Yasunori Matsumoto

Career

Matsumoto graduated from the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law, Chuo University after graduating from Yakuendai High School. He used to be a member of Production Baobab. He was also the vice-chairman of Sugoroku, a theater company led by Kenichi Ogata, and became the chairperson after Ogata retired. He later left the company in 2016.

When Matsumoto was a student, he was the captain of a cycle racing club, and has even participated in the National Athletic Meet. However, he left the club due to a back injury. Originally a science fiction enthusiast, he was a science major until he was in high school. However, after watching a political program on TV at some point, he became interested in the world's developments and entered the Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Law at Chuo University with the intention of becoming a bureaucrat. Although he hoped to pursue a career related to politics, he was faced with a harsh reality and spent his school days lost in his career path.

In the midst of all this, Matsumoto was impressed by the movie The Sound of Music, and since all of his friends at the boarding house were film buffs, he decided to become a film production staff member. However, when he graduated from university, the Japanese film industry was in a state of downsizing and there were not many good opportunities for staff, and unlike today, there were few production companies, so the road to film production was difficult. He decided to join a theatrical troupe, hoping to become staff after getting into the world of actors first. When he was about to graduate, a friend of his introduced him to Theater Company Garakuta Kōbō (now Sugoroku), which was recruiting, and he entered the affiliated training school as a fourth-year student.

Although he did not have much experience in voice work, when he went to observe a studio that was recording the voice actors' dubbing, he was surprised to see how all the cast members at the scene watched the footage only once on the spot and recorded it immediately, although nowadays actors receive rehearsal materials in advance. When he borrowed the script and watched the performance, his eyes could not keep up with the speed of the performers' work, and he couldn't follow where they were at. After that, he had several auditions for voice work, but had no idea what work he was auditioning for. In the midst of that, he was told to read a manuscript according to the feeling of an artwork he was shown, and when he did, he passed his first audition. That was to be his debut work, the anime TV series Manga Nihon Keizai Nyūmon.

Filmography

Anime television

1987

Kimagure Orange Road – Mitsuru Hayakawa

Manga Nihon Keizai Nyumon – Tsuchida

Mister Ajikko – Shougo

1988

Yoroiden Samurai Troopers – Cale (Yami Mashou Anubis)

Starship Troopers – Johnny Rico

Sonic Soldier Borgman – Ryo Hibiki

1989

Tenku Senki Shurato – Fudo Myo-o Acalantha

Idol Densetsu Eriko – Shogo Ohgi

1990

Brave Exkaiser – Shuntarou

Idol Angel Yokoso Yoko – Yutaka Tokudaiji

Karasu Tengu Kabuto – Kabuto

Idol Tenshi Yokoso Yoko – Yutaka

RPG Densetsu Hepoi – Michael

Samurai Pizza Cats – Zankaa

1991

The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird – Yutaro Katori/Fighbird

Future GPX Cyber Formula – Hiroyuki Kazami (young)

Romance of the Three Kingdoms – Cao Cao

1992

Tekkaman Blade – Noal Vereuse

Original video animation (OVA)

Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01 (1987) – Kouji Sugimoto

Armor Hunter Mellowlink (1988) – Mellowlink Arity

Starship Troopers (1989) – Jullian Rico

Captain Tsubasa (1989) – Louis Napoleon

Mōryō Senki Madara (1991) – Kaos

RG Veda (1991) – Kujaku

Adventure Kid (1992) – Kazuya

Kuro no Shishi (1992) – Shishimaru

Idol Defense Force Hummingbird (1993) – Shunsaku Kudo

Please Save My Earth (1993) – Shukaido

Kyou Kara Ore Wa!! (1994) – Takahashi Mitsuhashi

Sonic the Hedgehog (1996) – Knuckles the Echidna

Shinesman (1996) – Hiroya Matsumoto / Shinesman Red

Anime films

Sonic Soldier Borgman: Last Battle – (1989) – Ryo Hibiki

Heavy – (1990) – Guy Hyuga

Sonic Soldier Borgman: Lover's Rain – (1990) – Ryo Hibiki

Chibi Maruko-chan: My Favorite Song (1992) – Ryo Sato

Urotsukidoji II: Legend of the Demon Womb – (1993) – Takeaki Kiryu

Darkside Blues – (1994) – Tatsuya

Elementalors – (1995) – Shiohisa

Legend of Crystania – (1995) – Borks

Ninku the Movie – (1995) – Basara/Kisumi

Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's Beginning – (1996) – Mitsuru Hayakawa

