Product Code Database
George Takei ( ; born lead=yes April20, 1937) is an American actor, author, and activist. He is known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek franchise.
Takei was born to Japanese-American parents, with whom he lived in Tule Lake Segregation Center during World War II. He began pursuing acting in college, which led in 1965 to the role of Sulu, to which he returned periodically into the 1990s. Upon coming out as gay in 2005, he became a prominent proponent of LGBT movements and active in state and local politics. He has been a vocal advocate of the rights of immigrants, in part through his work on the 2012 Broadway theatre show Allegiance, about the internment experience.
Takei spoke both English and Japanese growing up and remains fluent in both languages. He has won several awards and accolades for his work on human rights and Japan–United States relations, including his work with the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, California.
Takei had several relatives living in Japan during World War II. Among them, he had an aunt and infant cousin who lived in Hiroshima and who were both killed during the atomic bombing that destroyed the city. In Takei's own words, "My aunt and baby cousin were found burnt in a ditch in Hiroshima." At the end of World War II, after leaving Tule internment camp, Takei's family was left without any bank accounts, home or family business; this left them unable to find any housing, so they lived on Skid Row, Los Angeles for five years. He attended Mount Vernon Junior High School and served as Boys Senior Board President at Los Angeles High School. He was a member of Boy Scout Troop 379 of the Koyasan Buddhist Temple.
Upon graduation from high school, Takei enrolled in the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied architecture. Later, he transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in theater in 1960 and a Master of Arts in theater in 1964. He also attended the Shakespeare Institute at Stratford-upon-Avon in England and Sophia University in Tokyo. In Hollywood, he studied acting at the Desilu Workshop.
Takei subsequently appeared alongside such actors as Frank Sinatra in Never So Few (uncredited, 1959), Richard Burton in Ice Palace, Jeffrey Hunter in Hell to Eternity (1960), Alec Guinness in A Majority of One (1961), James Caan in Red Line 7000 (1965), and Cary Grant in Walk, Don't Run (1966).
Takei starred as a landscaper of Japanese descent in "The Encounter", a 1964 episode of the Twilight Zone. (1998). 9780786438860, McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786438860 CBS considered the episode's theme of US-Japanese hatred "too disturbing" to include when the series was syndicated. "The Encounter" was not seen after its initial airing until it was released on video in 1992 as part of the Treasures of the Twilight Zone collection.
Takei guest-starred in an episode of during that show's first season in 1966. He also appeared in two Jerry Lewis comedies, The Big Mouth (uncredited, 1967) and Which Way to the Front? (1970). Takei narrated the documentary The Japanese Sword as the Soul of the Samurai (1969).
It was intended that Sulu's role be expanded in the , but Takei's role in The Green Berets (1968) as Captain Nim, a South Vietnamese Army officer alongside John Wayne's character, took him away from Star Trek filming and he only appeared in half the episodes of that season. Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov substituted for him in the other episodes. When Takei returned, the two men had to share a dressing room and a single episode script. William Shatner's Star Trek Memories – documentary film, released 1995. Takei admitted in an interview that he initially felt threatened by Koenig's presence, but later grew to be friends with him as the image of the officers sharing the ship's helm panel side-by-side became iconic.
Takei has since appeared in numerous television and film productions, reprising his role as Sulu in from 1973 to 1974, and in the first six Star Trek films, the last of which promoted his character to captain of his own starship. Meanwhile, he became a regular on the science fiction convention circuit throughout the world. He has also acted and provided voice acting for several science fiction computer games, including Freelancer and numerous Star Trek games. In 1996, in honor of the 30th anniversary of Star Trek, he played Captain Sulu in an episode of .
