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.
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.
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)
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
The Odd Couple II – Oscar Madison
Arthur and the Invisibles – Archibald (Ron Crawford)
Batteries Not Included – Frank Riley (Hume Cronyn)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2010 theatrical version) – Grandpa George (David Morris)
Doctor Who – Charles Dickens (Simon Callow)
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor – Noa (Wilford Brimley)
The Fifth Element (2002 TV Asahi edition) – Father Vito Cornelius (Ian Holm)
Freaky Friday – Alan Coleman (Harold Gould)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone – Albus Dumbledore (Richard Harris)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – Albus Dumbledore (Richard Harris)
The Holiday – Arthur Abbott (Eli Wallach)
Independence Day – Julius Levinson (Judd Hirsch)
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – Alexander Anderson (Michael Caine)
Jurassic Park – John Hammond (Richard Attenborough)
The Lost World: Jurassic Park – John Hammond (Richard Attenborough)
L.A. Confidential – Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito)
Lassie – The Duke of Rudling (Peter O'Toole)
Lawrence of Arabia (2000 TV Tokyo edition) – Mr. Dryden (Claude Rains)
Little Nicky – Mr. Beefy (Robert Smigel)
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1988 Fuji TV edition) – Master (Angelo Rossitto)
The Muppet Movie – Rowlf the Dog
Night at the Museum – Gus (Mickey Rooney)
Rawhide – George Washington Wishbone (Paul Brinegar)
Scanners (1987 NTV edition) – Dr. Paul Ruth (Patrick McGoohan)
The Sound of Music – Max Detweiler (Richard Haydn)
The Sting – J.J. Singleton (Ray Walston)
Animation
The Black Cauldron – King Eidilleg
Galaxy High School – Professor Icenstein
The Great Mouse Detective – Dr. Dawson
Hercules – Philoctetes
Home on the Range – Rusty
The Jetsons – Cosmo Spacely (first voice)
Lady and the Tramp – Toughy
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole – Ezylryb
Looney Tunes series – Yosemite Sam (first voice)
Magic Adventures of Mumfie – Napoleon Jones
Star Wars: Clone Wars – Yoda
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film) – Yoda
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV) – Yoda
Tintin and the Lake of Sharks – Thomson and Thompson
Tintin and the Temple of the Sun – Thomson and Thompson
Toy Story – Slinky Dog
Toy Story 2 – Slinky Dog
Toy Story 3 – Slinky Dog
Watership Down – Black Rabbit