Tōru Furuya (古谷 徹, Furuya Tōru; born July 31, 1953, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture) is a Japanese actor and narrator. As a child, he was a member of Gekidan Himawari, a children's acting troupe. He is currently employed by the talent management firm Aoni Production, since 1982.
Furuya is most known for the anime roles of Amuro Ray (Gundam), Hyūma Hoshi (Star of the Giants), Pegasus Seiya (Saint Seiya), Yamcha (Dragon Ball), Kyōsuke Kasuga (Kimagure Orange Road) and Tuxedo Mask (Sailor Moon). He considers these roles as his most important roles. He also voiced Mario in several anime and commercials, starting with the film Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! (1986).
He also used a pseudonym, Noboru Sōgetsu (蒼月 昇, Sōgetsu Noboru), when playing Ribbons Almark in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (he used his real name in the narration role) and as Zen Kirishima in Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi. Both the narration role and Ribbons Almark were Furuya's first role in a non-Universal Century Gundam series. He is also the best known official dubbing voice for Hong Kong action film actor Yuen Biao.
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Personal life
Furuya married voice actress Mami Koyama in 1976; they later divorced in 1983. He married Satomi Majima on March 23, 1985.
On May 22, 2024, Furuya posted a public apology to Twitter, confirming a recent report and interview in Shūkan Bunshun magazine in which it was reported that he had an extramarital affair with a female fan 37 years his junior. The affair lasted for around four and a half years, until September 2023. He admitted to raising his hand to strike her once, as well as pressuring her into having an abortion.
Because of this, his Showroom program was abruptly cancelled and he was dropped from Metaphor: ReFantazio with all of his characters getting recast.
On June 22, 2024, Furuya announced that he would step down from his roles in Detective Conan and One Piece. On June 28, 2024, Bandai Namco began considering to employ a new voice actor to portray Amuro Ray for later works in the Gundam series in the wake of Furuya's affair being made public. On October 4, 2024, Toei Animation announced that the role of Yamcha had been recast with Ryōta Suzuki for Dragon Ball Daima.
Appearances
Furuya was featured as a guest at Tsukino-Con in British Columbia in February 2017. Furuya was going to be featured as a guest at MomoCon 2024, but his appearance was cancelled due to the affair/abuse scandal.
Filmography
Television animation
1960s
Kaizoku Ōji (1966), Kid
Star of the Giants (1968), Hyūma Hoshi
1970s
Steel Jeeg (1975), Hiroshi Shiba
Groizer X (1976), Jō Umisaka
Hyōga Senshi Gaisragger (1977), Ken Shiki
Yakyūkyō no Uta (1977), Yamai
Gordian Warrior (1979), Ryōma Okamoto
Mobile Suit Gundam (1979), Amuro Ray
Space Battleship Yamato III (1979), Tasuke Tokugawa
Space Carrier Blue Noah (1979), Shin Himoto
1980s
Maeterlinck's Blue Bird: Tyltyl and Mytyl's Adventurous Journey (1980), Tyltyl
Marine Snow no Densetsu (1980), Hiro Umino
Queen Millennia (1981), Daisuke Yomori
The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island (1981), Franz Robinson
Akū Daisakusen Srungle (1983), Jet
Nanako SOS (1983), Shūichi Iidabashi
Nine (1983), Katsuya Niimi
Plawres Sanshiro (1983), Shingu Narita
Anime films
Star of the Giants series (1969–1982), Hyūma Hoshi
Be Forever Yamato (1980), Tasuke Tokugawa
Toward the Terra (1980), Tony
Mobile Suit Gundam (1981), Amuro Ray
Mobile Suit Gundam: Soldiers of Sorrow (1981), Amuro Ray
The Legend of Sirius (1981), Sirius
Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space (1982), Amuro Ray
Queen Millennia (1982), Daisuke Yomori
Final Yamato (1983), Tasuke Tokugawa