Pipi to Benai Hotaru – (1996) – Kira

Jungle Emperor Leo – (1997) – Ramune

Doraemon: Nobita and the Winged Braves – (2001) – Babylon

Slayers Premium – (2001) – Gourry Gabriev

Guilstein – (2002) – Chous Distour

Inuyasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler – (2003) – Setsuna no Takemaru

Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa – (2005) – Jean Havoc

Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur 2006 (2006) – Nobita's Dad

Tokusatsu

Tensou Sentai Goseiger (2010) – Hognlo Alien Powereddark of the Mutation (ep 13)

Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters (2012) – Danganloid (ep 10)

Ressha Sentai ToQger (2014) – Type Shadow (ep 10)

Ultraman X (2015) – Narration, Alien Fanton Guruman

Ultraman X The Movie (2016) – Narration, Alien Fanton Guruman

Video games

Logos Panic (1995)

Brave Saga series (1998-2005) - Yutaro Katori/Fighbird, Black Gaine/Black MightGaine

Initial D Arcade Stage series (????–??) – Wataru Akiyama

Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts II, and Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded (Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix) (2002, 2005, 2014) – Hercules

Tales of the Abyss (2005) – Guy Cecil

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Owaranai Ashita e (2006) – Edward Harrelson

Rockman X4 (Mega Man X4) (1997) – Double

Tengai Makyou: Fuuun Kabuki Den (????) – Karune

Super Robot Wars Original Generations series (????–??) – Folka Albark

Super Robot Wars Series (????–??) – Alejandro Corner, Doctor Minami, Black Gaine/Black MightGaine

Resident Evil: Revelations (2012) – Raymond Vester

Gundam Breaker 3 (2016) – Robo-ta

Drama CD

Abunai Series 2: Abunai Summer Vacation – Yoshiaki Sawatari

Abunai Series 5: Abunai Shiawase Chou Bangaihen – Yoshiaki Sawatari, Chief, Kyou Sakuranomiya & Midori-san

Abunai Series side story 1: Abunai Ura Summer Vacation – Yoshiaki Sawatari

Analyst no Yuutsu series 1: Benchmark ni Koi wo Shite – Yoshio Kawaguchi

Boku no Gingitsune – Takayuki Watanabe

C Kara Hajimaru Koi mo Ii – Takatsugu Oda, Tadanori

Endless series 1: Endless Rain – Atsui Katou

Endless series 3: Endless Love – Atsui Katou

Gin no Requiem – Dylan

Gohan wo Tabeyou series 1, 2, 4–6 – Kaiou Hishida

Mayonaka ni Oai Shimashou – Yamabuki Kaidouji

Mirage of Blaze series 1: Mahoroba no Ryuujin – Shuuhei Chiaki

Mirage of Blaze series 4: Washi yo, Tarega Tameni Tobu – Shuuhei Chiaki

Mou Ichido Only You – Taniguchi

Muteki na Bokura Series 1 – Kaoru Tachibana

Muteki na Bokura Series 2: Oogami Datte Kowakunai – Kaoru Tachibana

Muteki na Bokura Series 3: Shoubu wa Korekara! – Kaoru Tachibana

Dubbing

Adam Sandler

Reign Over Me – Dr. Charlie Fineman

Jack and Jill – Jack Sadelstein

Just Go with It – Dr. Daniel "Danny" Maccabee

That's My Boy – Donald 'Donny' Berger

Grown Ups 2 – Lenny Feder

David Arquette

RPM – Luke Delson

See Spot Run – Gordon Smith

Eight Legged Freaks – Chris McCormick

Riding the Bullet – George Staub

Ryan Reynolds

Green Lantern – Hal Jordan

Safe House – Matt Weston

R.I.P.D. – Nick Walker

The Voices – Jerry Hickfang

1492: Conquest of Paradise – Diego Columbus (Juan Diego Botto)

200 Cigarettes – Kevin (Paul Rudd)

54 – Greg Randazzo (Breckin Meyer)

8 Heads in a Duffel Bag – Charlie Pritchett (Andy Comeau)

The Absent-Minded Professor – Biff Hawk (Tommy Kirk)

Addicted to Love – Sam (Matthew Broderick)