Tessho Genda, One Piece and Naruto Star, Enters Hiatus Amid Poor Health
Tessho Genda is known best for voicing Kaido in One Piece and Kurama in Naruto.
Tessho Genda has been a steadfast figure in the anime community for decades, and his work speaks for himself. From One Piece to Naruto, the voice actor is in charge of some rather big roles in the industry. But in light of recent health concerns, Tessho is taking a step back from work with an indefinite (though temporary) hiatus.
The update comes from Oricon as it confirmed Tessho is taking a break from work. The actor, according to his agency, has not been feeling well as of late. "Tessho Genda, who is part of our company, will be replaced in several programs due to his poor health," 81 Produce announced.
In a note to fans, Tessho stressed his break from work will not be permanent. "I will return to you all as soon as I recover," he posted in a new statement. "I apologize for any concern and inconvenience I've caused... I look forward to your continued support."
For those unfamiliar with Tessho by name, well – you almost certainly know his voice. The actor has been in the industry since 1970, and he has overseen a slew of major roles in that time. In One Piece, Tessho voices Kaido, so he was quite busy recently with the anime's Wano Country saga. As for Naruto, Tessho is the voice of Kurama, and the actor has also appeared in hits like Kaiju No. 8, Dragon Ball, City Hunter, and more.
At this time, no replacement actors have been announced for Tessho. It isn't clear which roles the actor will need covered as he focuses on his wellbeing. At 76 years old, Tessho is a legend in the anime community, so fans are wishing him a speedy recovery.
All our best wishes are going to Tessho as he focuses on his health.
