A Career Spanning Anime, Games, and Dubbing
Takahiro Fujiwara (藤原貴弘) built a reputation voicing imposing, deep-voiced characters across some of anime's biggest franchises. Born in Hokkaido and represented by Ken Production, he's most widely recognized internationally as Kurogiri — the warp-gate villain who served as the League of Villains' logistical backbone throughout My Hero Academia.
Beyond that signature role, Fujiwara brought presence to a range of supporting and recurring parts. He voiced Pippin in the Berserk: The Golden Age Arc film trilogy, Eikichi Nebuya in Kuroko's Basketball, Dorry in One Piece, and Jerome Guizbatt in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War. More recently, he played Bol Gil Bol in BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- and Goichi Shima in Shinkalion Z.
His work extended well beyond anime. In video games, Fujiwara voiced Revenant in Apex Legends and took on roles in titles ranging from Detective Pikachu to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. On the dubbing side, he lent his voice to Marshmallow in Frozen and Harry in Sing, along with Kevin Crawford in CSI.
Health Concerns and Kingdom Departure
Signs of Fujiwara's declining health surfaced publicly in August 2025, when it was announced via Comic Natalie that he would step down from his role as Kan Jou in the Kingdom anime due to health reasons. Teruyuki Tanzawa took over the part. No further details about his condition were shared at the time, and no official cause of death has been disclosed.
Ken Production's statement confirmed that Fujiwara died on May 14, one week before the public announcement on May 21. The agency noted that the funeral was conducted privately at the family's request.
Tributes From the Industry
The official My Hero Academia account was among the first to pay respects, expressing gratitude for Fujiwara's portrayal of Kurogiri — a character who appeared from the series' very first season. The tribute offered condolences and prayers for his peaceful rest.
Kurogiri remains one of My Hero Academia's most distinctive antagonists, a figure whose calm demeanor and devastating quirk made him a persistent threat across multiple arcs. Fujiwara's measured, low-register delivery gave the character an unsettling composure that stood out against the League's more volatile members.
Looking Ahead
Fujiwara's passing leaves a visible gap across several active franchises. My Hero Academia's anime has concluded, but Kingdom remains in production, having already transitioned his role. Whether any of his other recurring parts will require recasting remains to be seen.
For international fans, Fujiwara's most accessible work is available across major platforms. My Hero Academia streams on Crunchyroll, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War is on Hulu and Disney+, and Kuroko's Basketball is available on Netflix in select regions. His performance as Revenant in Apex Legends — a free-to-play game available worldwide — may be among the most widely heard of all his roles.
He was 43 years old.