Mako, one of the dozen Oriental character actors that probably anyone could recognize (by face or voice) has died at 72.
Various geektastic roles I’ll remember him for are the voice of Aku on Samurai Jack and Akiro the Wizard in the Conan movies, but he was in dozens and dozens of movies and TV shows (including four different parts in four different M*A*S*H episodes). His was a significant
career for Asian-American actors, starting with his Best Supporting Actor nomination in The Sand Pebbles.
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I’ll always remember him for his F Troop appearance (which probably says a lot about me). And now, of course, for singing the Dexter’s Laboratory theme.
I noted he was described as the narrator for DL — and, upon consideration, I can certainly hear him as the person who spoke the text (“Enter … at your own peril …”), but the sung voice seems incongruous.
I loved his work (he was in several geektastic faves of mine), but the bit of dialogue of his that will always haunt me is “Shoot! SHOOT!”
(and by the way, love love LOVE “Samurai Jack.”)