The anime community is mourning the loss of veteran voice actor Bill Wise, who passed away at 61. The Austin Chronicle shared the news on May 5, noting he had died “last week.” His close friend Jeff Smith confirmed the passing on May 3 with a similar timeline.
Collier Talent Agency, Wise’s representatives, also announced his death on May 4:
In the anime world, Wise left his mark through several key English dub roles. He voiced Bunta Fujiwara in the Initial D: Legend film trilogy, played Richard Guyot in Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor, portrayed Hayato Jin in Getter Robo: Armageddon, took on Sakon Suzuki in Moeyo Ken, brought Rail Claymore to life in Lost Universe, and famously voiced Knuckles in the 1996 Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie OVA.
Beyond anime, Wise built a steady career with numerous smaller parts in live-action film and television. Collier Talent Agency has shared a demo reel showcasing his range.
Heads up: the demo reel below includes some adult language.
<span class=”fr-mk” style=”display: none;”> </span>
The Austin Film Society’s AFS Cinema will host a tribute to Wise on Monday evening.
Sources: Collier Talent Agency’s Instagram account, Jeff Smith’s Facebook page, The Austin Chronicle (Richard Whittaker)
