Tsutomu Isobe (磯部 勉, Isobe Tsutomu; born October 13, 1950) is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo, Japan. He is the best known dubbing roles for Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Chow Yun-fat, Peter Weller, Tim Allen, Sean Bean, Choi Min-sik, Stringfellow Hawke (Airwolf) and many more. His daughter is actress Rinako Isobe (磯部 莉菜子, Isobe Rinako) and he is married to Miyuki Saitō (斉藤 深雪, Saitō Miyuki), an actress employed by Haiyuza Theatre Company.
Contents
Biography
After graduating from junior college, Isobe joined the Haiyuza Theatre Company in 1972, where he gained experience on stage under director Koreya Senda, mainly in Shakespeare's plays, which were well received. Later, he played the role of Shishiōin, the nemesis of the main character, Kirigakure Saizō, in NHK's drama Fūjin no Mon. Since then, he has played roles in many stage, television, animation, and film productions in both period and contemporary dramas, and left Haiyuza in 1989.
Kramer vs. Kramer was his debut as a voice actor, and he was the main voice of Stringfellow Hawke, the protagonist of Airwolf, as well as Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Chow Yun-fat, Tim Allen, Peter Weller, Bruce Willis, and Sean Bean.
Known for his humble and sincere personality, it is said that when Isobe took on the role of Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments, he called Gorō Naya, who dubbed Heston for many years, directly to ask for his forgiveness, when in fact Isobe met Naya in a bar and greeted him. He originally dubbed Heston when he filled in for Naya in the Friday first-run showing of The Naked Jungle, and has since served in three new recordings.
In 2005's Mahō Sentai Magiranger, he was cast as the voice of the enemy leader Wolzard as well as Wolzard's true identity, the Magiranger, father Isamu Ozu. This was the first time for him to be a regular in a tokusatsu series, so when he was offered to play the role of Isamu Ozu unmasked, he was at first puzzled as to whether it was right for him. In the final episode, like the rest of the cast, he is in the suit of Wolzard Fire, the transformed version of his role.
Filmography
Film
The Incident (1978)
August Without the Emperor (1978)
Lost in the Wilderness (1986)
Yuwakusha (1989), Hiraide
Dōten (1991)
Yūkai (1997)
Television drama
Mito Kōmon (1975–2011)
Genroku Taiheiki (1975), Mōri Koheita
Shishi no Jidai (1980)
Tōge no Gunzō (1982), Horibe Yasubee
Kawaite sōrō (1984)
Shadow Warriors IV (1985), Samonji Noro
Inochi (1986)
Kasuga no Tsubone (1989), Akechi Hidemitsu
Onihei Hankachō (1989–1997), Ninzaburo, Katsunosuke and Daigaku Yokota
Ōoka Echizen (1990), Bunkichi
Tobu ga Gotoku (1990), Matsudaira Shungaku
Hachidai Shōgun Yoshimune (1995)
Mōri Motonari (1997), Uyama Hisakane
Genroku Ryōran (1999), Toda Ujisada
Aoi (2000), Ikeda Terumasa
Musashi (2003)
AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo (2008), Nakamura
Atsuhime (2008), Kujo Hisatada
Gunshi Kanbei (2014), Ogō Yoshitoshi
Daddy Sister (2016)
The Tiger and Her Wings (2024), Rikitaro Nishikida
Television animation
Gungrave (2003), Harry MacDowel
Monster (2004), Inspector Lunge
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle (2006), Kurogane's father
Black Lagoon (2006), Dutch
One Outs (2008), Hiromichi Kojima
Blade (2010), Deacon Frost
Jormungand (2012), George Black
Magic Kaito 1412 (2014), Tsūjirō Hasura
Subete ga F ni Naru (2015), Shōsuke Nishinosono
The Kindaichi Case Files R (2016), Susumu Samejima
Original net animation
Thermae Romae Novae (2022), Emperor Hadrian
Theatrical animation
Memories (1995), Heinz
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001), Vincent Volaju
Naruto the Movie: Snow Princess' Book of Ninja Arts (2004), Dotō Kazehana
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood (2007), George Joestar
Trigun: Badlands Rumble (2010), Gasback Gallon Getaway
King of Thorn (2010), Ivan Coral Vega
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2010), Aeolia Schenberg
Mardock Scramble (2010), Dimsdale Boiled
Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya (2013), Emmi
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (2016), Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII
Psycho-Pass: Sinners of the System (2019), Guillermo Garcia
One Piece: Stampede (2019), Douglas Bullet
Video games
Gungrave (2000), Harry MacDowel
Street Fighter X Tekken (2012), Bob
Tales of Xillia 2 (2012), Bisley Karcsi Bakur
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (2012), Kevin Flynn, Clu
Granblue Fantasy (2015), Friar Laurence / Iago
Final Fantasy XV (2016), Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII
Nioh 2 (2020), Shibata Katsuie
Ghost of Tsushima (2020), Khotun Khan
Tokusatsu
Mahou Sentai Magiranger (2005), Wolzard (voice), Blagel (voice), Isamu Ozu
Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle (2011), Wolzard (voice), Blagel (voice), Isamu Ozu
Kamen Rider Fourze the Movie: Everyone, Space Is Here! (2012), XVII (voice)
Uchu Sentai Kyuranger: Episode of Stinger (2017) Thunderbird (voice)
Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger (2024) Grantu Risk (voice)
Radio drama
Mademoiselle Mozart (1992), Antonio Salieri
Dubbing roles
Harrison Ford
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Han Solo)
The Empire Strikes Back (Han Solo)
Blade Runner (2011 THE CINEMA edition) (Rick Deckard)
Return of the Jedi (Han Solo)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1998 TV Asahi edition) (Indiana Jones)
Witness (1990 TV Asahi edition) (Detective John Book)
Frantic (Dr. Richard Walker)
Working Girl (1991 TV Asahi edition) (Jack Trainer)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1998 TV Asahi edition) (Indiana Jones)
Presumed Innocent (1995 TV Asahi edition) (Rozat "Rusty" Sabich)
Patriot Games (Jack Ryan)
The Fugitive (Doctor Richard Kimble)
Clear and Present Danger (1997 TV Asahi edition) (Jack Ryan)
The Devil's Own (Tom O'Meara)
Six Days Seven Nights (Quinn Harris)
Random Hearts (Sergeant William 'Dutch' Van Den Broeck)
What Lies Beneath (Dr. Norman Spencer)
K-19: The Widowmaker (Alexei Vostrikov)
