Denis Akiyama

{{short description|Canadian actor (1952–2018)}}

{{Infobox person

| image = Denis Akiyama (fair use).jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Denis Van Akiyama{{Cite web |url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?n=denis-van-akiyama&pid=189438226 |title=DENIS VAN AKIYAMA Obituary |date=2018-07-01 |website=Toronto Star via Legacy.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704011154/https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?n=denis-van-akiyama&pid=189438226 |archivedate=2018-07-04}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=yes|1952|5|28}}

| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| death_date = {{date of death and age|mf=yes|2018|6|28|1952|5|28}}

| death_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1987–2018

| spouse = {{marriage|Danielle O'Connor|1987}}

| children = 2

}}

Denis Van Akiyama (May 28, 1952 – June 28, 2018)

{{cite book |last1=Lentz III |first1=Harris M. |title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2018 |date=30 May 2019 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9781476636559 |page=6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?zd=CfWaDwAAQBAJ |access-date=3 June 2025}} was a Canadian actor of stage, film and television, perhaps best known for portraying Shinji in Johnny Mnemonic, and for voicing Silver Samurai / Kenuichio Harada and Sunfire in X-Men, and Malachite in the original English version of Sailor Moon.

Early life and education

Akiyama was born in Toronto, Ontario to a Japanese family. He attained a BA in Psychology from York University, and worked in child care. Akiyama was also a musician who played trumpet with The Parachute Club, and in The Pukka Orchestra. Denis went on to study acting at George Brown College.{{cite journal |last1=Fujino |first1=David |title=An Interview with Denis Akiyama |journal=The Bulletin |date=29 May 2013 |url=https://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/an-interview-with-denis-akiyama/ |access-date=3 June 2025 |publisher=Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association of Greater Vancouver}}

Career

;Film

Akiyama started in film, before performing on stage.{{cite web |url=http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/national-feature/an-interview-with-denis-akiyama/ |title=An Interview with Denis Akiyama |accessdate=2013-06-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725132854/http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/national-feature/an-interview-with-denis-akiyama/ |archivedate=2013-07-25 }} In 2015, he appeared in the feature film Pixels.{{cite web |url=http://www.movietalky.com/people/4409-denis-akiyama |title=Denis Akiyama facts |website=Movietalky |access-date=August 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916095200/http://www.movietalky.com/people/4409-denis-akiyama |archive-date=September 16, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

;Television

He was a frequent guest star on Katts and Dog, as well as playing and voicing roles in The Adventures of Tintin animated series, and Mayday.

;Theatre

In the early 1990s, Akiyama's stage performances included Miss Saigon on Broadway and in Toronto at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Other theatre appearances include Philip Kan Gotanda's Song for a Nisei Fisherman, Sally Han's Naomi's Road, M. J. Kang's Dreams of Blonde & Blue, and Hiro Kanagawa's The Tiger of Malaya.

Death

Akiyama died on June 28, 2018, from a "very rare and aggressive cancer". He and his wife Danielle had two children, Kintaro and Miya.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/denis-akiyama-dead-johnny-mnemonic-pixels-actor-dies-at-66-1124688|title=The Toronto native was prolific across film, television, stage and anime for four decades.|website=The Hollywood Reporter|last=Bartlett|first=Rhett|date=July 3, 2018|accessdate=January 11, 2019}} He was 66 years old.

Filmography

=Film=

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

{{div col end}}

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Denis Akiyama live action television credits

YearTitleRoleclass="unsortable" | Notes

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

1985For the RecordMichael Nakashima1 episode
1986Check It Out{{unk}}Ito
1987

| Seeing Things

| {{unk}}

| 1 episode

|

1987

| Diamonds

| {{unk}}

| 1 episode

|

1988Friday the 13th: The SeriesHai KwanEpisode: "Tattoo"
1988–1992

| Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop

| Ron Nakemura

| 49 episodes. AKA Katts and Dog

|

1988, 1989

| Street Legal

| Jonathan Imatsu / Satien Loc

| 2 episodes

|

1989, 1990T. and T.Ikuta / Mori2 episodes
1990

| War of the Worlds

| Chin

| 1 episode

|

1991

| Counterstrike

| Lok

| Episode: "Night of the Black Moon" {{small|(S2.E10)}}

|

1990Inside StoriesAaron IwataEpisode: "Heartbreak Hoteru"
1992In the Eyes of a StrangerTV movie
1992Top CopsWen Da Yee1 episode
1993Ghost MomYamatoTV movie
1994, 1996Kung Fu: The Legend ContinuesLai Tzu / Lai (voice)2 episodes
1995Visitors of the NightStranger #2TV movie
1996Buried SecretsDoctor #1TV movie
1996, 1997F/X: The SeriesDr. Miller / Lambert Chang2 episodes
1997Traders{{unk}}1 episode
1999Killing MoonDr. YamadaTV movie
2000Code Name PhoenixDr. FongTV movie
2000Relic HunterColonel Chang
2000The Last DebateTV Makeup ArtistTV movie
2001The JudgePeter JacobyEpisode: "Part One"
2002Haven't We Met Before?TV movie
2002Odyssey 5Akegi
2002The Brady Bunch in the White HouseHopeful ManTV movie
2003

