Chikao Ohtsuka - Who'll succeed him...?

Mendinso · Feb 15, 2009

This'll probably be a good couple years before anything happens, but Chikao Ohtsuka is getting up there in his age and it's starting to show. He is currently 79 and will become 80 later this year. This is around the age where most voice actors start to retire and in the next couple years if he chooses to retire, we're going to have to get a new voice actor for Eggman. While I doubt most of you really care, but I really enjoy his Eggman more than his English incarnations and his past official voice actors in Japan.

Just a general summary, but Chikao Ohtsuka is a really high profile voice actor who has done many roles over the years, going as far back as 1960s. Most people know him in Japan for his Nezumi Otoko role in Gegege no Kitaro series, though like mainy of the voice actors, didn't reprise his roles after the first couple series (he only recently reprised it for Hakaba Kitaro). He also recently did Big Boss's voice in MGS4, which was a nice Father/Son tribute (since his son, Akio Ohtsuka, voices Snake).

When he started out with Eggman, he was 68/69 years of age in 1998, without an exact date when they recorded the game. It wasn't until around 2000 till I actually heard his Japanese voice, but I really loved it more. It had this older man, somewhat over confident, and slightly deep (but not too much) voice, that just seemed like a perfect match to Eggman's personality. His laugh is also something I really enjoyed and just added to his "arogance" and over confidence. It wasn't until Sonic X and after till we got this laugh in the english version (and it took Mike Pollock sometime to get it down. The first time he did that laugh....).

But as years go on, people get older and their voice also changes somewhat. I've noticed something more recently, Chikao's voice has started to become a bit more scratchier than it was originally, not sure if that is the result of age or just straining his voice (possibly both). In any case, I've heard that he's been mainly playing the roles of older aged men as opposed to younger ones for the past couple years (and it seems to be generally true, baring Nezumi Otoko's ambiguous age).

Now, I'm really hoping I'm wrong on this and Chikao will continue to remain a voice actor for years to come, as I've loved many of his roles he has done (including dub overs). but I can't imagine the guy can continue to do so due to his age.

Now the thing is, I don't know who would be a successor to Chikao. At first, I thought his son could possibly take over Eggman's role, but he's obviously younger and his vocal range doesn't seem to match that of Eggman's (nor the other past voice actors). There were a couple other voice actors I thought could possibly take over, but they're ages were already up there (mid 70s), and probably require another voice actor change sooner than the previous.

Obviously, we won't know who'll end up taking over the role, but I'm rather curious what you guys think could possibly take the part as Eggman. I realise there's not that many people familiar with Japanese voice actors here, but with the few that do, I thought it'd be interesting to hear your input.

Ben Laserlove · Feb 15, 2009

Not adding to the discussion, but I think Long John Baldry was the best of all Robotnik/Eggman voice actors.

Mostly because it had an personality where other voice actors did not.

muteKi · Feb 15, 2009

Really? None of them had a personality? Clearly I've been listening to a different set of Robotniks than the rest of you.

Rika Chou · Feb 15, 2009

Jim Cummings.

I wish.

Jeiku · Feb 15, 2009

When I saw this topic my heart nearly stopped. I always liked Chikao Otsuka's role, but I'm not entirely familiar with other male seiyuu around his age range. But Otsuka's age has crossed my mind before, especially since we've already had at least two Eggman/Robotnik voice actors die, one of them who was still voicing the character before his death. Since as of late, Sega has managed to find increasingly popular seiyuu to fit their roles (Daisuke Ono, Maaya Sakamoto, Tomokazu Seki are all well-known in the J-community), I'm sure they'll be able to find somebody as enduring once Otsuka is forced to resign or kicks the bucket.

muteKi · Feb 15, 2009

Heh, Daisuke Ono is Silver's japanese voice? That's pretty awesome.

Dark Sonic · Feb 16, 2009

Dr. Ivo Robuttnik said:

Not adding to the discussion, but I think Long John Baldry was the best of all Robotnik/Eggman voice actors.

Mostly because it had an personality where other voice actors did not.
Click to expand...

