Akira Takarada (1934–2022) was a Japanese actor and voice actor whose career spanned nearly seven decades. He is universally recognized for his debut role as the sailor Hideto Ogata in the original 1954 film *Godzilla*, directed by Ishirō Honda. Selected through the "Toho New Face" program, he quickly became one of the studio's leading actors, appearing in numerous films in the *kaiju* genre, including *Mothra vs. Godzilla* (1964) and *Invasion of Astro-Monster* (1965). His versatility allowed him to excel in other genres as well, starring in successful comedies, dramas, and stage musicals such as *My Fair Lady*. He was also an acclaimed voice actor, providing the Japanese voice for Disney characters such as Jafar in *Aladdin* and Ratigan in *The Great Mouse Detective*. He returned to the Godzilla franchise for a final appearance in *Godzilla: Final Wars* (2004), and for his long career, he received accolades such as the Golden Glory Award at the Japan Movie Critics Awards.