Takei has spoken about personal difficulties with William Shatner.William Shatner & Chris Kreski, Star Trek Memories. New York: Harper Paperbacks, 1989, . "George Takei is Still Here & Still Hitched". The Howard Stern Show, July 27, 2009. . Retrieved June 29, 2010.Interview with George Takei by Gary Dell'Abate on The Wrap-Up Show July 27, 2009. However, in an interview in the 2004 DVD set for the second season of , Takei said of Shatner: "He's just a wonderful actor who created a singular character. No one could have done Kirk the way Bill did. His energy and his determination, that's Bill. And that's also Captain Kirk." He appeared alongside Shatner on the 2006 Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner in which the two mocked each other in good humor and embraced, Takei noting that he was "honored" to be there "despite our past tensions".
Takei is also one of six actors (the others being Jonathan Frakes, Kate Mulgrew, Michael Dorn, Avery Brooks, and Majel Barrett) to lend his voice to the 1997 video game Star Trek: Captain's Chair, reprising his role of Captain Hikaru Sulu when the player visits the bridge of the original Enterprise. In the summer of 2007, Takei played Sulu in the fan-made Internet based series episode "".
Takei's autobiography, To the Stars, was published in 1994. At one point, he had hoped to make a film or telefilm based on chapters dealing with the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, of which he had personal experience.
In January 2007, Takei began appearing on Heroes, as Kaito Nakamura, a successful Japanese businessman and father to one of the main characters, time/space-travelling Hiro Nakamura, who also happens to be an obsessive fan of Star Trek. In the first episode in which Takei appears, "Distractions", the license plate of the limo he arrives in is NCC-1701, another reference to the Star Trek series. He appeared in all four seasons of the show.
Takei appeared on the first episode of Secret Talents of the Stars, singing country music, but was not selected to proceed to the next stage. However the point became moot as the series was abruptly cancelled after the opening episode.
In 2008, he appeared on the 8th season of the reality TV series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! on the British ITV television network. He lived in the Australian bush for 21 days and nights, doing tasks along with fellow campers to gain better meals and survive eviction from the show. His politeness and calmness made him popular with the other campers. Out of 12 participants the British public voted him into 3rd place behind 2nd placed Martina Navratilova and winner Joe Swash.
In 2009, Takei appeared in an episode of as the Neimoidian general, Lok Durd, the first time a leading actor from Star Trek worked in a Star Wars production. In April that year, he voiced a fictitious version of himself in the NASA animated short "Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Gravity and the Great Attractor", part of the web-series IRrelevant Astronomy produced by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Takei (and his husband Brad Altman) appeared in a documentary short titled George & Brad in Bed (2009) that profiled their relationship and was a guest on NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!.
In 2010, Takei recorded a series of public service announcements for the Social Security Administration to help promote applying online for benefits.
In 2011, he appeared with husband Brad Altman in All Star Mr & Mrs, a show on ITV in Britain presented by Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton.
Takei was one of the celebrities in the 12th season of The Apprentice. He was fired in the third episode, which aired on March 4, 2012.
Takei was featured with Martin Sheen and Jamie Lee Curtis in a performance of Dustin Lance Black's play 8—a staged reenactment of the federal trial Perry v. Brown that overturned California's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage—as William Tam. The production was held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and broadcast on YouTube to raise money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
In 2012, Takei starred in the musical Allegiance, which Takei described as his legacy project. The show is based on Takei's own experiences and research into the Japanese American internment of World War II and premiered at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. Allegiance debuted on Broadway theatre on November 8, 2015, to mixed reviews. The Guardian said it was "unexceptional though often affecting"; Deadline called it "a triumph of a rare sort, shedding light in a dark corner of our history with uncommon generosity of spirit". The New York Times praised the "well-intentioned and polished" play for tackling a difficult subject while trying at the same time to entertain its audience, but said Allegiance "struggles to balance both ambitions, and doesn't always find an equilibrium". The Associated Press said Allegiance tries to tackle internment camps, discrimination and war, "but does so unsuccessfully in a bombastic and generic Broadway musical". Variety wrote, "In their sincere efforts to 'humanize' their complex historical material, the creatives have oversimplified and reduced it to generic themes." The Hollywood Reporter said "the powerful sentiments involved are too often flattened by the pedestrian lyrics and unmemorable melodies of Jay Kuo's score". USA Today called Allegiance "as corny as Kansas in August and as obvious as Lady Gaga on a red carpet. But darned if it won't get a grip on your heartstrings."
