Hiroya Ishimaru

(born on February 12, 1941 in Sendai, Miyagi) is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. He is the founder of the talent agency Production BAOBAB. He is most famous for performing the role of Koji Kabuto in the 1972 series Mazinger Z and its sequels. He also voiced Tutty from Bosco Adventure and Ultraman Taro in recurring Ultraman series entries. He is also the official Japanese dub-over voice artist for Jackie Chan. He also voiced Lei Wulong from the Tekken fighting game series, who has a strong resemblance to Jackie Chan.
He voiced Dracula in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.
==Career==
Born in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, and later raised in Chiba Prefecture, Tokyo, and Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture.
Graduated from Tokyo High School. He dropped out of the Shibaura Institute of Technology Faculty of Engineering.
During his freshman year at the university, Mr. Ishimaru applied for a research student recruitment for the Himawari Theater Company. He appeared in TV series such as Oedo Sousai Net and on stage, although he wasn't able to make ends meet out of these jobs, so he was introduced to voice acting as a part-time job by his manager. After his first regular role in the TV series Manix, produced by Paramount Television, he was given the role of the main character Koji Kabuto in the 1972 anime series Mazinger Z.
He was affiliated to Gekidan Himawari, Gekidan Taiyo, JK Planning and Aoni Production, and eventually founded the talent agency Production BAOBAB.
==Gallery==
Rob-offart2.jpg|link=Dracula|Mr. Ishimaru voiced Dracula in the Japanese version of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.
==Trivia==
*He is a fluent English speaker.
*His hobbies include: baseball, mahjong, horse racing and pachinko.
==External links==
*Official profile page at Production BAOBAB (Japanese)
*Anime News Network
*Behind the Voice Actors
*Hiroya Ishimaru at Mazinger Wiki
*Hiroya Ishimaru at Ultraman Wiki
*IMDb
Category:Japanese Voice Actors
Category:Voice Actors