Akira is the Leader of the Golion team and the pilot of the Black Lion. A hot-blooded man of a strong leader type; he wears the red battle suit.    Named &quot;Keith Kogane&quot; in Voltron version.  Commander and leader of the Voltron Force, who pilots the Black Lion that forms the bulk of Voltron. Keith wears a red uniform in the original series, and a black uniform in Voltron: The Third Dimension. Keith is a quiet individual who spends much of his time pondering his decisions, thinking up new strategies, and simply being a leader. He also has a hobby of reading books. He can often be found doing so either in the pilot&#039;s lounge, or in his room. He seemingly cherishes Princess Allura and is thought to be somewhat protective of her; his worst fear, according to Voltron: The Third Dimension, was that she would be forced to marry the evil Prince Lotor.

Golion, a powerful sentient robot, abuses his great powers by attacking and killing creatures known as Deathblack Beastmen, boasting that no one could defeat him. A divine space being punishes Golion for his arrogance and abuse by seperating him into 5 different lion robots. In the year 1999, a group of 5 young men return to Earth after a space voyage, only to find it ravaged by nuclear war. After encountering the alien race known as the Galra, the 5 youths end up on the planet Altea, and learn that the 5 lion robots that Golion was split into are in hibernation in various parts of Altea. Somehow, they must reunite the lions and form Golion, the only hope for the human race.

[Twitter](https://twitter.com/inouekazuhiko) | [Profile](http://www.b-box-box.com/actor/井上和彦/) | [Blog](https://ameblo.jp/kazufan/) | [Anison](anison.info/data/person/1055.html) | [Wiki (EN)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazuhiko_Inoue) | [Wiki (JP)](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%95%E4%B8%8A%E5%92%8C%E5%BD%A6_(%E5%A3%B0%E5%84%AA&#x29;)

Kazuhiko Inoue is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator, who has become one of Japan's most well established voice actors since his debut in 1973.

Inoue is widely known for roles such as [Kakashi Hatake](https://anilist.co/character/85/) in [Naruto](https://anilist.co/anime/20/), [Madara](https://anilist.co/character/13784/) in [Natsume's Book of Friends](https://anilist.co/anime/4081/) and [Kars](https://anilist.co/character/21966/) in [JoJo's Bizarre Adventure](https://anilist.co/anime/14719/).

Inoue's early roles from the 1970s include [Anthony](https://anilist.co/character/9069/) in [Candy Candy](https://anilist.co/anime/2800/), and later as Joe in the 1979 remake of [Cyborg 009](https://anilist.co/anime/4690/). In the 1980s, Inoue's work ranged from the adult-oriented [Oishinbo](https://anilist.co/anime/1093/) to the popular [Tenkuu Senki Shurato](https://anilist.co/anime/2113/) for the younger generation.

Inoue does voices for anime, video games, drama CDs, Japanese-dubbed movies, and audio books. He has put out many LP and CD albums and has sung in various anime character albums. His most well-known songs are the ones related to the [Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time](https://anilist.co/anime/247/) series, which he has performed live on stage at voice acting events in Japan. In recent years, Inoue has also tried his hand in backstage work such as sound directing. He has set up his own voice acting agency and school, B-Box, to teach the next generation voice talents.

He was also a close friend of the late fellow voice actor [Daisuke Gouri](https://anilist.co/staff/95744/).

__Awards__
- 2009, Best Actor in Supporting Role in the 3rd Seiyuu Awards as Madara in Natsume's Book of Friends.

(Source: Wikipedia)

__Non-Anime Roles:__

- Neuras - Metaphor: ReFantazio (VG)

Akira Kogane