Ryōtarō Okiayu

Ryōtarō Okiayu (置鮎 龍太郎) is a Japanese actor, voice actor and singer affiliated with Aoni Production. His major roles include Byakuya Kuchiki in Bleach, Treize Khushrenada in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Hisashi Mitsui in Slam Dunk, Meisuke Nueno in Hell Teacher Nūbē, Kunimitsu Tezuka in The Prince of Tennis, Alucard in Castlevania, Zero in Mega Man X, Yuu Matsuura in Marmalade Boy, Shigure Sohma in Fruits Basket, Dark in D.N. Angel, Toriko in Toriko and Kokushibo in Demon Slayer. As a singer, he was one of the members for Entertainment Music Unit from 1995 to 2000. He is married to voice actress Ai Maeda. His range is A～E♯ and his dialect is Osakan. His older sister is an animator.

He is the official voice-over dub for Scott Foley, Taylor Kitsch, Lin Gengxin and Stephen Fung.

Biography
Okiayu was born in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture in 1969, moved to Osaka Prefecture when he was in the third grade of elementary school due to his parents' work, and lived in Nankō Port Town in Suminoe-ku, Osaka. His father had worked at a movie company for a time before Okiayu was born, and he would sometimes get anime posters and cels from his old colleagues. Because of this environment, Okiayu and his sister, who is one year older than him, loved anime and often listened to theatrical anime records and dramas together. His sister was skilled in the field of drawing, having been involved in animation for some time, but Okiayu found more enjoyment in imitating the voices of characters than in drawing, and he came to feel that speaking dialogue was an interesting thing to do. In his first year of high school after entering Abeno High School, he began to think about becoming a voice actor, and began to request information about training schools, but due to financial reasons, he decided to wait until after graduation and began working part-time during his high school years to save money. However, he spent the money on other things, so he ended up borrowing from his parents to attend the training school. His parents advised him to go to college, but he decided to go to the training school because he had no goals in mind. While there were almost no training schools in Osaka at the time, he auditioned and entered the Aoni Juku Osaka School. He passed an audition for Aoni Production through an in-house screening and moved to Tokyo from Osaka. He is said to have cried when he got the acceptance letter. When he first moved to Tokyo, he went to his cousin's place to find a room.

Okiayu claims that his first jobs as a voice actor were a radio commercial for a prep school and the voice of a remote-controlled robot roaming around the Expo '90 site. His first work in anime was as a Bodkin archer in Dragon Quest and his first regular role was as Franz Heinel in Future GPX Cyber Formula. His first starring role was in the OVA Dark Cat. The role of Meisuke Nueno in Hell Teacher Nūbē was his first leading role in a TV anime. He said that Nūbē was the culmination of his career and that he was able to put himself fully into the role and play it naturally because he was close to Meisuke's age, and he said he cried when he heard it was over.

Okiayu has taken over some of the roles from late Kaneto Shiozawa, Kazuyuki Sogabe, Tsuyoshi Takishita, and Unshō Ishizuka. Since 2016, he has also been working as a stage actor in the theater company Hero Hero Q Company. In 2023, Okiayu was a recipient of the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 17th Seiyu Awards.

Audio dramas

 * Ai no Kusabi series 2: Dark Erogenous as Daryl
 * Aitsu to Scandal series 1 (Hizuru Takahashi)
 * Aitsu to Scandal series 2: Houkago wa Scandal (Hizuru Takahashi)
 * Aitsu to Scandal series 3: Gakuensai wa Scandal (Hizuru Takahashi)
 * Amai Yuuten as Masafumi Shibusawa
 * Baccano! as Ladd Russo
 * Boku no Mono ni Narinasai series 4: Kitto Junai Toiunowa... as Seiichirou Yukikawa
 * Dear as Cain
 * Fate/Zero as Berserker
 * Fruits Basket as Shigure Sohma
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series 1: Kanreizensen Conductor as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series 2: D-Senjou no Aria as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series 3: Samayoeru Violinist as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series 4: Concert wa Osuki? as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series 5: Akaikutsu Waltz as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series 6: Manhattan Sonata as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series 7: Recital Rhapsody as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series 8: Tounoin Hakaku Katariki as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series side story: Yasei no Amadeus as Yuuki Morimura
 * Fujimi Orchestra Series testimony: Majime Kon Masu wa Conductor no Yume wo Miruka? as Yuuki Morimura
 * Future GPX Cyber Formula series as Franz Heinel
 * Gaki no Ryoubun series 2: Hasumi Koukou as Katsuhiko Shiina
 * Gaki no Ryoubun series 3: Saikyou Hiiruzu as Katsuhiko Shiina
 * Gaki no Ryoubun series 4: Uwasa no Shinzui as Katsuhiko Shiina
 * Gaki no Ryoubun series 5: Akuun no Jouken as Katsuhiko Shiina
 * Ginnoyuki Furufuru as Third-year student
 * Hello!! Doctor as Keisuke Sudou
 * Hisoyaka na Jounetsu Series as Yoshito Kubo
 * Hisoyaka na Jounetsu Series side story 2: Iro Koi as Yoshito Kubo
 * Kairyuu Gakuen Twins series 1: Scandalous Twins (Atsushi Sagamihara)
 * Kairyuu Gakuen Twins series 2: Dangerous Twins (Atsushi Sagamihara)
 * Kedamono series 1: Kedamono wa Nido Warau (Wilfred)
 * Kinkanshoku (Melrose)
 * Koi no series 1: Koi no Tasting as Houshou Takasugi
 * Koi no series 2: Koi no Seasoning as Houshou Takasugi
 * Koi no series 3: Koi no Mixing as Houshou Takasugi
 * Kouman na Tenshi to Shinshi na Yabanjin as Senri Makiya
 * Legend of Chun Hyang || Mong Ryong || Drama CD ||
 * Lupin III as Daisuke Jigen
 * Munasawagi series 4: Munasawagi no Marionette (Yoshinori Kamizaki)
 * Naito wa Oatsuinoga Osuki series 1 (Atsushi Sagamihara)
 * Naito wa Oatsuinoga Osuki series 2: Naito wa Hageshiinoga Osuki (Atsushi Sagamihara)
 * Okane ga nai series 1 (Toranosuke Gion)
 * Okane ga nai series 2: Okane Shika Nai (Toranosuke Gion)
 * Ouchou Haru no Yoi no Romance as Narihira Ariwara
 * Ousama na Neko as Zeta & Zem Nabeshima
 * Rockman Kiki Ippatsu!! as Blues
 * Samurai Deeper Kyo as Yuan
 * Shiawase ni Dekiru series 1 - 5 as Mikoto Kuonji
 * Shiawase ni Naroune as Yuuji Harada
 * Teito Shinshi Kurabu as Yukihide Yashima
 * Tokyo Deep Night as Hiroya Toudou
 * Tokyo Midnight as Hiroya Toudou
 * Trap series 1: Renai Trap as Ryouichi Kataoka
 * Vassalord as Charley
 * The King of Fighters '94 Dengenki drama CD as Kyo Kusanagi
 * Tsumi Series as Ryouhei Takanashi
 * Zutto Anata Dake as Shanna

