Ryusei Nakao is a Japanese actor and voice actor born on February 5, 1951, in Tokyo. His real name is Tomoharu Takeo, and he is represented by the talent agency 81 Produce. He began his career in entertainment as a child actor in 1954 before transitioning to voice work.

Nakao is renowned for his distinctive high-pitched voice, which he has frequently employed to portray characters with sadistic or villainous personalities. This vocal quality has made him one of the most recognizable voices in Japanese animation.

One of his most iconic and long-running roles is that of the villain Frieza in the Dragon Ball franchise, a part he has played across multiple series and films including Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Kai, Dragon Ball Super, and various theatrical releases. He has also voiced other characters in the same universe, such as Frieza's brother Cooler, their ancestor Chilled, and the alternate-universe counterpart Frost. Another signature role is Baikinman, the antagonist in the long-running children's series Soreike! Anpanman, which he has played since 1988.

His filmography includes a vast range of other significant anime roles. He is known as Mayuri Kurotsuchi in Bleach, Caesar Clown in One Piece, and Sniff in the Moomin franchise. He also played the dual roles of Takashi Shirogane and Ryou Shirogane in the series Beast King GoLion. More recent roles include Tanji Washijō in Haikyū!!, Glaza in Farmagia, and Alice in Gachiakuta.

In addition to anime, Nakao has had a substantial career in tokusatsu live-action series, frequently providing voices for monsters and villains. Notable examples include Agent Abrella in Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger and various roles in the Kamen Rider franchise, such as the Jelly Imagin in Kamen Rider Den-O and the Ladybug Fangire in Kamen Rider Kiva. He has also voiced characters in video games and original video animations.