Otaku USA Magazine
Kingdom Hearts, Mushi Productions Actor Genzo Wakayama Passes Away

88-year-old actor and radio personality Genzo Wakayama has passed away from heart failure.

Wakayama was the voice of Ansem the Wise in the Kingdom Hearts franchise and played Captain Long John Silver in both Osamu Tezuka’s New Treasure Island from Mushi Production and Osamu Dezaki’s Treasure Island. He additionally worked under Hayao Miyazaki by voicing Scoppero in “The Day I Bought a Star” for the Ghibli Museum.

He was also known as a dub actor for Western franchises dubbed into Japanese. Most notably there would perhaps be his job dubbing Sean Connery in multiple roles, so in a way he was the voice of James Bond for many people in Japan.

His family has chosen to have a private funeral.

Source: ANN

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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, and its sequel, Manga Art for Intermediates, with professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.

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