Video games

 * Another Century's Episode R as Winter
 * Animamundi: Dark Alchemist as Georik Zaberisk
 * Bakumatsu Renka Shinsengumi as Hijikata
 * ,Genya Arikado)
 * Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow as (Alucard, Genya Arikado)
 * Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow as (Alucard, Genya Arikado)
 * Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII as Nero
 * 2013-01-13 || Digimon Adventure || Devimon || PSP ||
 * Drakengard 3 as Cent
 * Duel Love as Kei Ryuzoji
 * Dynasty Warriors Next as Sima Shi
 * Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 as Treize Khushrenada
 * Final Fantasy Type-0 HD as Quon Yobatz
 * Future GPX Cyber Formula Road to the Infinity series as Franz Heinel
 * Genso Suikoden Tierkreis as J
 * Granado Espada as Male Wizard
 * Growlanser as Ernest Lyell
 * Growlanser II: The Sense of Justice as Ernest Lyell
 * Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2 as Akram
 * Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 3 as Adult Hakuryuu
 * Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 4 as Nasatya
 * J-Stars Victory VS as Toriko, Meisuke Nueno/Nübē
 * Kaiser Knuckle as Barts
 * Ken ga Kimi as Enishi
 * Kessen as Date Masamune, Tachibana Muneshige
 * Kessen II as Zhang Liao, Fa Zheng
 * Kessen III as Oda Nobunaga
 * Killer is Dead  as Mondo Zappa
 * Langrisser IV as Randius
 * Langirsser V as Randius
 * Lunar: Eternal Blue as Ronfar
 * Magic Knight Rayearth as Inouva
 * MagnaCarta II as Argo
 * Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis as Theofratus
 * Rockman 8: Metal Heroes as Blues
 * Megami Ibunroku Persona as Hidehiko 'Brown' Uesugi
 * Musashi Samurai Legend as Rothschild
 * Musou Orochi Z as Orochi, Orochi X, Chosokabe Motochika
 * Musou Orochi 2 Special as Orochi, Orochi X, Chosokabe Motochika, Sima Shi
 * Prince of Tennis as Kunimitsu Tezuka
 * Rival Schools series as Roy Bromwell
 * Saint Seiya the Hades as Gemini Saga, Gemini Kanon
 * 2007-08-23 || Samurai Warriors series || Chōsokabe Motochika || Starting with Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends ||
 * Samurai Warriors 2 Xtreme Legends as Chosokabe Motochika
 * Samurai Warriors 3 as Chosokabe Motochika
 * Samurai Warriors 4 as Chosokabe Motochika
 * Samurai Warriors: Chronicles as Chosokabe Motochika
 * SD Gundam G Generation series as Andrew Waltfeld, Treize Khushrenada
 * Sengoku Basara 2 as Toyotomi Hideyoshi
 * Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes as Toyotomi Hideyoshi
 * Shining Force III as Synbios, Julian
 * Shining Force Neo as Baron
 * Suikoden Tierkreis as Jale
 * Super Adventure Rockman as Blues, Rush
 * Super Robot Wars as Raidiese F. Branstein, Andrew Waltfeld, Treize Khushrenada, Nagare Akatsuki
 * Super Robot Wars OG Saga: Endless Frontier EXCEED as Katze Kotolnos, Vana Gando
 * Tail Concerto as Cyan Garland
 * Tales of Xillia 2 as Gaius
 * Tekken as Lee Chaolan/Violet
 * Tekken 5 as Lee Chaolan
 * Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection as Lee Chaolan
 * Tekken 6 as Lee Chaolan
 * Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion as Lee Chaolan
 * Tekken Tag Tournament 2 as Lee Chaolan/Violet (as Violet in Fight Lab mode and Battle gameplay)
 * Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Unlimited as Lee Chaolan
 * Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition as Lee Chaolan/Violet (as Violet in Fight Lab mode and Battle gameplay)
 * Tekken 3D: Prime Edition as Lee Chaolan
 * Tekken Revolution as Lee Chaolan
 * Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side as Kijyou Madoka
 * Tokyo Mew Mew as Gateau du Rowa