LaSalle Ishii, born Akio Ishii on October 19, 1955, in Osaka Prefecture, is a multifaceted Japanese entertainer known for his work as a TV personality, actor, voice actor, and theater director. He adopted his stage name from La Salle Academy, his high school in Kagoshima. His path to the entertainment industry began during his time as a student at Waseda University, where he joined a musical research circle and enrolled in a voice actor training program run by the theater company Theatre Echo. It was there he met future collaborators, and together they formed the comedy group Konto Akashingo, launching his career in television and on stage.

Ishii's most iconic and defining role in anime is as the voice of the lead character, Kankichi Ryotsu, in the long-running television series Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo, commonly known as Kochikame. He voiced the beloved police officer for the entirety of the anime's run, which aired from 1999 to 2004 for a total of 373 episodes. This role is so closely associated with him that he also played the character in various stage adaptations of the series and portrayed Ryotsu's brother, Ginji, in a 2009 live-action television drama. His other anime voice work includes a guest appearance in the series Gintama and a role in the project G-Saviour.

Beyond his work as a voice actor, Ishii has demonstrated a deep and recurring commitment to the world of theater, particularly with the Kochikame franchise. He not only starred as Ryotsu in multiple stage productions from 1999 into the 2000s but also began writing scripts and directing seriously starting in 2001. His directorial work has been widely recognized; for his work on the musical Heads Up!, he received the Outstanding Director Award at the 23rd Yomiuri Theater Awards. This achievement highlights his significant contributions to performing arts beyond his voice acting and on-screen persona.