Norio Wakamoto, born Noriaki Wakamoto on October 18, 1945, in Shimonoseki, Japan, is a highly respected and long-standing Japanese voice actor affiliated with the talent agency Sigma Seven. His path to voice acting was unconventional. Before entering the entertainment industry, he graduated from the prestigious Waseda University with a degree in law. Following his graduation, he served as a police officer in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's riot squad, a formative experience he left to pursue a career in acting. He began his voice acting career in 1972, initially working on dubbing foreign films and television series.

Wakamoto is renowned for his distinctive, powerful, and resonant voice, which possesses a unique blend of sharpness and astringency. This vocal quality has made him a frequent choice for villainous and authoritative characters across anime, video games, and dubbing. While often cast in antagonistic roles, his range is broad, extending to comedic and even narratorial parts. His voice is also widely recognized for numerous narration credits in television programs and anime series.

His career spans several decades and includes a vast number of iconic roles. In anime, he is famously known as the voice of the perfect villain Cell in Dragon Ball Z. Other significant and memorable roles include the ambitious officer Vicious in Cowboy Bebop, the powerful aristocrat Oskar von Reuenthal in Legend of the Galactic Heroes, and the tyrannical Emperor Charles zi Britannia in Code Geass. He also brought to life the villainous Kagato in Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki, the fierce Raoh in Fist of the North Star, and Shapiro Keats in Dancouga - Super Beast Machine God. His work in the 1980s and 1990s OVA scene was particularly prolific, with roles such as the Harlem Bomber in Violence Jack. He has also demonstrated his comedic talent in roles like the robot Mechazawa in Cromartie High School and Onsokumaru in Ninja Nonsense.

Beyond anime, Wakamoto's filmography is extensive. He is a prominent voice actor in video games, with roles such as Xemnas in the Kingdom Hearts series, Johnny in the Guilty Gear series, M. Bison (Vega in Japan) in the Street Fighter series, and various portrayals of Dracula in the Castlevania series. He also has a long history in dubbing foreign films and television shows, being the regular Japanese voice for actors like Bruce Willis and providing voices for characters in major Western productions such as the Star Wars films.

Throughout his long career, Wakamoto has also used the pseudonym Kyōnosuke Hiruma for voice work in adult-oriented OVAs and dating sims. His contributions to the industry and his distinctive voice have earned him a dedicated following and a reputation as one of Japan's most formidable and talented voice actors.