In 2013, Takei was a guest judge in the TBS reality show King of the Nerds, in which he is one of three judges of the Cosplay Competition.
Beginning September 17, 2013, Takei hosted Takei's Take, "Takei's Take". AARP. Retrieved October 1, 2013. a web series reviewing consumer technology in a manner for viewers over 50 years in age. The series is produced by AARP.
Takei made an appearance in issue no. 6 of Kevin Keller where the titular character cites Takei as one of his heroes. Upon reading about Kevin with his partner, Takei decides to travel to Riverdale and surprise Kevin. Takei also wrote the foreword for the second volume of the Kevin Keller comics.
Takei appeared in the viral video for Bonnie McKee's song "American Girl" lip syncing the lyrics to her song.
Starting in 2013, Takei became spokesperson for Rooms To Go, an American furniture retailer. He was seen in a series of television commercials where he used his famous "Oh Myyy!" tag line.
In January 2014, Jennifer Kroot's documentary film about Takei, To Be Takei, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. He also participated in Do I Sound Gay?, a documentary film by David Thorpe about of gay men's speech patterns.
In 2015, he produced a YouTube mini-series It Takeis Two featuring himself and Altman, described as a "parody-scripted reality series" that also includes Internet culture. The series ran for nine episodes.
In early 2017, Takei was featured in television commercials promoting the restaurant Pizza Hut.
In 2019, Takei published They Called Us Enemy, a 208-page memoir in the form of a graphic novel, with a particular focus on his family's time in internment, co-written with Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott and illustrated by Harmony Becker. The book received an American Book Award in 2020. He narrated the documentary Who's on Top? in 2020. In June 2021, dean of the United States Air Force Academy Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre announced that They Called Us Enemy, which details both Takei's struggle with internment and understanding of American democracy, would be part of the Academy's new reading initiative for cadets. On February 23, 2022, Takei was the NCLS Kickoff speaker at USAFA, elaborating on his book and how his past influences his future.
Takei currently serves as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign "Coming Out Project". In 2006, he embarked on a nationwide "Equality Trek" speaking tour sharing his life as a gay Japanese American, his 18-year relationship with Altman, Frontrunners, and Star Trek, encouraging others to share their own personal stories. In the wake of the 2007 controversy over former NBA player Tim Hardaway, who had stated "I hate gay people", Takei recorded a mock public service announcement which began as a serious message of tolerance, then turned the tables on Hardaway by proclaiming that while he may hate gay people, gay people love him and other "sweaty basketball players", and promising Hardaway that "I will have sex with you". This was aired on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Takei also appeared on the Google float at San Francisco Pride 2007.
In 2014, Takei raised $100,000 for an adult Eagle Scout to start a web series, titled Camp Abercorn, documenting his experiences in the Boy Scouts of America after he was forced to leave, due to their anti-gay adult policy. Takei stated, "As a former Boy Scout myself, it pains me deeply that the BSA still boots out gay Scouts when they turn 18. This web series will help educate and inform, as well as entertain. That gets a big thumbs up from me. Let's make this happen."
In 2015, after the announcement of the U.S. Supreme Court same-sex marriage decision, Obergefell v. Hodges, Takei was critical of Clarence Thomas's dissent and called Thomas "a clown in blackface". After defending his comments for over a week, Takei apologized for his wording.
Takei was criticized for his response on Twitter to the shooting of Steve Scalise in June 2017. Calling Scalise "bigoted" and "homophobic", Takei criticized his previous opposition to same-sex marriage and commented that Crystal Griner, the officer who saved Scalise, was a lesbian. Takei's response was widely criticized, with Jake Tapper calling it "unfathomable".
Takei and Altman appeared in a celebrity edition of The Newlywed Game TV show, which the GSN cable network aired October 13, 2009. They were the first same-sex couple to be featured on the show. Takei and Altman won the game, winning $10,000 for their charity, the Japanese American National Museum.
