Takahiro Fujiwara, Bleach voice actor, dies

Voice actor Takahiro Fujiwara died on May 14 at age 43, his agency said on May 21, confirming reports that had circulated on X a day earlier. Ken Production said Fujiwara had “passed away” and thanked supporters for their kindness during his life. Oricon and Animate Times separately reported the agency notice on Thursday. (oricon.co.jp) The confirmation resolved uncertainty around a Wednesday X post from user @McDivad, which said Fujiwara had died and identified him for anime fans through his work in *Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War*. (oricon.co.jp) As of Thursday, the agency statement was the first formal confirmation surfaced in public reporting. ### When was Fujiwara’s death confirmed? Ken Production updated its website on May 21 and said Fujiwara died on May 14. The agency said a funeral had already been held with relatives only, in line with the family’s wishes. (oricon.co.jp) Oricon quoted the agency as saying: “弊社所属俳優　藤原貴弘 儀　(43歳)が5月14日　永眠いたしました,” and reported that the notice thanked people for their support during his lifetime. Animate Times also said the announcement came from his agency on May 21. (oricon.co.jp) ### Which roles was Takahiro Fujiwara known for? Oricon said Fujiwara was known for roles including Kurogiri in *My Hero Academia*, Crawford in the Japanese dub of *CSI*, Dorry in *One Piece*, Nebuya Eikichi in *Kuroko’s Basketball* and Sekijou in *Kingdom*. (oricon.co.jp) Animate Times also listed game roles including Daimon Goro in *The King of Fighters* series and Revenant in *Apex Legends*. The *My Hero Academia* official character pages identify Fujiwara as the voice of Kurogiri and also list him as the voice of the hero Gang Orca. (oricon.co.jp) The anime’s official X account posted a condolence message on May 21, according to Animate Times’ roundup. ### What was the Bleach connection fans were discussing? The X post that drew attention on May 20 said Fujiwara voiced Jerome Guizbatt and Kenpachi in *Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War*. The official *Bleach* site shows the franchise’s final arc, *BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - Kashin-tan -*, is scheduled to air in July 2026, and a theatrical advance screening is set for June 21, 2026. (oricon.co.jp) The *Bleach* site also preserves interactive material centered on the Kenpachi fight from the earlier *Ketsubetsu-tan* run, reflecting the character’s prominence in the series’ later arc. (heroaca.com) A direct cast-page confirmation for Fujiwara’s *Bleach* roles did not surface in the material reviewed, so that attribution remains tied to the earlier X discussion and fan references. ### What biographical details were released? Oricon said Fujiwara was born on July 15 and was from Hokkaido. (bleach-anime.com) The outlet also reproduced a profile note from his agency describing him as an avid video-game player and a homebody who liked ramen, especially soy-based flavors. Anime News Network maintains an encyclopedia entry for Takahiro Fujiwara, though the search result reviewed here did not include death details. Public reporting on Thursday centered on the agency notice and follow-up tributes from anime outlets and official accounts. (bleach-anime.com) ### Where does the story go from here? The next public milestone tied to one of Fujiwara’s discussed franchises is June 21, when *BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - Kashin-tan -* is scheduled for a theatrical advance screening ahead of its July 2026 TV broadcast, according to the official site. (oricon.co.jp) Ken Production said funeral arrangements had already been completed privately. (bleach-anime.com) (animenewsnetwork.com)