Hiro Kanagawa | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Hiro Kanagawa is a prominent Japanese-Canadian actor, playwright, and voice actor based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Born in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, he has established a prolific career across various media, including film, television, and animation. Kanagawa is recognized for his diverse acting roles in high-profile productions such as The X-Files, Smallville, Caprica, Godzilla, The Man in the High Castle, Altered Carbon, iZombie, Legends of Tomorrow, Heroes Reborn, Kim's Convenience, and Shōgun. As a voice actor, he is known for being the original English-language voice of Gihren Zabi in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise and for portraying Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes. Beyond acting, Kanagawa is an acclaimed playwright, with his play Indian Arm winning the 2015 Jessie Richardson Theatre Award and the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award for English-language Drama. He is also a four-time Leo Award nominee.

2. Early life and education

Hiro Kanagawa's early life was marked by international experiences due to his father's career, which shaped his upbringing and academic pursuits.

2.1. Childhood and upbringing

Born 金川弘敦_{Hironobu Kanagawa}^Japanese in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, on October 13, 1963, Kanagawa's father was Hiroshi Kanagawa, a former professor at Hokkaido University originally from Muroran, Hokkaido. From the age of three until his junior high school graduation, Kanagawa lived between Canada and the United States due to his father's work. After junior high, he returned to Japan, residing in Suginami-ku, Tokyo. During this period, he studied music at the Yamaha Music School in Mitaka City from 1978 to 1982. Prior to embarking on his acting career, Kanagawa engaged in creative endeavors in Tokyo, working as both a sculptor and a rock musician.

2.2. Education

Kanagawa completed his high school education at International Christian University High School. He pursued his undergraduate studies in sculpting at Middlebury College, graduating in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. His artistic education also included attendance at the prestigious Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. After an initial graduate program, he re-enrolled at Simon Fraser University, where he developed his first play and ultimately earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1994. He also attended Temple University.

3. Career

Hiro Kanagawa's career spans multiple facets of the entertainment industry, encompassing extensive work as an actor, a successful career as a playwright and screenwriter, and contributions as an educator.

3.1. Acting career

Kanagawa has built an extensive acting career across film, television, and voice acting, often appearing in productions filmed in the Vancouver area.

3.1.1. Film

Kanagawa has appeared in numerous feature films and television films. His filmography includes:

1993: Born Too Soon as Resident
1994: My Name is Kate as Doctor
1994: Voices from Within as Medical Examiner
1995: A Child Is Missing as Agent Kurosaka
1995: Cyberjack as Kenji
1995: The Hunted as Deputy
1995: Hideaway as Nakamura
1995: Crying Freeman as Yakuza
1996: Mask of Death as ER Doctor
1997: Bliss as Emergency Doctor
1997: Excess Baggage as Jon
1997: Hard Technique as Doctor
1998: American Dragons as Nakai
1998: Futuresport as Otomo Akira
1999: Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying as Controller
1999: Resurrection as Tech #2
2000: The Guilty as Police Detective
2000: Protection as Don
2000: Best in Show as Pet Shop Owner
2000: Epicenter as Ted
2000: Beautiful Joe as Japanese Businessman
2000: The 6th Day as Team Doctor
2001: Touched by a Killer as Steve Tsunaki
2001: Josie and the Pussycats as Japanese Delegate
2001: Replicant as Technician 1
2002: La turbulence des fluides as Kiyoshi
2002: Extreme Ops as Dr. Imahara
2003: Little Brother of War as Detective Nolan
2005: Elektra as Maizumi
2005: God's Baboons as Clive
2005: Hiro as Hiro (nominated for a Leo Award)
2005: Bob the Butler as Japanese Plumber
2006: Family in Hiding as Kanagawa
2006: Spymate as Japanese Chairman
2006: The Entrance as Detective Nolan
2007: The Last Mimzy as Scientist
2007: War as Yoshido
2008: The Day the Earth Stood Still as Dr. Ikegawa
2009: Hardwired as Dr. Steckler
2009: Girlfriend Experience as John
2010: The King of Fighters as Saisyu Kusanagi
2011: Doomsday Prophecy as Dr. Yates
2011: Earth's Final Hours as Tech
2011: Donovan's Echo as Kaisha
2013: Down River as Aki's Father
2013: Grave Halloween as Jin
2014: Godzilla as Hayato
2015: The Age of Adaline as Kenneth
2018: Fifty Shades Freed as Detective Clark
2019: Midway as Commander Isamu Fujita
2020: Deeper I Go (short film)
2021: Crisis as Dr. Ishiyama
2021: iDorothy (short film) as Sal
2021: Hiro and the Emerald Lady (short film) as Hiro
2021: Needle in a Timestack as Tattersal
2021: Every Breath You Take as Dr. Toth
2022: Orphan: First Kill as Detective Donnan