In February 2010, Takei and Altman became the second same-sex couple to appear on the British game show All Star Mr & Mrs, losing to rugby player Phil Vickery and his wife Kate.
Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley later appointed Takei to the board of directors of the Southern California Rapid Transit District, making him part of the team that initiated and planned the Los Angeles subway system. Takei was called away from the set of in 1978 to cast the tie-breaking vote for the creation of the Los Angeles subway system. He served on the board from 1973 to 1984.
In 1980, Takei began a campaign for California state assemblyman (District 46) from the greater Los Angeles area. However, he chose to withdraw after his opponent challenged the airing of episodes of Star Trek on local television under the Federal Communications Commission's Fairness Doctrine "equal time" regulations, saying also that "this is the wrong time to interrupt my career as an actor and author." He also appeared as a sadistic Japanese POW camp commander in the World War II film Return from the River Kwai (1989).
In November 2010, Takei released a PSA blasting Clint McCance, who was at the time the vice president of the school board for the Midland School District in southern Independence County, Arkansas. In the video, Takei repeatedly called McCance "a douchebag". Takei's video was made as a response to McCance making blatantly homophobic remarks, stating that he "enjoys the fact that gay give each other AIDS and die". McCance went on to encourage gay people to commit suicide, and stated that he would disown his children if they were gay. McCance later resigned his seat on the Midland school board. Takei was praised for his response to McCance and garnered much media attention with the PSA.
In May 2011, in response to a Tennessee State Legislature bill that prohibited school teachers or students from using any language that alludes to the existence of homosexuality, Takei released another PSA in which he offered up his name, suggesting that people could just substitute that for 'gay'. For example, they could support Takei marriage or watch Takei pride parades; or even use slurs such as That's so Takei, or sing Don we now our Takei apparel during the holiday season.
Takei marked the 70th anniversary of the internment of Americans of Japanese descent, including himself as a child, by asking his readers to contact the US Congress to block S. 1253, the National Defense Authorization Act, that "would authorize a similar sweeping authority, granted to the President, to order the detention—without charge or trial—of any person even suspected of being associated with a 'terrorist organization.
On December 8, 2015, following Donald Trump's call to ban all Muslims from traveling to the United States, Takei appeared on MSNBC to denounce him: "It's ironic that he made that comment on December 7, Pearl Harbor Day – the very event that put us in those internment camps", Takei said. "A found that it was three things that brought that about. One was racial hysteria, second was war hysteria and third was failure of political leadership. Donald Trump is the perfect example of that failure. ... What Donald Trump is talking about is something that's going to make his logo 'America disgraced again'." During the transition following Trump's election, Carl Higbie cited the internment of Japanese Americans as a historical precedent for a register of Muslims. Takei described Higbie's comments as "dangerous" and went on to say on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell that "registration of any group of people, and certainly registration of Muslims, is a prelude to internment."
On March 31, 2017, Takei announced his intent to challenge Devin Nunes, Republican incumbent House representative for the 22nd District of California. A few hours later, he acknowledged that it had all been an April Fools' joke and instead announced his support for Jon Ossoff, who was running in Georgia's 6th congressional district special election, 2017. While Ossoff did not win the House seat, he did become Georgia's senator in 2021.
Takei formerly served as chair of the Council of Governors of East West Players, one of the pioneering Asian Pacific American theaters in the United States, until 2018. That same year, he played the parts of Sam Kimura and Ojii-San in East West Players' and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center's joint production of Allegiance. Throughout the press tour of the production, he spoke openly about parallels he saw between the WWII-setting of the musical and the current political climate of the United States.
Takei and his husband Brad Altman own a New York City-based digital publication called Second Nexus which publishes "news with commentary from a progressive perspective".
