A lot of people really don't like the dubs of anime. I've always thought this was an unfair assessment. All right, I know early 90s dubs of anime suck and 4Kids makes most anime fans cry (or laugh depending on the mood) but not all dubs are that horrible. Funimation and Viz usually do great jobs. And I have to say, I LOVE some of the voice actors for anime and American cartoons. Obviously, I'm more familiar with anime VAs but the great thing about anime VA's is I doubt you'll find one who hasn't dabbled in American animation. Now these are my favorite ACTORS. My favorite voice ACTRESSES will be up later. 8D
10. Little Kuriboh
First off, it's my list, and I can put what I want. :D Even though he runs a web series, I still consider him a voice actor. Heck, he does nearly all the voices in abridged. That takes crazy talent.
9. Shadyvox
Like I said, MY list, I can put who I want! Seriously, I've been very impressed with Shady's voice work for over a year. I always get real pleased when he cameos in LK's vids because he's just so talented. He reminds me strongly of Jason Marsden (who will appear later, 8D) and pulls off an American accent really well. I can't believe he's younger than me, the punk. What's even sadder is that if I ever meet him (he's quite attractive) I'll be totally star struck. I should not be star struck by someone who is younger than me.
8. Illich Guardiola
For years I've wondered how to pronounce this dude's name. Ah well. Animes I know him best in is Tokyo Majin, (Kisaragi) Pretear, (Hayate) Red Garden, (Luke) Lucif, (Venus Versus Virus) and those are the most I know off the top of my head. He has a slight accent, so it's a little interesting to hear his dubs. I think my favorite role of his would be Hayate, just because Pretear is such a ridiculously girly cheesy anime and I don't know how any of the actors were able to keep a straight face. Especially Hayate, who is supposed to be a cranky, serious, stick-in-the-mud. Anyway, I love his deep, accented voice.
7. Steven Jay Blum
Ah, Steven Blum. One of my brothers has actually met him, the lucky bastard. Animation I know him best in is Samurai Champloo, (Mugen) Cowboy Bebop, (Spike Spiegel) and Wolverine and the X-Men (Wolverine). He has a real talent for doing bad boy voices. While I was watching the raw version of Tokyo Majin and mentally casting everyone, I originally wanted him to do Kyouichi. But David Wald proved me wrong (all love to you, babe!) so I'm not disappointed. Steve Blum can have a wonderfully sexy gravelly badboy voice and then have a cute digimon voice, he's incredibly varied. I look forward to seeing more of his work!
6. David Kaye
Geez, what can I say about David Kaye? He puts such a badassery in voiceacting and he literally makes a living at playing Magnificent Bastards (cheers, TV tropes!). Animation I know him best in is Inuyasha, (he plays a FABULOUS Sesshomaru, HOLY CRAP!) X-Men Evolution, (Professor X), and Class of the Titans, (Cronus, as shown from the pic). He's really good at playing older, intimidating men because he has such a deep, enigmatic voice. I have to gush about his Sesshomaru for a minute--it is not easy to play emotionless characters, contrary to popular belief. He adds enough emotion in Sesshomaru without it being overplayed and still portrays a stark, raw, scary character. I really, really, REALLY hope he dubs him again for the Final Act.
5. Greg Ayres
There's a lot of hate towards Greg Ayres and I've never really been able to figure out why. Is it because he's a fan turned voice actor? That's hardly fair. I'm a fan, and I'd love to do anime dubs someday. He's a good actor too, he has a very distinctive voice. Animation I'm most familiar with him is Chrono Crusade, (Chrono) Ouran High School Host Club, (Kaoru) The Wallflower, (Yuki) and Welcome to the N.H.K. (Yamazaki). He was also in Pretear. I should really do a blog about that anime, because it's one of those So Bad, It's Good anime. I'm getting off topic. He also has a gravelly kinda voice but it's strangely boyish. He's done excellent jobs in everything but my one issue with casting was his role in Ouran High School Host Club. It has nothing at all to do with his performance, he did very well. But his voice is so distinctive I could always tell him apart from Hikaru, which I don't think you were supposed to do. The whole point about the twins was their issues with people who couldn't tell them apart and I could always tell them apart as long as I heard them talking. But that's just me.
4. Jason Marsden
Why, oh why did you grow your hair out, Jason? You were so beautiful when you were like this! Ahem, I'm getting off topic. Jason Marsden is definitely one of my faves. I LOVE his voice. It is sooo sexy...AHEM I mean, it also has a certain distinction. Not to mention, he's an incredible actor. Roles of note I can think of would be, Lion King 2, (Kovu) Spirited Away, (Haku) W.I.T.C.H., (Matt) Static Shock, (Richie) and A Goofy Movie (Max). He has tons of others, no worries, and I have watched cartoons for the single purpose of hearing his voice. I wonder if it's possible to lust after a voice...