3.1.2. Television

Kanagawa has an extensive list of television appearances, including recurring roles and guest spots across various series and television films:

1992: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures as Elvis 2 (Episode 5)
1993: Born Too Soon (television film) as Foreigner
1994: Madison as Teacher (Episode 24)
1994: Highlander: The Series as Akira Yoshida (Episode 45)
1994: M.A.N.T.I.S. as Yakuza Translator (Episode 7)
1994, 1997, 2016: The X-Files as Dr. Yonechi, Peter Tanaka, and Garner (3 episodes across seasons 2, 4, and 10)
1994: Voices from Within (television film) as Medical Examiner
1995: A Child Is Missing (television film) as Agent Kurosaka
1996: The Sentinel as Furukawa (Episode 8)
1996: Sliders as Henry (Episode: "Obsession")
1996: Viper as Otomo (Episode 9)
1996: North of 60 as Noriyoshi Misoguchi (Episode 69)
1996: Millennium as Agent Takahashi (Episode 6)
1996: Bloodhounds II (television film) as Detective
1996: For Hope (television film) as Dr. Black
1997: Breaker High as Taneka (Episode 1)
1997: Survival on the Mountain (television film) as Ang
1997: Tricks (television film) as Matsuba
1998: Cold Squad as James Kai (1998-1999)
1998: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show as Japanese Game Show Host
1998: First Wave as John (Episode 17)
1998: Millennium as Lewis (Episode 45), as Rondell (Episode 53)
1998, 2000: The Outer Limits as Ron Hikida / Tali (2 episodes)
1998: The Inspectors (television film) as Polygraph Tech
1999: The Net as Frank (Episode: "Y2K - Total System Failure")
1999: Millennium as Store Clerk (Episode 63)
1999: Viper as Tashogi (Episode 64)
1999: Mercy Point as Yaguchi (Episode 6)
1999: The Wonder Cabinet (television film) as Dr. Shima-Tsuno
1999: Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (television film) as Official 4
2000: Secret Agent Man as Tokyo Chief (Episode 1)
2000: Dark Angel as Theo (Episode: "Pilot")
2000: Seven Days as Mr. Kim / Dr. Oshima (2 episodes)
2000: The Linda McCartney Story (television film) as Senior Narcotics Officer
2001: Big Sound as Photographer (Episode 3)
2001: The Lone Gunmen as Businessman (Episode 2)
2001: Class Warfare (television film) as Tanaka
2001-2002: Smallville as Principal James Kwan (5 episodes)
2002: Damaged Care (television film) as Dr. Kitano
2002: Living with the Dead (television film) as Frank the Business Consultant
2002: Da Vinci's Inquest as Ken Ozaki (Episode 49)
2002: Special Unit 2 as Madison (Episode 16)
2002: Just Cause as Elkins (Episode 3)
2003: 1st to Die (television film) as Dr. Shimera
2003: Betrayed (television film) as Dr. Tanaka
2005: The 4400 as Agent Park (2 episodes)
2005: Criminal Minds as Seattle ASAC (Episode: "Extreme Aggressor")
2005: Steklo as Akira
2005: Andromeda as Burma / Seema (2 episodes)
2005: Stargate SG-1 as Mr Wayne (Episode: "Full Alert")
2005: Ladies Night (television film) as Muriyami
2005: 14 Hours (television film) as Dr. Chin
2005: Hush (television film) as Berke
2005: Best Friends (television film) as Miyashiro
2005-2006: Da Vinci's City Hall as Fire Captain Roy Komori (9 episodes)
2006: Blade: The Series as Taka (Episode: "The Sacrifice")
