Tsunehiko Watase was a Japanese actor whose career in film and television spanned nearly five decades, with a very limited number of voice roles in animation. He was born on July 28, 1944, in Shimane Prefecture, Japan, and passed away on March 14, 2017. He is the younger brother of fellow actor Tetsuya Watari. Watase graduated from the Faculty of Law at Waseda University before being scouted by the head of Toei studios, making his acting debut in the 1970 film Killer Hitman Betsucho. In his early career, he became known for his roles in yakuza and action films, often performing his own stunts.

Watase's career is defined by his extensive work in live-action cinema and television dramas. He was a highly respected and award-winning actor. In 1978, he won the Blue Ribbon Award, the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Supporting Actor, and the Kinema Junpo Award for his performances in The Incident and The Fall of Ako Castle. He later won the Kinema Junpo Best Actor Award in 1979 for his roles in Quivering Tongue and The Baby God Gave Me. On television, he was well-known for his starring roles in long-running drama series, such as Inspector Totsugawa in the Inspector Totsugawa Series from 1992 to 2015 and as Rintaro Kano in Keishicho Sosa Ikka 9 Gakari from 2006 until his death.

In the realm of anime, Watase's voice acting work was infrequent. He is specifically noted for providing the voice of the historical warlord Cao Cao, also known as Cao Mengde, in the anime film Sangokushi [3] Harukanaru Taichi. This film is the third and final part of a theatrical anime trilogy produced by Toei Animation, based on the classic Japanese historical novel Sangokushi. This role represents his primary contribution to the medium of anime.

Watase continued to act in television and film until his death. He had been diagnosed with gallbladder cancer in 2015 and passed away due to complications from the disease in 2017 at the age of 72. In recognition of his significant contributions to Japanese cinema, he was posthumously awarded the Chairman's Special Award at the 41st Japan Academy Film Prize in 2018.