3. David Wald
David Wald is a little known anime actor, so I couldn't find a picture of him and I felt it inappropriate to hijack one of his facebook photos. How do I have his facebook photos? Well, I'll tell you.
Tokyo Majin is one of my favorite animes, as most people are aware of. I was waiting on TENTERHOOKS to see who would play Kyouichi, my favorite character. I was baffled at the name of David Wald but I was an optimist. And David Wald BLEW it out of the water. He did a WONDERFUL job as Kyouichi. Definitely the best bit of acting he's done, in my personal opinion. The final episode's scene between Kyouichi and Aoi moved me to tears it was so incredibly well-done. Anyway, I joined the Tokyo Majin group on facebook soon after buying volume 1. It was a very small group as Tokyo Majin was and still is a rather obscure anime. But I noticed one member was a David Wald. So I asked wrote on the group's wall, 'does anyone know if this is the actual David Wald who played Kyouichi?' No one knew. So I took matters into my own hands and facebook messaged him with that inquiry. He responded back cheerfully that yep, he most certainly was that David Wald! I about exploded. I had a really nice conversation with him about the character of Kyouichi and I even begged to know if he personally thought that Kyouichi and Aoi had any sparks. (And HA, he agreed with me! Take that Tatsuma/Aoi shippers!) So, I have to include David Wald. He's done a few other roles but he's been off of anime since ADV films went under. I'm hoping Funimation will see what a talent he is and offer him more roles. Here's hoping!
2. Keith David
Keith. Freaking. David.
This guy is such an amazing actor. A few of his many roles are Gargoyles, (Goliath) Coraline, (the black cat who I dubbed affectionately, "KEITH DAVID KITTY!") Princess and the Frog, (Dr. Facilier), and Princess Mononoke (Okkoto). But something that strikes me near and dear about this incredible thespian, is that I've met him.
I've met him.
I've acted with him.
No, seriously.
I was attending a Gargoyles con. Gargoyles has recently been made into a comic, so at that particular con Keith David was invited to participate in a radioplay being made of the comics. This is seriously cool stuff because we get to hear the main actor of Gargoyles pick up where the TV show left off.
So I tried out in front of everybody, reading for the part of Elisa, the romantic lead and second main character of Gargoyles. By the way, it was really nerve-wracking trying to act in front of KEITH FREAKING DAVID. But I managed.
And...
I GOT THE PART.
I'll have you know, I did NOT see that coming. So I got to sit right next to Keith David and play Elisa to his Goliath. I had to do a romance scene with Keith David. I nearly died. Several times. I must've done something right, because that evening, I ran into Keith David in an elevator. We chatted, he told me I did really well in the radioplay, I told him about my voice acting aspirations, and as I stepped out of the elevator, he actually HELD the elevator door open, and told me if I was ever in L.A. to contact him, and he would get me connected with some people. *dies*
Not only is this man an amazing actor, he's freaking nice too. *dies again*
1. Vic Mignogna
I have to put Vic first, cuz I'm kind of in love with him. :D I first saw Vic as Tendou Kodzune in Tokyo Majin. I was slow on the Vic fandom (he's also another VA that gets a lot of snark and hate...why? He's such a good actor! Maybe it's cuz he's so pretty...) Then I saw him Full Metal Alchemist. Then saw him be cast as Tamaki in Ouran High School Host Club. Which was a PERFECT role for him, he did it SO well. He has a lighter voice...so when he was cast as Zero in Vampire Knight, I was dead excited but filled with trepidation too. I shouldn't have been. He proved to me that he could do Zero, one of my favorite anime characters, to a perfect T. His portrayal of Zero sends chills down my spine. And sometime, youtube Vic Mignogna Vampire Knight and listen to his story of how he got the role. It's so cute! I love that Vic Mignogna is so involved with the fandom. Darn dude has a girlfriend...if you're ever single again Vic, look me up darling!!!
SPECIAL BONUS
I forgot to add Kirby Morrow. He was supposed to be right after Greg Ayres. Sigh. Bear in mind he's one of my favorites too. I first saw him as Miroku in Inuyasha, and at first after having some reservations about his voice, I decided he made a fine Miroku. He works with Kelly Sheridan a lot too which is really funny. They are legit romantic leads of each other ALL the time. I think they should just get married and call it a day. But if they did, I probably would die of fangirl squeal. Anyway, he's a great actor and he's really pretty too!!!
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