Ichirō Nagai (永井 一郎, Nagai Ichirō; May 10, 1931 – January 27, 2014) was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Ikeda, Osaka.
He was previously affiliated with Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society, and was affiliated with Aoni Production at the time of his death.
He is best known for the roles of Namihei Isono in the long-running television anime Sazae-san, Cherry in Urusei Yatsura, Happosai in Ranma ½, and Konaki Jijii in GeGeGe no Kitarō.
Contents
Career
Nagai voiced GeGeGe no Kitarō's Konaki Jijii, a comic, absent-minded old yōkai man who attacks enemies by clinging to them and turning himself to stone, increasing his weight and mass immensely and pinning them down.
In 1969, Nagai was cast as Sazae-san character Namihei Isono, Sazae's father and the patriarch of the family. He voiced the role for many years alongside co-stars Midori Katō (Sazae), Takako Sasuga (Tarao) and Miyoko Asō (Fune) until Chafurin took over the role following his death in 2014.
In 1981, he was cast in Urusei Yatsura as the wandering monk Cherry.
In 1989, he was cast in Ranma ½ as Happosai, the founder and grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū. He often alternates between his role as a villainous grandmaster to one as a lighthearted pervert.
Death
On January 27, 2014, while recording narration for a program in Hiroshima, Nagai suffered a bout of myocardial infarction and was found by a hotel employee. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead; Nagai was 82 years old at the time of his death.
Filmography
Video games
Dragon Ball: Origins (Karin)
Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo (Karin)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 (Karin)
Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Meteor (Korin)
Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Neo (Korin)
Hunter × Hunter: Wonder Adventure (Isaac Netero)
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (Samos the Sage)
Jak II (Samos the Sage)
Kingdom Hearts II (Philoctetes)
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (Philoctetes, Grumpy)
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix (Philoctetes (Phil))
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Yoda)
Phantasy Star Portable (Lucaim Nav)
Phantasy Star Universe (Lucaim Nav)
Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return (Kainen)
Tokusatsu
Himitsu Sentai Gorenger (Baseball Mask)
J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai (Devil Batter)
Juken Sentai Gekiranger (Master Xia Fu)
Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger (Master Xia Fu)
Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger the Movie: The Flying Ghost Ship (Baseball Mask)
Kamen Rider G (Narrator)
Dubbing
Michael Gambon
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 – Albus Dumbledore
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 – Albus Dumbledore
Frank Oz
The Empire Strikes Back (1980 Movie theater edition) – Yoda
The Muppet Christmas Carol – Fozzie Bear
Muppet Treasure Island – Fozzie Bear
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – Yoda
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – Yoda
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – Yoda
Walter Matthau
Dennis the Menace – George Wilson
Charade (1994 NTV edition) – Carson Dyle
Grumpy Old Men – Max Goldman