Nobuyuki Hiyama

About

Voice actor, narrator, and radio personality represented by Arts Vision most widely known for his metallic lyric tenor voice and his roles in mecha, fighting, and fantasy genre productions. He has voiced notable characters such as Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho, Link from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Gai Shishioh from The King of Braves GaoGaiGar.

Before Fame

He attended Tokyo Announce Gakuin Performing Arts College, where he majored in Broadcasting and Voice Acting. He continued his education at the Japan Narration Performing Arts Research Center, where he was quickly scouted by Arts Vision. He made his anime debut as a mummy in the original Kaiketsu Zorori series in 1989.

Trivia

Outside of voice acting, he also created his own music and released several albums throughout his career. His debut album was released in 1995 and titled Prototype. This was followed by Syogyo Mujyo: All Things Are in Flux and Nothing is Permanent, Fasti, and Hi-Son: Hiyama Song.

Family Life

His mother was of Japanese heritage but was born in Taiwan. He was greatly inspired by his father as a child, which sparked his fascination with history and social studies. His parents did not support his decision to pursue a career in voice acting and rescinded all financial assistance, leaving him to make his way through college with the help of scholarships and odd jobs. 

Associated With

He has provided the Japanese dub for actors from all over the world, including Dana Ashbrook in Twin Peaks, James Franco in Why Him?, and Dan Stevens in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.