Denis Akiyama
Biography
Denis Van Akiyama was a Japanese-Canadian actor and voice actor born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was known for providing the voice of Iceman, also known as Bobby Drake, Silver Samurai, also known as Kenuichio Harada, and Sunfire in X-Men, as well as Malachite in the original English version of Sailor Moon. He also played Shinji in Johnny Mnemonic and appeared in the film Pixels. Additionally, Akiyama was a frequent guest star on Katts and Dog and played trumpet in The Pukka Orchestra. He died on June 28, 2018, from a very rare and aggressive cancer. He was married to Danielle, and the couple had two children named Kintaro and Miya.
Career overview
Denis Van Akiyama was a Japanese-Canadian actor and voice actor born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Throughout his career, he became well known for his voice work in animated projects. Notably, he provided the voices for the characters Iceman/Bobby Drake, Silver Samurai/Kenuichio Harada, and Sunfire in the series X-Men. He also voiced the character Malachite in the original English version of Sailor Moon. In addition to his voice acting credits, Akiyama worked in live-action film and television. His screen credits include playing the role of Shinji in the film Johnny Mnemonic, appearing in the 2015 film Pixels, and working as a frequent guest star on the television series Katts and Dog. Outside of his acting career, Akiyama was also a musician who played trumpet in The Pukka Orchestra.
Akiyama was credited with fifty-nine known acting credits throughout his career. Records list his birth date as either May 28, 1952, or June 22, 1952. He passed away on June 28, 2018, at the age of sixty-six, from a rare and aggressive form of cancer. He was survived by his wife, Danielle, and their two children, Kintaro and Miya.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
65 titles- Carter (2018) as Koji Yasuda
- Taken (2017) as Sensei
- Kill Order (2017) as Shiro Fujitaka
- Kiss and Cry (2017) as Shin
- The People Garden (2016) as Management 529
- 12 Monkeys (2015) as Nakano
- Pixels (2015) as Professor Iwatani
- Suits (2011) as Mr. Tanaka
- Lost Girl (2010) as The Preta
- Repo Men (2010) as Doctor
- Gangster Exchange (2010) as Takayama
- Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) as Captain Hotaka
- Warehouse 13 (2009) as Officer Ogawa
- Toot & Puddle (2008) as Dr. Ha Song (voice)
- Flash of Genius (2008) as Dr. Ito
- The Pacifier (2005) as Mr. Chun
- King (2005)
- Cool Money (2005) as District Attorney
- ReGenesis (2004) as Crown Attorney
- Kevin Hill (2004) as Judge Porter
- Welcome to Mooseport (2004) as Izuki Nami
- My Baby's Daddy (2004) as Cha Ching
- The Cradle Will Fall (2004) as Dr. Fachita
- Mayday (2003) as Captain Park
- Mayday (2003) as Captain, Flight 007
- Mayday (2003) as Captain
- Eloise at the Plaza (2003) as Prince of Kushin
- Cypher (2002) as Speaker Omaha
- The Brady Bunch in the White House (2002) as Hopeful Man
- Doc (2001) as Mr. Wa
- Braceface (2001) as Mr. Ling (voice) (uncredited)
- The Judge (2001) as Peter Jacoby
- After Alice (2000) as Owen Gackstetter
- The Last Debate (2000) as TV Makeup Artist
- Relic Hunter (1999) as Colonel Chang
- Medabots (1999) as Mr. Referee
- Killing Moon (1999) as Dr. Yamada
- Lethal Tender (1997) as Det. Peter 'Playdo' Ota
- The Planet of Junior Brown (1997) as Mr. Tanaka
- FX: The Series (1996) as Lambert Chang
- FX: The Series (1996) as Dr. Miller
- Extreme Measures (1996) as Prof. Asakura
- Space Truckers (1996) as Tech Leader
- Balance of Power (1996) as Hastishita
- L5: First City in Space (1996) as Chieko's Father
- Johnny Mnemonic (1995) as Shinji
- No Price Too High (1995)
- Visitors of the Night (1995) as Stranger 2
- Monster Force (1994)
- WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams (1994) as Dockwell (voice)
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993) as Lai
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993) as Lai Tzu
- Guilty as Sin (1993) as Lab Technician
- Bury Me in Niagara (1993) as Yamato
- X-Men (1992)
- X-Men (1992) as Sunfire (voice)
- X-Men (1992) as Silver Samurai (voice)
- In the Eyes of a Stranger (1992)
- Counterstrike (1990) as Lok
- War of the Worlds (1988) as Chin
- Katts and Dog (1988) as Ron Nakemura
- Dead Ringers (1988) as Pharmacist
- Blood Relations (1988) as Heart Surgeon
- Friday the 13th: The Series (1987) as Hai Kwan
- Captive Hearts (1987) as Masato
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Denis Akiyama best known for?
Denis Akiyama is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Taken (2017), Kiss and Cry (2017), 12 Monkeys (2015), Pixels (2015).
When and where was Denis Akiyama born?
Denis Akiyama was born on June 22, 1952 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They passed away on June 28, 2018.
How many credits does Denis Akiyama have?
Denis Akiyama has accumulated over 65 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1987 to 2018.
What is Denis Akiyama's background in cinema and television?
Denis Van Akiyama was a Japanese-Canadian actor and voice actor born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was known for providing the voice of Iceman, also known as Bobby Drake, Silver Samurai, also known as Kenuichio Harada, and Sunfire in X-Men, as well as Malachite in the original English version of Sailor Moon. He also ...