Jin Urayama

Jin Urayama’s Journey from Osaka to Japan’s Most Authoritative Voices

There are voices in Japanese entertainment that carry a particular weight – the kind that make authority figures feel genuinely intimidating, and elderly men feel genuinely wise. Jin Urayama (浦山迅) has built his career as that voice. Born on July 20, 1956, in Osaka Prefecture, he trained at the Tokyo Geijutsuza theatre research institute before spending decades with the company itself, departing in 2008 to focus on his growing work in animation, dubbing, and games. Affiliated today with Production Tank (プロダクション・タンク), his career now spans an extraordinary catalogue stretching across anime, major international dubbing productions, video games, television, stage, and narration.

Blue Exorcist, Vinland Saga, and the Recurring Anchor Roles

Anime audiences have come to associate Urayama with figures who carry immense moral and narrative gravity. As Tatsuma Suguro in the ongoing Blue Exorcist franchise – appearing across the Kyoto Saga, Shimane Illuminati Saga, Blue Night Saga, and Beyond the Snow Saga – he plays the deeply conflicted head priest whose secrets drive some of the series’ most emotionally devastating arcs. In Vinland Saga, his portrayal of Ragnar, the loyal retainer whose relationship with young Canute anchors the story’s early emotional core, demonstrated his ability to convey warmth and tragedy in equal measure. His Murdoch Swan in SPY x FAMILY and Degwin Sodo Zabi across the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin OVA series and television adaptation further cemented his standing as the go-to seiyuu for men burdened by power and history. More recently, his Hanbei in Ghost of Yotei (2025) added another commanding character to his game portfolio.

The Simpsons, Anthony Hopkins, and a Dubbing Career of Extraordinary Range

Where Urayama’s career reaches a different dimension entirely is in Japanese dubbing. He became the current Japanese voice of Homer Simpson following the passing of Toru Ohira – a role carrying decades of cultural weight. His work as the Japanese voice of Anthony Hopkins across multiple MCU appearances as Odin placed him at the center of franchise blockbuster entertainment. The list extends through Danny DeVito in both Jumaji: The Next Level and Dumbo, Doc Hudson in Cars, Anger in Inside Out (and its sequel), Chef Skinner in Ratatouille, Shifu in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and Emperor Palpatine across the Lego Star Wars series. Within American television dubbing, he has taken on Mr. Wednesday in American Gods, Matthew Cuthbert in Anne with an E, and Robert in Grace and Frankie.

Games, Stage, and the Full Picture

The game credits span both major Japanese and Western titles: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Nioh 2, Final Fantasy XV, Dragon Quest X, Wild Hearts, and Dr. Nathaniel Bard in Resident Evil 3 (2020). On stage, he appeared in productions including adaptations of Akahige, 12 Angry Men, and The Lower Depths. Narration work for NHK and other broadcasters has run alongside his performance career throughout. With Summer Time Rendering, Godzilla: Singular Point, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Kingdom, and Ninja Boy Rantaro among his more recent anime credits, Urayama’s output into 2025 and 2026 shows no signs of slowing.