| Eloise at the Plaza

| Prince of Kushin

| TV movie

|

2004The Cradle Will FallDr. FachitaTV movie
2004H2OKazio IzumiTV miniseries
2004DocJian Wa
2004Kevin Hillas Judge Porter
2005Cool MoneyDistrict AttorneyTV movie
2005

| Mayday

| Captain Masami Takahama

| TV documentary. AKA Air Crash Investigation
Episode: "Out of Control"

|

2006ReGenesisCrown Attorney1 episode
2006A Christmas WeddingAsian Pacific PresidentTV movie
2008Degrassi: The Next GenerationOncologistEpisode: "Death or Glory: Part 2"
2008data-sort-value="Summit, The" | The SummitPrime Minister of JapanTV miniseries
2008Roxy Hunter and the Myth of the MermaidKyotoTV movie
2009Wild Rosesas Fukuwawa Sr.
2009Warehouse 13Officer Ogawa
2010Being EricaDr. Kotara1 episode
2010MaydayCaptain Chun Byung-inTV documentary. AKA Air Crash Investigation
Episode: "Target Is Destroyed"
2010-2012Wingin' ItMr. Nakamora / Mr. Nakamura
2011

| She's the Mayor

| Mr. Lee

| 13 episodes

|

2012

| Mayday

| Captain Park Duk-kyu

| TV documentary. AKA Air Crash Investigation
Episode: "Bad Attitude" / "Stansted Crash"

|

2015

| 12 Monkeys

| Nakano

| 1 episode

|

2015

| Suits

| Mr. Tanaka

| 1 episode

|

2018TakenSenseiEpisode: "Strelochnik"
2018CarterKoji Yasuda6 episodes (2 posthumously)

=Voice roles=

==Animation==

{{Inc-tv|date=June 2025}}

class="wikitable sortable

|+ Denis Akiyama animation voice credits

YearTitleRoleclass="unsortable" | Notes

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

1991Rupert(additional voices)
1991–1992

| data-sort-value="Adventures of Tintin, The" | The Adventures of Tintin

| Mitsuhirato / Bunji Kuraki / Tharkey

| 3 episodes

|

1993–1997X-MenDr. Darrel Tanaka / Silver Samurai / Sunfire4 episodes
1993–1997The Busy World of Richard Scarry{{unk}}36 episodes
1994Monster Force(additional voices)13 episodes
1994–1995Wild C.A.T.sDockwell14 episodes
1995Sailor MoonMalachite17 episodes
1995–2001Little Bear{{unk}}27 episodes
1997, 1998DiabolikDirector GraffumEpisode: "Panther Uncaged"
1998Silver SurferWatcher Prime3 episodes
1998, 1999Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the LegendAmycus / Cyclops2 episodes
1999MedabotsMr. Referee52 episodes. English version
1999Power StoneGaluda / Referee7 episodes. English version
1999Avengers: United They StandDr. Chris JohnsonEpisode: "Kang"
1999Ned's NewtGuard / ElfEpisode: "Summer Gone, Summer Not / Sealed with a Newt"
2001BracefaceMr. LingEpisode: "Take That"
2003–2005King{{unk}}42 episodes
2004Franny's FeetSally the tough old catEpisode: "The Lonely Library"
2005Time Warp TrioIeyasu / Honda1 episode
2005–2008Delilah and Julius{{unk}}31 episodes
2005–2009Mr. Meaty{{unk}}8 episodes
2008Toot & PuddleDr. Ha Song5 episodes
2008Chilly Beach: The Canadian PresidentEmperorTV special
2009Super Why!(additional voice)1 episode
2010–2013Scaredy Squirrel(additional voices)13 episodes
2011Justin TimeEmperorEpisode: "Secret Surprise & a Mammoth Mistake"
2017Inspector GadgetHattori-sanEpisode: "Tempest in a Tea Cup / Mr. Security"

==Video games==

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="white-space:nowrap"

|+ Denis Akiyama video game voice credits

YearTitleRoleclass="unsortable" | Notes

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

2001Onimusha: WarlordsNobunaga Oda, NarratorEnglish dub{{cite web |title=Denis Akiyama (visual voices guide) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Denis-Akiyama/ |website=BTVA |access-date=10 March 2021|type= A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information}}
2006Rainbow Six: VegasKan Akahashi
2008Rainbow Six: Vegas 2Kan Akahashi
2011Deus Ex: Human RevolutionTong Si HungCredited as Dennis Akiyama

References

{{Reflist|30em}}