2007: Intelligence as Detective Ogawa (7 episodes)
2007: Masters of Science Fiction as Oguchi (Episode 2)
2008: Heroes and Villains as Mitsunari Ishida (Episode: "Shogun")
2008: What Color Is Love? as Henry Wong
2008: The Story of Saiunkoku as Kaku (Episode: "It's the Company That Makes Travel Unpleasant")
2009: Supernatural as Game Show Host (Episode: "Changing Channels")
2009: Reaper as Morris (3 episodes)
2009: Sanctuary as Ark-Fong Li (Episode: "Eulogy")
2009: Playing for Keeps (television film) as Henry Wong
2009-2010: Caprica as Cyrus Xander (13 episodes)
2010: Human Target as Lt. Peale (Episode: "Pilot")
2010: Fringe as Lawyer (Episode: "The Box")
2010: Tower Prep as Sato (Episode 13)
2011: True Justice as Ichiro Tamabuchi (3 episodes)
2011-2012: The Secret Circle as Calvin Wilson (2 episodes)
2012: Fairly Legal as Dale (Episode 18)
2012: Continuum as Dr. Ted Gibson (Season 1, Episode 3)
2012: Arrow as Dr. Neil Lamb (2 episodes)
2012-2014: Blackstone as Harold (4 episodes)
2013: The Tomorrow People as Corbin (Episode: "All Tomorrow's Parties")
2013: Bates Motel as Dr. Kurata (2 episodes)
2013-2014: Almost Human as Recollectionist (3 episodes)
2014: The 100 as Council Member #3 (3 episodes, season 1)
2015: The Returned as Dr. Hiromoto (3 episodes)
2015: The Magicians as Professor March (2 episodes)
2015: The Whispers as Team Member 1 Brent (3 episodes)
2015: Dark Matter as Emperor Ishida Tetsuda (2 episodes)
2015-2016: The Man in the High Castle as Taishi Okamura (5 episodes)
2015-2016: Heroes Reborn as Hachiro Otomo/Red Samurai (8 episodes)
2015, 2018: iZombie as Lieutenant Suzuki (8 episodes, recurring season 1; guest season 4)
2016: Timeless as Agent Kondo (Episode: "Pilot")
2016: Zoo as Curtis (Episode: "The Moon and the Star")
2016: Kim's Convenience as Pastor Choi (2 episodes)
2017-2018: Legends of Tomorrow as Director Wilbur Bennett (4 episodes, season 3)
2018: Altered Carbon as Captain Tanaka (7 episodes)
2018: Salvation as Chief Justice Martin Cheng (4 episodes)
2018: Designated Survivor as NASA Liaison to the President Richard Kim (Episode: "The Final Frontier")
2019: The Order as Detective Hayashi (Episode: "Hell Week, Part One")
2019: Warigami as James Ohata (6 episodes)
2019: The Terror as Dr. Kitamura (2 episodes)
2019: Limetown as R.B. Villard (2 episodes)
2019: See as Lord Unoa (4 episodes)
2020: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist as Dr. Hamara (3 episodes)
2020: Charmed as Dr. Tanaka (Episode: "Unsafe Space")
2020: Helstrom as Father Sean Okamoto (Episode: "Viaticum")
2021: Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan as Narrator (voice role; 6 episodes)
2021: The Good Doctor as Dr. Paul Nakano (Episode: "Letting Go")
2022: Star Trek: Discovery as Dr. Hirai (4 episodes)
2022: Pachinko as Goto-San (Episode: "Chapter One")
2022-2023: Upload as Sato (4 episodes)
2022-2023: So Help Me Todd as Alistair Song (2 episodes)
2023: The Night Agent as FBI Director Willet (3 episodes)
2023-2024: Percy Jackson and the Olympians as Headmaster / Kronos (2 episodes)
2024: Avatar: The Last Airbender as Fire Lord Sozin (Episode: "Aang")
2024: Shōgun as Igarashi Yoshitomo (3 episodes)
2024: Family Law (1 episode)