In the run-up to the 2024 United States presidential election, Takei came out strongly for Kamala Harris while criticizing Donald Trump. He wrote in an opinion piece in the Daily Beast that he viewed Trump as a creator of "cruel chaos" who must be prevented from taking office again. Takei also criticized Gaza war protesters for not backing Harris' presidential campaign claiming that "I doubt they speak for most progressives."
On September 22, 2025, Takei was named the honorary chair of the 2025 edition of Banned Books Week. Takei mentioned his upbringing as having a "lack of access to books and media," and called on people to fight against censorship of books.
On May 24, 2018, the New York Observers Shane Snow reported that Brunton had "changed his story", describing his encounter with Takei as a "great party story" and confessing to "not remembering any touching" of his genitalia. Snow also consulted toxicologists, who suggested Brunton likely had postural hypotension rather than a drugged drink, and a former senior deputy district attorney, who contended "there's nothing to prosecute" if it was the case that Takei stopped physical contact with Brunton after being denied consent. That same month, Takei posted Snow's article on his social media platforms while publicly forgiving Brunton for his misdeeds, stating: "despite what he has put us through, I do not bear Mr. Brunton any ill will, and I wish him peace."
In 2004, the government of Japan conferred upon Takei the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, which represents the fourth highest of six classes associated with the award. This decoration was presented in acknowledgment of his contributions to US–Japanese relations.
Asteroid 7307 Takei is named in his honor. Upon learning of the decision to name the asteroid after him, he said, "I am now a heavenly body. I found out about it yesterday. ... I was blown away. It came out of the clear, blue sky—just like an asteroid."
In November 2007, Takei was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the San Diego Asian Film Festival.
In June 2012, the American Humanist Association gave Takei the LGBT Humanist Award.
In July 2013, the National Association of Asian American Professionals honored Takei with the NAAAP100 award for his contributions to the Asian community.
In May 2014, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation honored Takei with the GLAAD Vito Russo Award, which is presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality for the LGBT community.
In May 2015, the Japanese American National Museum honored Takei with its Distinguished Medal of Honor for Lifetime Achievement and Public Service at the Japanese American National Museum's 2015 Gala Dinner in Los Angeles.
On June 10, 2016, California State University, Los Angeles presented Takei with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for his contributions. In 2019, he was awarded the Inkpot Award.
On April 1, 2020, it was announced that Takei would be the final torchbearer for the delayed 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games. On April 2, he announced it was an April Fools' joke.
On September 28, 2022, Takei was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of South Australia in recognition of his distinguished service to the community.
| 1957 | Rodan | Professor Kashiwagi (voiceovers only) | English voice only | U.S. version | |
| 1958 | Ice Palace | Wang | |||
| 1959 | Battle of the Coral Sea | Japanese Radio Operator (uncredited) | |||
| Godzilla Raids Again | Commander of Landing Craft (voiceovers only) | English voice only | U.S. version | ||