Dr. Rrrrrobotnik! Agreed, shame he is dead. Else wise they should have had the AoSTH voice actors do Sonic, Tails, and Robotnik in the games.

Uh oh, Japanese Robotnik is leaving. Another voice actor takeover ("Well one's gone... let's just get rid of all of them")

muteKi · Feb 16, 2009

Y'know, I'm sure Aya Hirano could do a very good Amy. 'Course, she'd cost an arm, leg, and firstborn son to get on board since she's that big.

Cinossu · Feb 16, 2009

Rika Chou said:

Jim Cummings.

I wish.
Click to expand...

Seconded.

Yuski · Feb 16, 2009

I'd wanted to see again Junpei Takiguchi, doing Dr. Eggman's voice again (he did him on the OVA), but he's only 2 years youger than Chikao Ohtsuka! =P

Yuzu · Feb 16, 2009

I like the current voice right now. But for some strange reason, I think Steven Fry would go well as a Eggman voice. He proved he can be a pretty evil, stuck up person in Fable 2.

Ben Laserlove · Feb 17, 2009

muteKi said:

Really? None of them had a personality? Clearly I've been listening to a different set of Robotniks than the rest of you.
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Okay, I overdid it there.

What I meant is that Long John's Robotnik has far more personality in comparision to the other Robotniks.

Doesn't mean that the other Robotniks are shit, it just means that Long John were so much better.

I've got another reason why I like him.

I can sympathize with Long John's Robotnik.

Maybe it's because of the script that he has to read, but he red it so fuck y'all.

GeneHF · Feb 17, 2009

All we need is to teach InstantSonic how to speak Japanese. All will be well in the world.

OSM · Feb 17, 2009

GeneHF said:

All we need is to teach InstantSonic how to speak Japanese. All will be well in the world.
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Who's InstantSonic?

Overlord · Feb 17, 2009

Krigo said:

I like the current voice right now. But for some strange reason, I think Steven Fry would go well as a Eggman voice. He proved he can be a pretty evil, stuck up person in Fable 2.
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Oh wow. I'd LOVE to hear Steven Fry's take on Robotnik, that would be AWESOME.

Copornocus · Feb 17, 2009

muteKi said:

Y'know, I'm sure Aya Hirano could do a very good Amy. 'Course, she'd cost an arm, leg, and firstborn son to get on board since she's that big.
Click to expand...

But it would be worth it.

Rika Chou said:

Jim Cummings.

I wish.
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This, if he spoke Japanese.

El Gran Gordo · Feb 27, 2009

I'm very glad that Deem Bristow(my favorite Eggman VA) got a worthy replacement with Mike Pollock, who is different but still still very good for the part.

Ohtsuka's unique take on Eggman is very fun and high-energy, and given I'm rather unfamiliar with the voice acting industry in Japan, I can't really think of a good replacement. His OVA actor, as a poster already mentioned, is about the same age as Ohtsuka. So I'll just say I hope they find someone who can project a similar feeling of high-energy wackiness in the character's voice.

plushifoxed · Feb 28, 2009

muteKi said:

Y'know, I'm sure Aya Hirano could do a very good Amy. 'Course, she'd cost an arm, leg, and firstborn son to get on board since she's that big.
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Just admit that you want to hear Amy do a Konata impression and get over it

muteKi · Feb 28, 2009

I was thinking more along the lines of Haruhi, actually.

test-object · Mar 4, 2009

Overlord said:

Krigo said:

I like the current voice right now. But for some strange reason, I think Steven Fry would go well as a Eggman voice. He proved he can be a pretty evil, stuck up person in Fable 2.
Click to expand...

Oh wow. I'd LOVE to hear Steven Fry's take on Robotnik, that would be AWESOME.
Click to expand...

I love Stephen Fry, and every single role he has played, but I'm not sure he'd make a very good (English) Robotnik. He hasn't got a certain "rasp" in his voice... But anything is better then the current Robotnik. I can't help but hearing Pumbaa speak in Unleashed.

Also, Jim Cummings did every cool voice ever put in a game/serie/movie...
Just mentioning :3

Chikao Ohtsuka - Who'll succeed him...?

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