Hōchū Ōtsuka is a Japanese voice actor and narrator. Active in the dubbing industry since 1976, he was married to fellow voice actor Kazuko Yanaga before her passing on November 1, 2014.
During his youth, Ōtsuka would often share his passion for manga by reading them aloud to other children in the neighborhood. After graduating from high school, he moved to Tokyo and worked in customer service. He later met a TV producer who invited him to audition for a role. This helped pave the way for his voice acting career.
Ōtsuka had also been mentored by the late Takeshi Aono who was his senior at the time. He took over some of Aono's roles after the latter's death in 2012. 5 years later, he won the award for best supporting actor at the 11th Seiyu Awards.
Fans adore Ōtsuka for his distinct baritone voice which he has used for many memorable performances. These days, most of his roles comprise of older male figures with gruff traits. According to one interview, he personally prefers roles that require soft but deep vocal pitches. He has lent his voice to Christopher Columbus in Fate/Grand Order, Pipimi in Pop Team Epic, and Sakonji Urokodaki in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
Works
The following roles listed below come from titles associated with Koei Tecmo and third party works distributed as part of a deal with other companies.
| Title | Roles | Year |
|---|---|---|
| BERSERK (2016 TV Series) | Egg of the Perfect World | 2016 |
| Dynasty Warriors: Gundam | Yazan Gable | 2007 |
| Enigma | Robert Lindow | 1998 |
| The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie | G. Schmidt | 2020 |
| Nioh 2 | Koji Kashin, Otakemaru | 2020 |
| Sangokushi Three Kingdoms (TV Series) | Wei Yan | 2010 |
| Toukiden 2 | Shiki | 2016 |
| Yoshitsune ~Ouka no Omoukage~ Drama CD | Yoshimori Ise | 1994 |