| Never So Few | Soldier in hospital (uncredited) | ||||
| 1960 | Hell to Eternity | George | |||
| 1961 | A Majority of One | Butler | |||
| 1963 | PT-109 | Helmsman aboard Japanese destroyer (uncredited) | |||
| 1965 | Red Line 7000 | Kato | |||
| 1966 | Walk, Don't Run | Police Captain | |||
| 1968 | The Green Berets | Captain Nghiem | |||
| 1970 | Which Way to the Front? | Yamashita | |||
| 1972 | Josie's Castle | Ken Tanaka | |||
| 1979 | Lt. Commander Sulu | ||||
| 1982 | Commander Sulu | ||||
| 1984 | |||||
| 1986 | |||||
| 1989 | |||||
| Return from the River Kwai | Lieutenant Tanaka | ||||
| 1990 | Blood Oath/Prisoners of the Sun | Vice-Admiral Baron Takahashi | |||
| 1991 | Captain Sulu | ||||
| 1993 | Live by the Fist | Uncle Coronado | |||
| Self - Narrator (Voice) | Documentary | ||||
| 1994 | Oblivion | Doc Valentine | |||
| 1996 | Direct-to-video | ||||
| 1998 | Mulan | First Ancestor | Voice | 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. | |
| Bug Buster | Dr. Hiro Fujimoto | Direct-to-video | |||
| 2004 | Mulan II | First Ancestor | Voice | ||
| 2008 | The Great Buck Howard | Himself | |||
| Ninja Cheerleaders | Ninja Sensei Hiroshi | ||||
| Himself | Voice | Cameo | |||
| You Don't Mess with the Zohan | Himself | Cameo | |||
| 2009 | Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword | Old Man Samurai | Voice | ||
| 2011 | Larry Crowne | Dr. Ed Matsutani | |||
| 2012 | Strange Frame | Tamadamsa | Voice | ||
| Space Milkshake | Gary | Voice | |||
| 2013 | Free Birds | S.T.E.V.E. | Voice | ||
| 2014 | Eat With Me | Himself | |||
| To Be Takei | |||||
| Elder | Voice | ||||
| 2015 | Entourage | Himself | Cameo | ||
| The Gettysburg Address | |||||
| 2016 | Kubo and the Two Strings | Hosato | Voice | ||
| 2017 | Elder Masook | Voice | |||
| 2022 | Ohga | Voice |
| 1959 | Perry Mason | Toma Sakai | Episode: "The Case of the Blushing Pearls" S3E4 |
| 1960 | Kenji | Episode: "A Matter of Honor" | |
| 1960–1961 | Hawaiian Eye | Hiroshi Kawagani | Episode: "Sword of the Samurai" S1E18 |
| Yen Fu | Episode: "Jade Song" S2E5 | ||
| Larry Chang | Episode: "The Manchu Formula" S2E34 | ||
| Thomas Jefferson Chu | Episode: "Thomas Jefferson Chu" S3E5 | ||
| 1964 | Twilight Zone | Arthur Takamori | Episode: "The Encounter" |
| 1964–1965 | My Three Sons | Jimmy Soo | Episode: "My Fair Chinese Lady" |
| Won Tsun | Episode: "The Hong Kong Story" | ||
| Ham Radio Operator | Episode: "Lady in the Air" | ||
| 1965 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Major Lee Cheng | Episode: "The Silent Saboteurs" |
| Death Valley Days | Wong Lee | Episode: "The Book" | |
| 1966 | I Spy | Yuze | Episode: "The Barter" |
| 1966–1969 | Lt. Sulu | Main cast, 52 episodes | |
| 1966 | Roger Lee | Episode: "The Carriers" | |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief | Wo | Episode: "To Catch a Roaring Lion" |
| 1969 | The Courtship of Eddie's Father | Mr. Sato | Episode: "Gentleman Friend" |
| 1970 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Fred | Episode: "To Get Through the Night" |
| 1971 | Ironside | Tsutomu Watari | Episode: "No Motive for Murder" |
| 1973–1974 | Lt. Sulu | Voice, main role | |
| 1974 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Chin Ling | Episode: "The Coward" |
| 1975 | Hawaii Five-0 | Nathaniel Blake | Episode: "Death's Name Is Sam" |
| 1976 | Black Sheep Squadron | Maj. Kato | Episode: "Up for Grabs" |
| 1978 | Vega$ | Dr. Takahama | Episode: "Ghost of the Ripper" |
| 1985 | General Hospital | Diem | recurring |
| 1986 | MacGyver | Dr. Shen Wei | Episode: "The Wish Child" |
| The New Adventures of Jonny Quest | Chin | Episode: "Secret of the Clay Warriors" | |
