Takeshi Aono (June 19, 1936 - April 9, 2012) was a seiyū and actor from Asahikawa, Hokkaidō affiliated with Aoni Production. He graduated from Hokkaidō Asahikawa Higashi High School.
Aono was most known for the roles of Shiro Sanada (Uchuu Senkan Yamato), Rihaku (Fist of the North Star), Nurarihyon (GeGeGe no Kitarō), Piccolo Daimao and Kami-sama (Dragon Ball), Kumahachi Kumada (Kiteretsu Daihyakka) and Tomozō Sakura (Chibi Maruko-chan). Aono is also known to appear in all One Piece movies as well as the original voice for Mihawk. He was also known to gamers as the voice of the diabolical Dr. Wily in the PlayStation-era Mega Man games, and the less diabolical Colonel Roy Campbell in the Metal Gear series.
He was also the official dub actor of Michael Palin.
In May 2010, Aono suffered a stroke from an aortic infection and passed away nearly two years later on April 9, 2012.
Notable roles:
- Dr. Albert Zweinstein in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
- Alien Zarab in Ultraman (also suit actor), Ultraman Mebius and the Ultra Brothers (40 years later!), and Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey.
- Himala in Ultraman Dyna
- Axel Thurston in Eureka Seven
- Babylon in Makai Kingdom
- Basil of Baker Street in the Japanese dub of The Great Mouse Detective
- Batros in Sol Bianca
- Bookman in D.Gray-Man (Darrin'd by Hochu Otsuka in Hallow)
- Bullrates the Kobold in Mahou Sentai Magiranger
- Cagnazzo in Final Fantasy IV DS
- Carpenter in Honey and Clover
- Daiki Niwa in D.N.Angel
- Dakuan in Ninja Scroll
- Deszaras a.k.a. Deathsaurus (by English fans) in Transformers Victory
- Doohan in Cowboy Bebop
- Dracule "Hawkeye" Mihawk in One Piece (succeeded by Hirohiko Kakegawa)
- Dr. Ein in Saturn Bomberman
- Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown in the Japanese dub of Back to the Future
- The Gambling King in Ranma ½
- Gasket in the Japanese dub of Robots
- Gen Fu in the Dead or Alive video game series.
- Gengai Hiraga in Gintama (replaced by Bin Shimada in Enchousen)
- Genjuro Hagakure and Nobuyuki Onijigoku in Pretty Sammy TV
- Gimlet in GaoGaiGar FINAL
- Hadler in Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai
- Hellruga Izberga in Super Robot Wars GC (succeeded by Shinpachi Tsuji in The Moon Dwellers)
- Herb Powell in the Japanese dub of The Simpsons
- Issei in Giant Robo
- Jack Morgan in Firestorm (anime)
- Jinmen in Devilman (OVA)
- Jinpachi Mishima in Tekken 5 (co-voice with Chikao Ohtsuka)
- Joker in the Japanese dub of Batman: The Animated Series
- Kenki-kun in Ghost Sweeper Mikami
- Also voiced Akechi Mitsuhide in the movie
- Kraken in Power Stone
- Kiling Meehilbis in Mitsumete Knight
- Kumahachi Kumada in Kiteretsu Daihyakka
- Leo in Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys
- Mega Man:
- Dr. Albert W. Wily in Mega Man 8 and Mega Man X4
- Isoc and Ground Scaravich in Mega Man X6
- The official dub voice for Michael Palin:
- Adrian "Bugsy" Malone in Fierce Creatures
- All of his Monty Python roles.
- Miki Norihei in Yakitate!! Japan
- Murai in Legend of the Galactic Heroes
- Muramasa in Ninja Gaiden
- Murigson in Captain Harlock: The Arcadia of My Youth
- Nicholas A. Andersen in Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
- Nobuyuki and Katsuhito Masaki in Tenchi Muyo! (respectively replaced by Katsuyuki Konishi and Ken Uo in the fourth and fifth Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki OVAs)
- Nurarihyon in GeGeGe no Kitarō (Series 3 and 5)
- Piccolo Daimao (the original, not his sonnote ), Kami-sama, Murasaki and Shen in Dragon Ball (Kami-sama was replaced by Bin Shimada in Kai who would also take over for Piccolo Daimao in Dragon Ball Heroes)
- Rihaku in Fist of the North Star
- Rodyle in Tales of Symphonia
- Roy Campbell and the GW AI in Metal Gear. note Also the voice of Aleksandr Leonovitch Granin in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. With Aono's death, Hideo Kojima retired the character out of respect.
- Rudolf Smuntz in the TBS Japanese dub of MouseHunt
- Sancho in The Mysterious Cities of Gold (original Japanese dubbing, 1982)
- Scope Tsurusaki in Prefectural Earth Defense Force
- Shige-san Mitamura in Ai Shite Night
- Shigure Aotsuki in the OVA of Ushio and Tora
- Shiro Sanada in Uchuu Senkan Yamato
- Stan in Trigun
- Sugoroku Mutou (a.k.a. Solomon Moto) in Yu-Gi-Oh! (first anime series)
- Tazuna in Naruto
- Toshio Kōmura in CLANNAD
- Vanilla Ice in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure OVAs (succeeded by Show Hayami in the TV series)
- Wagnard in Record of Lodoss War
- Victor Reynolds in Lady!!
