Yōhei Tadano

Biography

Tadano's interest in acting began in his elementary school years. In 1981, while studying at the University of the Ryukyus, he joined the production "Audience Seats" at the Okinawa Jean Jean festival. After graduating from college, he worked most immediately as a salesman, but later became involved with a series of theater companies. Tadano joined the Theater Echo Training Institute in 1988, and two years later became a research student at the same entity. He was named a troupe member in April 1994 and was further promoted in April 2000.

Tadano is currently active mainly on stage and in voice-over work. On February 27, 2019, he became Kitakyushu City's Tourism Ambassador.

His first voice-over assignment was in 1993 with the Japanese-language dubbing of the American film The Saint of Fort Washington. Dubbing assignments for western movies continued for some time, but from 2006 Tadano expanded into anime, first for Hime-sama Goyōjin.

For the 2009 TV dub of For a Few Dollars More, which restored scenes deleted from the 1973 theatrical cut, he was cast as Manco, replacing the late Yasuo Yamada. A dubbing staff member heard Tadano's performance in Hime-sama Goyōjin and said, "There's a guy who sounds like Lupin!", referring to Yamada's celebrated role.

Tadano also dubbed Eastwood in restored scenes for the Japanese TV dub of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as well.

He portrays characters ranging from young to old. He voiced Nucky Thompson in Boardwalk Empire and also performed as the comical villain King Candy in Wreck-It Ralph, Heinz Doofenshmirtz in Phineas and Ferb and Mr. Smee in Jake and the Never Land Pirates.

Since his face physically resembles Tadao Futami, a senior member of a well-known theater company, Tadano took on the stage role of Futami. Because his voice shares some similarities with Yasuo Yamada, a senior troupe member, Tadano often substitutes for Yamada when required.

When Ichirō Nagai died in 2014, Tadano was called on to assume Nagai's role of Yoda in Star Wars Rebels. In Kingdom Hearts III, he also replaced Kaneta Kimotsuki in his role as Jiminy Cricket. Tadano additionally has also served as a replacement for Takeshi Aono.

Filmography

Anime

Naruto: Shippūden (2010) as Chushin

Kamiwaza Wanda (2016) as Jii Yoda

Little Witch Academia (2017) as Mr. Holbrooke

One Piece (2017) as Prodi, (2024) as Vegapunk

Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katori no Nazotoki File (2018) as Darjeeling Aspoirot

Megalobox (2018) as Miyagi

Go Astro Boy Go! (2019) as Professor Ochanomizu

Star Twinkle PreCure (2019) as Ryoutarou Sorami and Yeti

BNA: Brand New Animal (2020) as Giuliano Flip

Great Pretender (2020) as Kudo

Samurai & Shogun (2020) as Rick Sanchez WTM-72

Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai (2020) as Baduck

Rick and Morty vs. Genocider (2020) as Rick Sanchez

Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens (2020) as Sebastian

Log Horizon: Destruction of the Round Table (2021) as Regan

Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil) (2021) as Rick Sanchez

Beyblade Burst Dynamite Battle (2021) as Jingemon Daikokuten

Getter Robo Arc (2021) as Professor Shikishima

The Great Yokai Battle of Akihabara (2021) as Rick Sanchez

Video games

Street Fighter IV (2008) – Gen

Super Street Fighter IV (2010) – Gen

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (2011) – Abull

Shin Megami Tensei IV (2013) – Hugo

Street Fighter V (2016) – Gen

Dragon Quest Heroes II (2016) – King Felnorc

Nioh (2017) – Kanbei Kuroda, Muramasa Senji

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux (2017) – Captain Jack

Kingdom Hearts III (2019) – Jiminy Cricket, Aliens

Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2020) – Nonomiya

Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) – Don Corneo

Ghost of Tsushima (2020) – Ryuzo

Final Fantasy VII Remake (2024) – Bugenhagen

unknown date

God of War III – Hermes

God of War – Mímir

Tokusatsu

Kamen Rider Den-O - Whale Imagin

Kamen Rider Gavv - Dente Stomach

Dubbing roles

Clint Eastwood

A Fistful of Dollars (2012 Blu-Ray additional scenes), Man with No Name

For a Few Dollars More (2009 DVD additional scenes), Man with No Name

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (2009 DVD additional scenes), Man with No Name

Where Eagles Dare (2021 Movie Plus additional scenes), Lieutenant Morris Schaffer

The Beguiled (2017 VOD edition), Corporal John 'McBee' McBurney

Dirty Harry (2012 Wowow additional scenes), Inspector Harry Callahan

Magnum Force (2012 Wowow additional scenes), Inspector Harry Callahan

The Enforcer (2012 Wowow additional scenes), Inspector Harry Callahan

The Gauntlet (2018 Wowow additional scenes), Detective Ben Shockley

Sudden Impact (2012 Wowow additional scenes), Inspector Harry Callahan

The Mule, Earl Stone

Cry Macho, Mike Milo

Willem Dafoe

The Great Wall, Sir Ballard

Aquaman, Nuidis Vulko

Motherless Brooklyn, Paul Randolph

Togo, Leonhard Seppala