| Blacke's Magic | Casey Watanabe | Episode 10: "A Friendly Game of Showdown" | |
| 1987 | Miami Vice | Kenneth Togaru | Episode: "By Hooker by Crook" |
| Murder She Wrote | Bert Tanaka | Episode: "The Bottom Line is Murder" | |
| 1991–2016 | The Simpsons | Restaurant Owner, Akira, Waiter, Wink, Game Show Host, Himself | Voice, 5 episodes |
| 1995 | Kissinger and Nixon | Lê Đức Thọ | Television film |
| Colonel Ong | Episode: "The Return of Sing Ling" | ||
| 1996 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Himself | Episode: "Hotel Dick" |
| Wong | Voice, episode: "Doctor Strange" | ||
| Capt. Sulu | Episode: "" | ||
| 1996–1997 | Space Cases | Warlord Shank | |
| 1996–2004 | Hey Arnold! | Kyo Heyerdahl | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Hercules | Ptolemy | Voice, episode: "Hercules and the Falling Star" |
| 1999 | Batman Beyond | Mr. Fixx | Voice, episode: "Rebirth" |
| 2002–2007 | Kim Possible | Master Sensei | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2002 | Samurai Jack | Warrior No. 4 | Voice, episode: "Jack vs. Demongo, the Soul Collector" |
| 2002–2013 | Futurama | Himself | Voice, 4 episodes |
| 2002 | Jackie Chan Adventures | High Mystic | Voice, episode: "The Chosen One" |
| 2004 | Scrubs | Priest | Episode: "My Best Friend's Wedding" |
| 2005 | Fire Nation Prison Warden | Voice, episode: "Imprisoned" | |
| 2006 | Malcolm in the Middle | Himself | Episode: "Hal Grieves" |
| Psych | Episode: "Shawn vs. the Red Phantom" | ||
| Will & Grace | Episode: "Buy, Buy Baby" | ||
| 2007 | Cory in the House | Ronald | Episode: "Air Force One Too Many" (missing info) |
| The Seventh Samurai | Voice, episode: "Rising Son" | ||
| 2007–2010 | Heroes | Kaito Nakamura | |
| 2008 | General Lok Durd | Voice, episode: "Defenders of Peace" | |
| I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | Himself/Contestant | Third place / 20 episodes | |
| 2008–2009 | Chowder | Foie Gras | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Yoketron | Voice, episode: "Five Servos of Doom" | |
| Party Down | Himself | Episode: "Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception" | |
| The Super Hero Squad Show | Galactus | Voice, 3 episodes | |
| 2010 | The Big Bang Theory | Himself | Episode: "The Hot Troll Deviation" |
| The Suite Life on Deck | Rome Tipton | Episode: "Starship Tipton" | |
| Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Mr. Wang, White Wizard | Voice, episode: "The Dragon's Secret" | |
| Community | Himself/narrator | Episode: "Epidemiology" | |
| 2010 | True Justice | Tanaka | 2 episodes |
| 2011–2013 | Supah Ninjas | Hologramps, Evil Grandpa | Main role |
| 2011 | Fish Hooks | Bird, Robot | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2011–2012 | Pound Puppies | Mr. Julius | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2012, 2014 | Archer | Mr. Moto | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2010–2012 | Adventure Time | Ricardio the Heart Guy | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Hawaii Five-0 | Uncle Choi | Episode: "Kahu" |
| The Celebrity Apprentice | Himself/Contestant | 16th place 4 episodes | |
| Phineas and Ferb | Positive Reinforcement Machine | Voice, episode: "Perry the Actorpus" | |
| 2012–2013 | Alpha Trion | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| 2013 | The New Normal | Sam | 1 episode |
| 2013–2014 | The Neighbors | Supreme Commander/Father | Recurring role |
| 2013 | Ultimate Spider-Man | Elder Monk | Voice, episode: "Journey of the Iron Fist" |
| Lost Girl | Snake Man / Amphisbaena | 1 episode | |
| 2014 | King of the Nerds | Himself | 1 episode |
