JAPANESE VOICE ACTOR: Ryōtarō Okiayu
Shigure Sohma, the witty novelist, Dog of the Zodiac, and one of the most mysterious members of the Sohma family in Fruits Basket, is voiced by Ryōtarō Okiayu in the original 2001 anime adaptation. In the 2019 reboot, the role was re-cast with Yuichi Nakamura, but Okiayu remains the voice actor most closely associated with Shigure’s original anime portrayal.
Date of Birth
November 17, 1969.
About Ryōtarō
Ryōtarō Okiayu is a veteran Japanese voice actor and singer known for voicing charismatic rivals, elegant leaders, and complex antiheroes. His smooth vocal delivery and natural charm made him an ideal choice for Shigure Sohma, whose playful personality often hides deeper motives and emotional complexity.
Hometown
Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Career Highlights
- Shigure Sohma — Fruits Basket (2001)
- Byakuya Kuchiki — Bleach
- Kunimitsu Tezuka — The Prince of Tennis
- Hisashi Mitsui — Slam Dunk
- Treize Khushrenada — Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
- Toriko — Toriko
- Kokushibo — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Full Current Filmography
The following reflects major documented credits and may not be exhaustive.
Television Anime
- Fruits Basket — Shigure Sohma
- Bleach — Byakuya Kuchiki
- The Prince of Tennis — Kunimitsu Tezuka
- Slam Dunk — Hisashi Mitsui
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing — Treize Khushrenada
- Toriko — Toriko
- Demon Slayer — Kokushibo
- Hell Teacher Nūbē — Meisuke Nueno
Video Games
- Mega Man X series — Zero
- Tekken franchise — Lee Chaolan
- Multiple Bleach games — Byakuya Kuchiki
- Various Fruits Basket franchise appearances as Shigure Sohma.
Critical Reception
Fans often praise Okiayu’s portrayal for balancing Shigure’s comedic personality with the darker and more manipulative aspects of the character. His performance helped establish Shigure as one of the most intriguing figures in the original anime adaptation.
Our Sources
- Behind The Voice Actors — Shigure Sohma Voice Cast (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Fruits-Basket/Shigure-Sohma/)
- Wikipedia — Ryōtarō Okiayu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8Dtar%C5%8D_Okiayu)
- Fruits Basket Character Listing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fruits_Basket_characters)
ENGLISH VOICE ACTOR: John Burgmeier
In both the original 2001 anime and the 2019 reboot, Shigure Sohma is voiced in English by John Burgmeier. His return for the reboot was officially announced by Funimation and celebrated by longtime fans, making him one of several actors who reprised their original Fruits Basket roles nearly two decades later.
Date of Birth
October 24, 1974.
About John
John Burgmeier is an American voice actor, ADR scriptwriter, and musician known for extensive work in anime dubbing. He has voiced characters across many major franchises, but Shigure Sohma remains one of his most recognizable and beloved roles. Burgmeier has publicly stated that Shigure is among his favorite characters he has ever played.
Hometown
Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Career Highlights
- Shigure Sohma — Fruits Basket
- Kurama — Yu Yu Hakusho
- Tien Shinhan — Dragon Ball franchise
- Switzerland — Hetalia: Axis Powers
- Clayman — That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
- Edgeshot — My Hero Academia
Full Current Filmography
The following reflects major documented credits and may not be exhaustive.
Television Anime
- Fruits Basket — Shigure Sohma
- Fruits Basket (2019) — Shigure Sohma
- Yu Yu Hakusho — Kurama
- Dragon Ball franchise — Tien Shinhan, Saibamen, Yamu
- Hetalia: Axis Powers — Switzerland
- Black Cat — River Zastory
- Ouran High School Host Club — Tetsuya Sendo
- My Hero Academia — Edgeshot
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime — Clayman
Anime Films
- Fruits Basket: Prelude — Shigure Sohma
- Various Dragon Ball franchise films — Tien Shinhan
- Multiple franchise-related anime film appearances.
Video Games
- Dragon Ball Xenoverse series — Tien Shinhan
- Dragon Ball Legends — Tien Shinhan
- Various anime adaptation titles connected to his television roles.
Critical Reception
John Burgmeier’s portrayal of Shigure is frequently praised for preserving the character’s humor, charm, and unpredictability. Many English-speaking fans consider his performance one of the defining voices of the Fruits Basket franchise, particularly because he successfully reprised the role for the acclaimed 2019 adaptation.
Our Sources
- Behind The Voice Actors — Shigure Sohma Voices (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Fruits-Basket/Shigure-Sohma/)
- Wikipedia — John Burgmeier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Burgmeier)
- Fruits Basket Wiki — John Burgmeier (https://fruitsbasket.fandom.com/wiki/John_Burgmeier)
- Anime Feminist — John Burgmeier Returns as Shigure Soma (https://www.animefeminist.com/john-burgmeier-plays-shigure-soma-in-2019-fruits-basket-anime/)
Social Media
No verified official public social media profiles were consistently documented from available sources.
