Describe Hikaru Midorikawa here or I will kill you.
(cue epic swag music!) In 1995, Japan, one voice actor had the entire anime world's attention due to a certain anime series. He's stylish at voicing cool Bishōnen characters, he's stylish at doing Angsty roles, and he's even stylish when doing Hot-Blooded or silly characters. Every single role he does is... Cool. Cooler. Coolest. He lives an overwhelmingly cool, stylish seiyuu life. And his name is... at the picture caption.
Though born in 1968 and already married, he manages other activities other than being a VA, such as website managing (he's got one though he had to shut it down for a while due to fan harassment) and playing video games. Apparently, he's a big fan of Super Robot Wars, to the extent of writing a blog entry on the SRW site, contacting Banpresto and happily doing extra lines for his characters (especially Masaki) for free. He usually becomes a beta tester for the games, too. He also have a habit to turn the characters he voices into one man armies in the SRWs (namely Heero and Masaki; he'll probably do the same to Xingke when he shows up in Z2, or Asakim in case he's recruitable)
He's close friends with voice actors, Nobuyuki Hiyama and Ryōtarō Okiayu, who both shared a bit of his SRW passion. note He was also a member of a music group with Nobutoshi Canna, but his greatest, most known relationship amongst voice actors is definitely Takehito Koyasu; they often play roles that rivals each others, and Koyasu has once teased that Midorikawa's voice sounded cute; on the other hand, Midorikawa teased that Koyasu's voice sounded sexy.
Truly a Man of a Thousand Voices.
Hikaru Midorikawa's roles:
- Abel in Mirai Sentai Timeranger
- Adell in Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories
- Akechi Mitsuhide in the Samurai Warriors franchise and Kessen III.
- Akihiko Sanada in Persona 3
- Akimitsu Bizen in Re-Main
- Albert in Granblue Fantasy and Dragalia Lost
- Alexei in Ninja Gaiden 2 (Xbox 360)
- Ail in Sailor Moon R
- Fiore in Sailor Moon R: The Movie: Promise of the Rose.
- Android #16 and Paikuhan in Dragon Ball Z
- Also Tenshinhan in Dragon Ball Z Kai, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, Dragon Ball Z: Revival of F, Dragon Ball Super (succeeds the late Hirotaka Suzuoki)
- The universe 9 God of Destruction assistant, Mojito, in Dragon Ball Super.
- Ayato Sakamaki in Diabolik Lovers
- Balta in Platinum End
- Bedman in Guilty Gear Xrd SIGN
- Bertie the Bus and Oliver, in the Japanese dub of Thomas & Friends
- Best Jeanist in My Hero Academia
- Buddha-Jumps-Over-the-Wall in the Japanese dub of The Tale of Food
- Chisato Takatsukasa in Kirepapa
- Clear in Final Fantasy: Unlimited
- Clift / Kiryl in Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and The Blight Below
- Cool in Daraku Tenshi: The Fallen Angels
- Daikoku Nikaidou in First Love Monster
- Daisuke (Dub Name Change Damien) in Pokémon: The Series
- N in Pokémon Masters
- D'Arcy in the Japanese version of Arena of Valor
- Dio Brando in the unreleased JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood movie
- Dune in HeartCatch Pretty Cure!
- Eichi Tenshouin in Ensemble Stars!
- Eiichi Otori in Uta No Prince Sama
- Ein/Hayate in the Dead or Alive franchise.
- The Fafnir Knight in Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight
- Fei Fong Wong in Xenogears. He also plays Ramsus, but goes uncredited for that.
- Firion/Firionel in Final Fantasy II and Dissidia Final Fantasy
- Fish Saitou in Angel Beats!
