Namikawa is perhaps best known in Star Wars fandom as the official Japanese voice of Anakin Skywalker , a role he held from Attack of the Clones through Revenge of the Sith . His performance captured the frantic emotional spiral, vulnerability, and eventual rage of Anakin’s fall to the dark side.
A prolific voice actor, Morikawa brought a tragic gravitas to Obi-Wan. His performance during the "high ground" monologue is considered a highlight, adding layers of sorrow to the character's final plea to his former apprentice.
Taking over the mantle of Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan, Mikimoto brought a stoic, paternal warmth to the character. His performance in Episode III required a balance of authoritative mentorship and heartbreaking grief, culminating in the famous "You were the chosen one!" monologue, translated beautifully into poetic Japanese. star wars episode 3 japanese dub work
The monumental task of bringing the Star Wars universe to life in Japanese fell to an experienced team of professionals. The animation studio and the post-production company Kuroshio were involved in the dubbing and audio production, a common practice for major Hollywood films in Japan at the time. Here are the key staff members who worked on the Japanese version:
The Japanese voice cast for "Revenge of the Sith" included many well-known and respected voice actors in Japan. Some notable cast members include: Namikawa is perhaps best known in Star Wars
The Star Wars prequel trilogy is a fascinating case study in global localization. While the original English-language performances by Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor define the films for Western audiences, George Lucas’s space opera took on an entirely new cultural dimension in Japan. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith represents the absolute peak of this localization effort. The Japanese dub of Episode III is not just a standard translation; it is a meticulously crafted piece of cinematic art that blends Hollywood blockbuster scale with the elite vocal traditions of Japanese voice acting (Seiyu) culture.
The dub features a lineup of legendary Japanese voice actors who have become the definitive voices for these characters across the entire prequel era. Anakin Skywalker : Voiced by Daisuke Namikawa . A prolific actor also known for roles in Hunter × Hunter (Hisoka) and Lupin the Third (Goemon), he has voiced Anakin since Episode II Obi-Wan Kenobi : Voiced by Toshiyuki Morikawa . Known for his deep, commanding voice, is the go-to dub voice for Ewan McGregor Darth Vader : Voiced by Tōru Ōhira . A veteran actor who provided the iconic deep voice for in the home video dubs of the original trilogy as well Padmé Amidala : Voiced by Maaya Sakamoto is a famous singer and actress who has voiced Natalie Portman across multiple films. : Voiced by Ichirō Nagai His performance during the "high ground" monologue is
Furukawa’s Anakin responds not with roaring rage but with a guttural, tearful “Damare!” (黙れ！ - “Shut up!”) that cracks with self-loathing. It is less a villain’s retort and more the cry of someone performing seppuku verbally. The line “I hate you!” becomes “Nikunde iru!” (憎んでいる！) - a sustained, grammatical form that implies the hatred is a permanent, living state.