a legendary and influential figure in the Japanese voice acting industry.