| Real Husbands of Hollywood | Episode: "Don't Vote for Nick" | ||
| Through the Keyhole | 1 episode | ||
| Master Cheng | Voice, episode: "The Real Dragon Warrior" | ||
| 2015 | Sashi's Dad | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| Hot in Cleveland | Rev. Matsuda | Episode: "Duct Soup" | |
| Miles from Tomorrowland | Spectryx | Voice, episode: "Eye to Eye" | |
| BoJack Horseman | Audiobook Narrator | Voice, episode: "Brand New Couch" | |
| 2015–present | Robot Chicken | Various voices | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Regular Show | Daisuke | Voice, episode: "Just Friends" |
| 2016, 2020 | Bubble Guppies | Major Bummer, Master Rakunuki | Voice, episodes: "Space Guppies!" and "Ninja Season!" |
| 2016 | The 7D | Dr. Sweet Tooth | Voice, episode: "Smarty Tooth" |
| Almost Royal | Himself | Episode: "Future" | |
| 2016–2019 | Elena of Avalor | King Toshi | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Fresh Off the Boat | Bernard | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | The Terror | Yamato-san | Season 2 |
| Hikaru Sulu | Archive audio used in episode: "Ephraim and Dot" | ||
| 2020 | Love Monster | Elder Panda | |
| Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? | Himself | Voice, episode: "Hollywood Knights!" | |
| The Twilight Zone | Kanamit No. 1 | Episode: "You Might Also Like" | |
| Amphibia | Mr. Littlepot | Voice, episode: "The Shut-In!" | |
| 2021; 2025 | Senshuu, Toad | Voice, 3 episodes; English dub | |
| 2021 | Hit-Monkey | Shinji Yokohama | Voice, main role |
| 2022 | Jellystone! | So-So | Voice, episode: "Balloon Kids" |
| He-Man and the Masters of the Universe | Mer-Man | Voice, 3 episodes | |
| Resident Alien | Grey Alien | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| Hikaru Sulu | Voice, episode: "Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus" | ||
| Call Me Kat | Himself | Episode: "Call Me Chrismukkah" | |
| 2023 | Noggin | Voice, 5 episodes | |
| Blue Eye Samurai | Seki | Voice | |
| 2024 | Koh the Face Stealer | Voice, episode: "Spirited Away" |
| 1994 | Hikaru Sulu | CD-ROM version | |
| 1995 | |||
| 1997 | |||
| 1999 | |||
| 2000 | |||
| 2003 | Freelancer | Lord Hakera | |
| 2004 | Hikaru Sulu | ||
| 2007 | Pain | Himself | |
| 2008 | Emperor Yoshiro | ||
| 2010 | Galactus | ||
| 2012 | Arkeyan Conquertron | ||
| 2014 | Himself | ||
| 2016 | Teeny Titans | Mr. Chibi | |
| 2017 | Himself | Playable character | |
| 2020 | Masumi Arakawa |
| 2007 | Hikaru Sulu | ||
| 2023 | Voice, episode: "Hologram All the Way Down" | ||
| 2023 | Blue Eye Samurai | Seki | Series regular |
| 2011 | Social Security advertisement | Himself | |
| 2013 | Rooms to Go | Spokesperson | |
| 2017 | Pizza Hut | Himself |
| 1961 | Fly Blackbird! | George | Inner City Cultural Center |
| 1974 | The Year of the Dragon | Fred Eng | Off-Broadway |
| 1987 | Aladdin | Genie | The Hexagon |
| 1988 | Undertow | Edinburgh Fringe Festival | |
| 1990 | The Wash | Sadao Nakasato | Mark Taper Forum |
| 2002 | Pacific Overtures | Reciter | Loft Theatre |
| 2005 | Equus | Martin Dysart | East West Players |
| 2009 | Aladdin | Emperor of China | The Central Theatre, Chatham |
| 2012 | 8 | William Tam | Ebell of Los Angeles |
| 2012–2015 | Allegiance | Sam Kimura (present day) / "Ojii-San" (Grandpa) (1940s) | Old Globe Theatre and Broadway |
| 2017 | Pacific Overtures | Reciter | Signature Theatre Company |
| 2018 | Allegiance | Sam Kimura (present day) / "Ojii-San" (Grandpa) (1940s) | East West Players |
| 2023 | Allegiance | Sam Kimura (present day) / "Ojii-San" (Grandpa) (1940s) | Charing Cross Theatre |
|
|
