Norio Wakamoto

Norio Wakamoto (若本 規夫, Wakamoto Norio, born October 18, 1945 in Shimonoseki) is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Sigma Seven. A graduate of Waseda University, he worked for the police before establishing his voice acting career.

Raised in Sakai, Wakamoto was a martial arts enthusiast who focused more on job hunting than college due to family circumstances. He found employment as an anti-riot squad officer in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, but could not tolerate the stringently-hierarchical atmosphere for long due to his personality. He eventually left the force.

While trying to find work, he saw an advertisement for a voice dubbing academy founded by film director Ryo Kurosawa. Interested in what the academy had to offer, he decided to audition for a spot only to be unnerved at the sight of so many youths trying to earn their way in. Being 25 years old at the time, he felt like quitting in shame, but decided to go for it anyway since he had already paid the application fee.

Wakamoto was certain he had failed the audition. However, he was shocked to receive an acceptance letter from the academy 10 days later. While acting lessons were a struggle at first, he gradually found his own groove and improved immensely. Nowadays, he has become a respectable figure among younger voice actors, with many trying to emulate him at least once.

As a voice actor, Wakamoto's performances are mostly reserved for villainous characters due to his sharp bass pitch. However, there are times when he displays a lighter aspect to his voice acting through comedic roles. Though the years have made Wakamoto more comfortable with his own skills, he tends to be self-depreciating when it comes to his past self. His roles include Barbatos Goetia in Tales of Destiny 2, in Valkyrie Profile, and Yoshimitsu in the Soulcalibur series.

Works for Koei

 * Chen Gong - Romance of the Three Kingdoms drama CDs
 * Robert T. Sturgeon - Ninja Ryūkenden OVA
 * Falcon - Monster Rancher TV series
 * Joe Hayabusa - Ninja Gaiden series
 * Narrator - Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage
 * Maximillias - Angelique Maren no Rokukishi