Katsuhiko Sunaga

Description
Katsuhiko Sunaga was a Japanese actor and voice actor born in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture in July 1939. He began his career in the performing arts while still in high school, joining a local theater group in his hometown. After moving to Tokyo to work with a puppet theater, he returned to Kobe and joined the theater troupe Dougeza, eventually becoming its third-generation director.

While Sunaga is recognized for his work as a voice actor in animated television series, his career was extensive and balanced between voice work and live-action acting. He appeared in numerous historical dramas known as jidaigeki, with guest roles in long-running and popular series such as Mito Kōmon, Hissatsu Shigotonin, and Momotarō Zamurai.

In the field of anime, Sunaga is best known for his portrayal of Kenkotsu Hanai, the father of the protagonist in the long-running franchise Chie the Brat. He first voiced the character in the original 1981 television series Chie the Brat. He later returned to reprise the same role more than a decade later for the second television series, Chie the Brat: 2nd TV Series, which aired in 1991.

Outside of his performance career, Sunaga also worked as a playwright and director, writing under the pen name Tsuru Watanabe. He was recognized for his artistic contributions with the Hyogo Prefecture Cultural Award. Katsuhiko Sunaga passed away on September 25, 2019, at the age of 80.
All Characters