Kotaro Satomi is a Japanese actor who was born on November 28, 1936. He began his career in the mid-1950s, signing with the Toei film company in 1956 and appearing in his first film in 1957. His career is primarily centered on screen acting, with extensive credits in both contemporary dramas and the historical period dramas known as jidaigeki. He is particularly well-known for his long-running roles in television series, most notably in the legendary jidaigeki series Mito Kōmon, where he played two different lead characters over several decades.

While his primary career has been in live-action, Satomi has also contributed his voice to a small number of anime productions. His most prominent voice role is that of the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in the 2004 anime television series Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple. This series, produced by Oriental Light and Magic and broadcast on NHK, adapted many of Agatha Christie's classic mysteries featuring both Poirot and Miss Marple. His performance as the fastidious Poirot was noted for fitting the character well.

Nearly twelve years later, Satomi took on a voice role in an anime film. He voiced the historical Buddhist priest Rennyo in the 2016 film Naze Ikiru: Rennyo Shōnin to Yoshizaki Enjō, an adaptation of a Buddhist book. This role was reported to be his first in an animated film. His involvement in these two projects represents a modest but notable foray into anime voice acting as part of a much longer and distinguished career in Japanese entertainment.