Genma Taisen (1983), Jō Azuma
Nine (1983), Katsuya Niimi
Windaria (1986), Izu
Dragon Ball series (1986–1988), Yamcha
Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! (1986), Mario
11 Piki no Neko to Ahōdori (1986), Toraneko Taishō
Saint Elmo – Hikari no Raihousha (1987), Issei Yūki
Saint Seiya series (1987–2012), Pegasus Seiya
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack (1988), Amuro Ray
Dragon Ball Z series (1990–), Yamcha
Original video animation (OVA)
Prefectural Earth Defense Force (1986), Hiroaki Narita
One-pound Gospel (1988), Kosaku Hatanaka
Kimagure Orange Road (1989), Kyōsuke Kasuga
Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1989), Andrew Fork
Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros. (1989), Mario
Urusei Yatsura: The Electric Household Guard (1989), Shingo Oniwaban
Utsunomiko (1990), Utsunomiko
Kyōfu Shinbun (1991), Rei Kigata
Kyūkyoku Chōjin R (1991), Tsuyoshi
Super Mario World: Mario to Yoshi no Bōken Land (1991), Mario
Macross II (1992), Feff
Black Jack (1995), Leslie
Arcade Gamer Fubuki (2002), Mysterious Person
Saint Seiya: Hades — Chapter Sanctuary (2002), Pegasus Seiya
Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: Episode 7: Over the Rainbow (2014), Amuro Ray
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (2015), Amuro Ray
Original net animation (ONA)
Baki (2018–20), Narrator
Baki Hanma (2021), Narrator
Video games
Super Robot Wars series, Amuro Ray, Hiroshi Shiba, Ribbons Almark, Mr. Zone
SD Gundam G Generation series, Amuro Ray, Ribbons Almark
Super Dodge Ball (1994), Kenji
Sailor Moon games (1994), Tuxedo Mask
Overdrivin' DX (1996), vehicle commentary narration
BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge (1996), Mario
Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium (1997), Mario
BS Super Mario Collection (1997), Mario
Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness (1997), Jin Saotome
Sega Rally 2 (1998), narration
Menkyo wo Torō! (2000), Yūichi Amano
Kessen II (2001), Liu Bei
Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon (2001), Amuro Ray
Mobile Suit Gundam Z: AEUG vs. Titans (2003), Amuro Ray
Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Zeta Gundam (2004), Amuro Ray
Another Century's Episode (2005), Amuro Ray
Ninety-Nine Nights (2006), Dwingvatt
Ski Jumping Pairs: Reloaded (2006)
Dragon Shadow Spell (2007), Suihi
Live action
Tokyo Defense Command: The Guardman (????), episode 90, ransom delivery boy
Pussy Soup (2008), William Thomas Jefferson III (voice)
Tokusatsu
UFO Daisensou: Tatakae! Red Tiger Episodes 1-4, voice of Red Tiger
GoGo Sentai Boukenger vs. Super Sentai, voice of Aka Red/Gao Red/Magi Red
Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, voice of Aka Red
Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger Season Tsuu Episode 12, voice of unofficial Giant God Prism Ace
Radio drama
Nissan A, Abe Reiji ~ beyond the average ~, Reiji Amuro
Dubbing roles
Yuen Biao
The Young Master (2014 Blu-ray edition), Sang Kung's son / Fourth Brother
Project A (2011 Wowow edition), Inspector Hong Tin-Tsu
Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1992 TBS edition), Di Ming Qi / Dik Ming Kei
Wheels on Meals, David
Millionaires Express, Fire Chief Tsao Cheuk Kin
Mr. Vampire II, Yen
Dragons Forever, Tung Te-Biao / Timothy
Licence to Steal, Swordsman
Kickboxer, Lau Zhai
The Hero of Swallow, Li San
The Seven Heroes of Shaolin
Enter the Phoenix, Georgie Hung's father
Rob-B-Hood, Inspector Steve Mok
Tai Chi Hero, Li Qiankun
The Bodyguard, Cop
Bull, Benjamin "Benny" Colón (Freddy Rodriguez)
Casablanca (New Era Movies edition), Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid)
Couple or Trouble, Billy Park (Kim Sung-min)
Disciples of the 36th Chamber, Fong Sai-Yuk (Hsiao Ho)
