Koji Yada
Biography
Koji Yada, born on 15 April 1933 in Tokyo, Japan, was a Japanese male voice actor who worked under the stage name 矢田耕司 and was also known as Kôji Yada 矢. Throughout his career he was affiliated with the voice‑talent agency Haikyo, the Tokyo Actor’s Consumer’s Cooperative Society. Yada’s body of work encompassed more than sixty credited performances in animation, video games and dubbing, reflecting a focus on villainous, eccentric or mysterious characters. He remained active in the industry for several decades, earning recognition for his distinctive voice. Koji Yada passed away on 1 May 2014 at the age of 81. His contributions are recorded in the database of The Movie Database, which lists 61 known credits.
Career overview
Koji Yada (矢田 耕司) was a Japanese voice actor born on 15 April 1933 in Tokyo, Japan. Throughout a career that extended over several decades, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society, commonly known as Haikyo. Yada’s work encompassed a broad range of media, including anime series, video games and dubbing for foreign productions, and he was credited in 61 separate productions according to the Motion Picture Database. His professional name was also rendered as Kôji Yada (矢).
Yada became recognized for a distinctive vocal quality that suited villainous, eccentric or mysterious characters. Among the roles highlighted in his public profile is the portrayal of Dr. Gero, the sinister scientist in the anime series Dragon Ball Z. This performance exemplified the type of antagonistic characters for which he was frequently cast, reinforcing his reputation within the industry as a reliable voice for complex, often malevolent figures.
He continued to work actively until his death on 1 May 2014 at the age of 81. Yada’s contributions to Japanese voice acting remain documented through his extensive credit list and the lasting impact of the characters he helped bring to life across multiple entertainment formats.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Koji Yada.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Another (2012) as Ryohei (voice)
- One Piece: Strong World Episode 0 (2010) as Zeff (voice)
- Graveyard Kitaro (2008) as Kinnosuke Ochiba (voice)
- Cackling Kitarou (2007) as Ido-Sennin
- Den-noh Coil (2007) as Illegal (voice)
- Den-noh Coil (2007) as Null (voice)
- Den-noh Coil (2007) as Okonogi's Grandfather (voice)
- Looking Up at the Half-Moon (2006) as Yoshizō Tada (voice)
- Monster (2004) as Mustafa (voice)
- Saint Seiya: The Hades Chapter (2002) as Old Dohko (voice)
- One Piece (1999) as Zeff (voice)
- Gin Rei's Blue Eyes (1995) as Chandana (voice)
- 映像評伝 朝永振一郎 (1995) as Narrator (voice)
- GinRei (1994)
- Sangokushi: The Distant Land (1994) as Huang Zhong (voice)
- Fatal Fury 2: The New Battle (1993) as Tung Fu Rue
- Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13! (1992) as Dr. Gero (voice)
- Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf (1992) as Tung Fu Rue (voice)
- Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms (1992) as Wang Yun (voice)
- Inferious Interplanetary War Chronicle - Condition Green (1991) as Kyus Rotar (voice)
- Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest (1990) as Dr. Kochin (voice)
- Summer with Kuro (1990) as Nobuko's Father (voice)
- ビックリマン 無縁ゾーンの秘宝 (1988)
- Fist of the North Star (1986) as Colonel (voice)
- Penguin's Memory: A Tale of Happiness (1985) as The Jailer (voice)
- Twin Hawks (1984) as リヒター
- Beaten by Black Rain (1984) as Yoshio's Father (voice)
- Kenya Boy (1984) as Moor A (voice)
- Lensman (1984) as Greedle (voice)
- Kinnikuman: Great Riot! Justice Chojin (1984)
- The Green Cat (1983) as Ben Heck (voice)
- I Am A Dog: Don Matsugorou's Life (1983)
- Armored Fleet Dairugger XV (1982) as Dick ASIMOV (voice)
- Future War 198X (1982) as Lloyd (voice)
- Andromeda Stories (1982) as Chancellor (voice)
- Arcadia of My Youth (1982) as Illumidas Officer
- Drifting Clouds (1982) as Tome (voice)
- Mechakko Dotakon (1981) as 戸部源太
- Fuusen no Doratarou (1981) as 頑固先生
- The Door Into Summer (1981) as Professor (voice)
- The Fantastic Adventures of Unico (1981) as God 4 (voice)
- Call of the Wild: Howl, Buck (1981) as O'Prien (voice)
- Bokura Mangaka: Tokiwa-sou Monogatari (1981) as 園山俊二
- Maeterlinck's Blue Bird: Tyltyl and Mytyl's Adventurous Journey (1980) as Spirit of the Time
- Galaxy Express 999: Eternal Traveler Emeraldas (1980) as Captain (voice)
- The Legend of Marine Snow (1980)
- Galaxy Express 999: Can You Live Like a Warrior!! (1979) as Officer (voice)
- Undersea Super Train: Marine Express (1979) as Skunk Kusai (voice)
- Captain Future: The Great Race in the Solar System (1978)
- Arrow Emblem: Grand Prix no taka (1977) as Masaru Obinata (voice)
- Cat-Eyed Boy (1976) as Nadare-Maneki (voice)
- Sindbad the Sailor (1975) as Baruba (voice)
- Akumaizer 3 (1975) as Evil (voice)
- Akumaizer 3: The Movie (1975) as Gabura (voice)
- The Little Judge from Hell (1973) as Jigoku-Okuri (voice)
- The Little Judge from Hell (1973) as Tatami-Kaeshi (voice)
- Babel II (1973) as コンピューター
- Jungle Kurobee (1973) as パパ
- Mazinger Z vs. Devilman (1973) as Dr. Nossori/Iron Mask
- Mazinger Z (1972) as Dr. Morimori / Piguman
- Triton of the Sea (1972) as Marcus
- Little Witch Chappy (1972) as Papa (voice)
- Decision (1971) as (voice)
- Cackling Kitarou (1971) as 子泣爷爷（配音）