Kōji Yada was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator born on April 15, 1933, in Tokyo, Japan. Throughout his extensive career, he was represented by the talent agency Aoni Production. Yada passed away on May 1, 2014, in Tokyo due to chronic kidney disease.

Yada built a prolific career lending his distinctive voice to a wide array of characters, particularly in anime television series, films, and video games from the 1960s through the 2010s. His body of work includes some of the most beloved and long-running franchises in Japanese popular culture.

Among his most recognized roles is that of the villainous Dr. Gero, also known as Android 20, in the Dragon Ball franchise. He voiced this character in several series and films, including Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Z Kai, and Dragon Ball GT. His portrayal of Dr. Gero is one of his most frequently cited roles. In the world of One Piece, he voiced the character Zeff, the stern but paternalistic chef and founder of the Baratie floating restaurant. Yada also brought life to the wise and powerful Libra Dohko (often referred to as Roshi) in the classic series Saint Seiya and its later OVA, The Hades Chapter. In the Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf OVA, he voiced the master martial artist Tung Fu Rue.

His career included significant roles in many other landmark series. In Space Battleship Yamato and its related films, such as Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato, he voiced General Talan (also known as Talon). He was the voice of the narrator and characters like Professor Morimori and Viscount Pygman in the seminal mecha series Mazinger Z. Yada also appeared in other mecha titles such as Getter Robo as Emperor Yura and Dr. Gura, and in Great Mazinger as Angolas and Bakarasu.

His range extended to a variety of genres and productions. He played the role of Sniper in the canine adventure series Ginga Nagareboshi Gin and the cunning fox Skunk in the special Undersea Super Train: Marine Express. In the comedic world of Dr. Slump, he voiced Tsuruten Tsun. He also contributed to tokusatsu productions, providing voices for various alien characters in classic series like Ultraman and Ultra Seven. In the world of video games, Yada voiced characters such as Raidou in the Dead or Alive fighting game series and Dyntos in Kid Icarus: Uprising.

Kōji Yada's extensive filmography demonstrates a long and impactful career, marking him as a significant figure in the animation and voice acting industry. His work continues to be recognized by fans of the many iconic series to which he contributed.