3.1.3. Voice acting

Kanagawa is also a prolific voice actor, lending his voice to various animated series, films, and video games.

2001: Mobile Suit Gundam as Gihren Zabi (English-language dub)
2001: Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat as The Foolish Magistrate / Judge
2002: InuYasha as Saint Hakushin (English-language dub, Episodes 119-120)
2003: Master Keaton as Fumio Hisayama (English-language dub, Episode 8)
2005: Human Crossing as Waiter (English-language dub, Episode 1), Toshio Wakabayashi (English-language dub, Episode 3)
2005: Hikaru no Go as Li Lingshin (English-language dub)
2006-2007: Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes as Reed Richards
2007: Black Lagoon as Fujiwara (English-language dub, Episodes 1-2), Col. Matsuto (English-language dub, Episode 4)
2008: Sword of the Stranger as Shoan (English-language dub, theatrical film)
2020: Monster Beach as Stress Leave
2021: Future Boy Conan as Dr. Briac Lao (English-language dub)
2022: Team Zenko Go as Mr. Tanaka
2022: Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai as Matoriv
2024: Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction as Katsuaki Ognio (English-language dub)

His video game voice roles include:

2001: Mobile Suit Gundam as Gihren Zabi (English version)
2001: Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front as Gihren Zabi (English version)
2002: Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon as Gihren Zabi (English version)
2003: Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space as Gihren Zabi (English version)
2023: Infinity Strash: Dragon Quest - The Adventures of Dai as Matoriv

3.2. Playwriting and screenwriting

Beyond his acting roles, Kanagawa is an accomplished playwright and screenwriter. He served as a writer and story editor for the television series Da Vinci's City Hall from 2005 to 2006. His play Indian Arm, an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's Little Eyolf, received critical acclaim, winning the 2015 Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for Outstanding Script. In 2017, Indian Arm further solidified its recognition by winning the Governor General's Literary Award for English-language Drama. He also wrote and adapted the stage play Tiger of Malaya in 2003.

3.3. Other professional activities

Kanagawa is also involved in academia, teaching creative writing in the English department at Capilano University. He is an Associate Member of the Playwrights' Theatre Centre and a member of the English-speaking Actors' Union.

4. Awards and nominations

Kanagawa has received several awards and nominations for his work in both acting and playwriting.

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result
1998	Jessie Richardson Theatre Award	Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role	A View From the Bridge	Won
2006	Leo Awards	Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama	Hiro	Nominated
2015	Jessie Richardson Theatre Award	Outstanding Script	Indian Arm	Won
2017	Governor General's Literary Award for English-language Drama	English-language Drama	Indian Arm	Won
2021	Leo Awards	Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama	The Tailor	Nominated
2021	Leo Awards	Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama	Deeper I Go	Nominated
2021	Vancouver Short Film Festival	Best Performance by a Man	Deeper I Go	Won
2021	UBCP/ACTRA Awards	Best Supporting Performance, Male	Deeper I Go	Won
2022	Leo Awards	Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama	iDorothy	Nominated

5. Personal life

Hiro Kanagawa has resided in British Columbia since 1990, after moving to Vancouver in that year and subsequently obtaining Canadian nationality. He currently lives in Port Moody, B.C. with his wife, artist Tasha Faye Evans. The couple has two children. Kanagawa stands at 69 in ^{(174 cm)} tall.

6. External links

[https://www.hirokanagawa.com/ Official website]
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