- Frantz Kruger in the Japanese version of Rusty Hearts
- Fuminori Sakisaka in Saya no Uta
- Garou in One-Punch Man
- Gerhaldt von Faust in Saber Marionette J
- Gnosis and THRM-EX in Arknights
- Gridman in Denkō Chōjin Gridman, SSSS.GRIDMAN, Super Robot Wars 30, and GRIDMAN UNIVERSE
- Heero Yuy in New Mobile Report Gundam Wing, New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz and the Super Robot Wars franchise
- Hidemoto Keikain in Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
- Hippogriffomon and Angemon in Digimon Frontier
- Splashmon in Digimon Fusion
- Doumon in Digimon Ghost Game
- Hiro in Lunar: Eternal Blue
- Icarus Toma in Saint Seiya Movie 5 Prelude to Heaven Chapter
- Ichika Saotome in Dream Festival! R
- Ichimokuren in Onmyoji
- Ishida Mitsunari in Brave10
- Jiang Cheng in the Japanese dubs of the Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi animated and audio drama adaptations and the live-action adaptation The Untamed
- Prince Jiart in Majestic Prince
- Jimina Seinen/Mundane Mann in The Eminence in Shadow
- Joe Rival in The Brave Express Might Gaine
- Juzumaru Tsunetsugu in Touken Ranbu
- Kaede Rukawa and Ryoji Ikegami in the Slam Dunk franchise
- Kagemochi Amakasu in Sengoku Night Blood
- Kamiizumi in Bravely Default
- Kanade Mino in Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi
- Kaoru Sakurayashiki in Sk8 the Infinity
- Kash Gyustan/Hellstinger in Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer
- Kazemi in Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger VS Keisatsu Sentai Patranger
- Keiichiro Akasaka in the Tokyo Mew Mew franchise
- Keiya Tenpouin in Evil Zone
- Knight Valentine in Godannar
- Koutarou Inagi in Active Raid
- Kōyō Ozaki in Bungo to Alchemist
- Kyouya Takamachi in Triangle Heart 3: Sweet Songs Forever and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
- Kyousuke Natsume in Little Busters!
- Lancer (Diarmuid Ua Duibhne) in Fate/Zero, Fate/unlimited codes and Fate/Grand Order
- Leon Magnus and Judas in Tales of Destiny
- Leonid Owen in Shingakkou -Noli me tangere- (Credited as Hikaru)
- Lilia Vanrouge in Twisted Wonderland
- Link in The Legend of Zelda audio-drama, Sound and Drama.
- Li Xingke in Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2
- Llednar Twem in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
- Loewe in The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
- Luca in Saint Beast
- Makoto Alo and Lulu in Brigadoon: Marin and Melan
- Marth in the Fire Emblem OAV (as well as every Marth voice acting since then) and the Super Smash Bros. franchise
- He reprises the role in Dragalia Lost
- Masaki Andoh and Asakim Dowin in the Super Robot Wars franchise
- Master Therion in Demonbane and Super Robot Wars UX
- Medjed in Oh, Suddenly Egyptian God
- Mercury Black in the Japanese dub of RWBY
- Might in Psychic Force 2012
- Mikado's assistant/Solitus in Cafe Enchante
- Mikagami Tokiya in the Flame of Recca franchise
- Viscount Mikhail Ramphet in Animamundi Dark Alchemist
- Mirror Knight in Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial
- Morris Dietrich in Sdorica
- Prince Nalu in the Japanese dubs of the first two Barbie Fairytopia movies
- Naoki Shinjyo in the Future GPX Cyber Formula franchise
- The Nutcracker in the Japanese dub of Barbie in the Nutcracker
- Pegasus Kouga in Saint Seiya Omega
- Pretty Riki in Kill Bill Vol. 1
- Rail Claymore in Lost Universe
- Ramirez in Skies of Arcadia
- Rantarou Amami in Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
- Raven in Another Eden
- Red Hare in Fate/Grand Order and Fate/Grand Carnival
- Rei Ichijoudani in Exit Tunes Presents ACTORS
- Reiji Furuhashi in We Never Learn
- Reiji Kiriya in Domestic Girlfriend
- Reiji Tokitō in Clock Over Orquesta
- Revolt in Majin Bone
- Rosen Crantz in Servamp
- Ryuhou in the Scryed franchise
- Saito in Charlotte
- Sakamoto in Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto
- Saku Akechi in Confession Executive Committee
- Salamandes in Kyūkyū Sentai GoGoV
- Schuldig in Knight Hunters
- Scotch in Case Closed
- Seiran Shi in The Story of Saiunkoku
- Seiya Shinjuku in Doreiku
- Seto Kaiba in Yu-Gi-Oh! (first anime series)
- Shiki in Togainu no Chi
- The Shining Dragon in Shining Resonance
- Shintaro in Nangoku Shonen Papuwa Kun
- Softon in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
- Soma Cruz in Franchise/Castlevania
- Sora Hashiba in Sukisho
- Souichi Tatsumi in The Tyrant Falls in Love
- Souji Mikage in Revolutionary Girl Utena
- Sōya Kazama in World Trigger
- Prince Stefan in the Japanese dub of Barbie as Rapunzel
- Ster in 100 Sleeping Princes and the Kingdom of Dreams
- Takanori Miyagawa in Akatsuki no Goei
- Tamahome in the Fushigi Yuugi franchise
- Tamaki Suoh in the earlier drama CD of Ouran High School Host Club (replaced by Mamoru Miyano in the anime and future drama CD)
- Temple Demon in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Thor in Record of Ragnarok
- TopGaler from Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger
- Tsukishima in the Hybrid Child drama CD (replaced by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka in the anime)
- U-do in Xenosaga episode 3.
- Vanitas in Bang Brave Bang Bravern!
- Vidaldus Taka in Fairy Tail
- Vildred and Arbiter Vildred in Epic Seven
- Wiserue in Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger
- Yoh Tomoe in Starry☆Sky
- Yoshimi Sōma/Horse in Juni Taisen: Zodiac War
- Yoshino Yuusuke in the CLANNAD franchise.
- Yuki in NeoGeo Battle Coliseum.
- Yukito Kunisaki in AIR excluding the television series.
- Zed O'Brien in Blood Blockade Battlefront
- Zelgadis Greywords in the Slayers
- Zenya Okinaga in sweet pool
- Zora Ideale in Black Clover
- Zushonosuke in Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales
Well these tropes are just a small portion of Midorikawa's style:
- Affectionate Nickname: His closest colleagues would either call him, "Hikaru-kun" or "Hikaru-chan." Nobuyuki Hiyama in particular is one of those few guys known to call him out by his name straight out in public.
- Fan Nickname: The literal english translation of his name is Green River Light. A lot of his fans call him this.
- Large Ham: While not something he's most famous for, Midorikawa slays when given the chance to act out in this category. Wiserue is a standout example.
- Man of a Thousand Voices: So prolific that the entire Japanese animation industry can be connected to him in fewer steps than Hollywood is to Kevin Bacon.
- Pigeonholed Voice Actor: For some reason, the characters he's voiced have a tendency to be captured and then restrained/tied up.
- Production Posse: Of nitro+, it seems. He also claims his music playlist is composed of "the Nitro+ genre."
- Promoted Fanboy: Mobile Suit Gundam was what inspired him to take on the path of voice acting, and vows to "pilot a Gundam" one day; He might as well make Ryusei Date of Shin Super Robot Wars look harmless.
- Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: He's so prolific that he's pretty much the center of the seiyuu universe.
- Hell, considering that he also appeared in Kill Billnote , you can even connect him with Hollywood actors including Kevin Bacon himself note .
- Vocal Evolution:
- Particularly with Gridman; The Hyper Agent's voice in the original 1993 toku series was very high in pitch and hoarse in tone, occasionally making his sentences unlegible. This is a stark contrast to how he speaks in the Gridman Universe anime productions, with his vocals in those being deeper, completely clear, and much more legible, comparable to most of Midorikawa's modern roles (and his real speaking voice).
- In general, his voice in the early to mid-90s used to be much higher, but it later became deeper and cooler. This is notable with roles he keeps reprising since the 90s, namely Android #16 and Paikuhan who both sound very different nowadays from they used to.