Hideo Kanze was a Japanese actor and director, born on August 3, 1927, in Tokyo, and died on June 8, 2007. His career was primarily defined by his expertise in the traditional Noh theatre, a path he was born into as the second son of Kanze Tetsunojō VII, a direct descendant of the founders of Noh, Kan'ami and Zeami. He made his Noh stage debut at the age of three. After World War II, he briefly attended the Tokyo Music School but left before completing his studies. In a controversial move, he was adopted for 11 years by the Kita school, one of the other main schools of Noh, before leaving the Noh world entirely to pursue work in film and conventional drama. He later returned to Noh in 1979 with the help of his older brother, fellow actor Hisao Kanze.

Kanze's foray into film and television was extensive, with a career that included roles in numerous movies and TV dramas starting in the early 1960s. He was a frequent collaborator with director Kaneto Shindo, appearing in many of his films such as "Human" in 1962, "The Iron Crown" in 1972, and "A Last Note" in 1995. He also worked with other prominent directors like Hiroshi Teshigahara in films such as "Pitfall" (1962), "Woman in the Dunes" (1964), and "Rikyu" (1989). Beyond acting, he was also a theatre director, known for staging works by Samuel Beckett and Bertolt Brecht, and was a professor at the Kyoto University of Arts and Design.

While his acting career was primarily in live-action roles, Kanze's sole known credit in anime voice acting is for the character Majin Dringer in the 1974 anime television series "Jim Button". In this series, which was loosely based on the children's novel by Michael Ende, Majin Dringer serves as the primary antagonist who orchestrates the invasion of Nandemoland. Kanze's performance as the villainous Dringer represents his one documented contribution to the medium of animation.