Who is Yoshitsugu Matsuoka? As Nodt's voice actor in Bleach TYBW and where you've heard him before

In Bleach TYBW episode 19, As Nodt's voice actor, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, gained unanimous recognition from the viewers for his performance. One of the most highly skilled voice actors in the industry, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka's vocal range as As Nodt sent chills down the audience's spine.

Voicing a character like As Nodt required immaculate precision. In the latest episode of Bleach TYBW, Matsuoka showed why he is a high-rated Seiyuu by understanding the layers of this complex character. He represented the essence of As Nodt's fear through his vocal range and captivated the fans.

From the shift in tone and screaming during the Vollstanding activation, to a more emotional performance at the end of the episode, one could say that Yoshitsugu Matsuoka nailed the role of As Nodt. However, Bleach TYBW is far from the first anime where Matsuoka has displayed his immense talent.

As Nodt's voice actor in Bleach TYBW, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka has voiced Inosuke, Kirito, Petelgeuse, and others

Some popular anime characters voiced by As Nodt's voice actor (Image via Sportskeeda)

Bleach TYBW is not the first time Yoshitsugu Matsuoka has shown his vocal skills. For example, his performance as Inosuke in Demon Slayer has demonstrated his vocal range on numerous occasions. On the opposite side of the spectrum is Mechamaru from Jujutsu Kaisen, who will have a larger role to play in the upcoming Shibuya arc.

As a versatile Japanese voice actor, Yoshitusgu Matsuoka has voiced characters such as the frightening Petelgeuse in Re: Zero anime, the protagonist Souma from Shokugeki no Souma, and other characters. As mentioned earlier, he has also earned fame for voicing Kirito from Sword Art Online.

He is equally well known for voicing Xiao in the game Genshin Impact. Recently, he has voiced Vash the Stampede in Trigun Stampede. Matsuoka doesn't shy away from voicing less important characters despite his status, however, as shown by his voicing the roles of Yosetsu Awase in My Hero Academia and Loki in Record of Ragnarok.

Here are the most recognisable anime characters voiced by As Nodt's voice actor, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka.

Kazuto Kirigaya (Kirito) from Sword Art Online
Souma Yukihira from Shokugeki no Souma
Inosuke Hashibira from Demon Slayer
Sora from No Game No Life
Izumi Miyamura from Horimiya (OVA)
Takashi Mitsuya from Tokyo Revengers
Petelgeuse from Re: Zero
Fuutarou Uesugi from The Quintessential Quintuplets
Teruki Hanazawa from Mob Psycho
Koukichi Muta (Mechamaru) from Jujutsu Kaisen
Jingo Raichi from Blue Lock
Vash the Stampede from Trigun Stampede

As Nodt's voice actor in Bleach TYBW, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka was also honored as the Best New Actor in the 6th Seiyu Awards in 2012. In addition, he also received the award for the Best Lead at the 10th Seiyu Awards in 2016.

Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as As Nodt's voice actor

As a voice actor, Matsuoka did justice in representing the fear aspect of Nodt. His unhinged performance as As Nodt sent chills down the spine of the fans. Furthermore, he could also change his voice modulations according to the requirements.

For instance, he didn't go over the top during the initial scenes with his voice. However, when Nodt activated his Vollstandig in the second phase, Matsuoka changed his voice to represent Nodt's sinister form.

The shift in the voice from 'The only thing I fear...' to '...is to be rebuked by His Majesty' was masterfully done and created a moment of jumpscare. As Nodt's voice actor, Yoshitusgu could capture the true horror of Nodt's Tatar Foras form in Bleach TYBW with the devilish scream.

In the entire episode, his performance created a sense of tension, awe, and fear. However, he also brought out the audience's tears with his soulful performance at the end of the episode. It was revealed in Bleach TYBW that As Nodt was afraid of dying.

So, in his last moments, Nodt repeatedly expressed how scared he was of dying in almost a tearful voice. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka brought out the emotional aspect of Nodt's character with his incredible performance as As Nodt's voice actor.

Be sure to keep up with more anime news and manga updates as 2023 progresses.

About the author

Apratim is an anime writer at Sportskeeda who first forayed into creating engaging content 3 years ago out of his penchant for the written word and his love of anime and manga. He holds a Master's degree in English Language and Literature from Calcutta University and it is here, where he developed a passion for writing.

Apratim’s interest in anime started in 2009 when he watched Bleach, which ultimately led him to watch over 400 titles and counting. Tite Kubo, the author of Bleach, has had a significant influence on Apratim. He finds the Japanese manga artist’s art style unique and captivating and admires him for his ability to foreshadow events without forcing them, as well as for his character designs.

Apratim's attention to detail and commitment to providing the most accurate information can be attributed to his extensive experience of watching various titles, as well as his reliance on reputable resources for specific anime and manga.

When not busy writing, Apratim likes to read books, play games on his PlayStation, and watch Cricket. He also enjoys composing poetry, sketching, and painting.

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Edited by Pradyot Hegde