Photo: Soppakanuuna / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Honestly, if you've watched any significant amount of anime, you've already heard Kappei Yamaguchi — you just might not have known it. The man voiced Inuyasha, L in Death Note, and Ranma Saotome, which alone would cement a legacy, but he keeps going decade after decade without skipping a beat. What gets me is the sheer range: one minute he's the brooding, intense L sitting in that crooked posture and speaking in that razor-calm voice, the next he's a hot-headed half-demon screaming in the feudal era — and both feel completely lived-in. Earning the Tomiyama Kei Award in 2019 was the industry saying out loud what fans already knew. Born in Fukuoka in 1965, still going strong — that's not just a career, that's a masterclass in staying relevant without chasing trends.
Story
A Life Lived Through Voice: Kappei Yamaguchi and His Endless Range
Overview
Kappei Yamaguchi is a Japanese voice actor, actor, and singer born on May 23, 1965, in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture. He is one of Japan's most prolific and recognizable voice actors, celebrated across decades of anime and other productions for his exceptional range, from youthful energetic roles to calm seasoned characters. In 2019 he received the Tomiyama Kei Award, a prestigious recognition given by the Japanese voice acting industry in honor of distinguished achievement. He maintains an active presence on social media and continues to work across voice acting, acting, and music.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Kappei Yamaguchi
- Name (Japanese)
- 山口勝平
- Reading
- やまぐち かっぺい
- Born
- May 23, 1965 (age 61)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Snake (巳)
- Origin
- Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
- Occupation
- Voice Actor / Actor / Singer
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 2019 — Tomiyama Kei Award
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://kappei59.exblog.jp/
- Xhttps://x.com/ENma_Dororon
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%B1%E5%8F%A3%E5%8B%9D%E5%B9%B3
Frequently asked questions
When was Kappei Yamaguchi born?
Born May 23, 1965 (age 61).
Where is Kappei Yamaguchi from?
Kappei Yamaguchi is from Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
What does Kappei Yamaguchi do?
Kappei Yamaguchi works as Voice Actor, Actor, Singer.
Voice Actor — see all → · Actor — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.