Anime Voice Actors

Here, you can discuss voice actors who work in anime, from Vic Mignogna, Steve Blum, and Bob Bergen to Tress MacNeille, Wendee Lee, and Colleen O'Shaughnessy. Remember, this is for voice actors who do Japanese animation on a regular basis. If you think so and so could have done better at a role than someone else, discuss it here. If you want to write about your dream anime castlists, here's your chance. Or, you can discuss individual actors themselves.

One more thing: while, for some reason, many people who watch anime pefer the original dub, I am suggesting that you not talk about non-English-speaking voice actors. The reason is that seiyuu get plenty of attention in their native Japan while over here in the Western Hemisphere, recognition for voice artists is scant outside of the community. So, discuss English dubbers only. Thank you.

Steven Mane

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Permalink Reply by Deby Cedars on April 22, 2009 at 5:01pm
I've had lots of cartoon auditions....Even dubbing cartoons from Spain.....but never Japan....and I don't know why.
Permalink Reply by Steven Mane on April 22, 2009 at 5:39pm
Well, Deb, it's because most of the anime dubbed in America are done by full production houses including ADV Films, Funimation Productions, NYAV Post, Viz Media, and 4-Kids Entertainment. Each of them recruit their own voice actors, and as in the rumored case of 4-Kids, some have their talents sign exclusivity contracts for them and them alone. You actually need to seek out the places that do anime and tell them that you're interested.
Permalink Reply by Bettye Zoller on April 24, 2009 at 5:37pm
Recently I have made voiceover CD demos for voice actors who are experienced in anime and it really is their main source of jobs. That's how I learned about it. I do not do anime work myself, however. Here is what these professionals have told me: It's mostly male voice actors although a few parts in each production are women. The production houses prefer young people, even those under twenty years of age, certainly the twenty-something age range. One must know about reading anime scripts and taking script directions. It is specific work and the producers so not like to take time with inexperienced anime voices, thus, since they pay by the hour, it's difficult to break into if the production house truly can use more experienced voices, thus, saving time. The pay is usually very low;..sometimes $50 per studio hour, sometimes less, and the talent must absorb all drive time and non working time. Some studios are located in rural areas and the drive etc. is quite time consuming. There are pockets of work here and there all over the U.S., not just on the coasts, I am told. I have stopped including a discussion on anime and spending time on it when I present cartoon and character voice seminars, because too many attendees were not interested in this subject or echoed the sentiments here that it was too hard to break into and they only wanted young people and the pay was so low. I do not know about anime work on the East or West U.S. coasts and your scenario may be very different. I do know that productions are robust. In the U.S. producers are doing more and more of it. Also, some animators I know are getting work drawing it here.
Bettye Zoller
www.voicesvoices.com
Permalink Reply by Steven Mane on April 30, 2009 at 5:48pm
How is it anime if it's drawn outside of Japan? Anime-inspired, sure, but it's not Japanimation. Avatar: The Last Airbender is a good example of this faux anime style of work. It takes a lot from the Japanese, but it's not anime. Speed Racer, Astro Boy, and Cowboy Bebop, on the other hand, originated from Japan. Those are anime (even though Astro Boy originated as a manga, or Japanese comic book, for those outside of the loop).
Permalink Reply by Bettye Zoller on April 24, 2009 at 5:42pm
A postscript to my post here: Video game voice work is very robust nationwide in the U.S. and I do indeed include this instruction in my seminars. I also do video game voices. These are very akin to cartoon work and there is not the emphasis on young voices as "villians" or "victims" can be any age, often more mature voices. The stats on video game production were recently compiled in the U.S. by AFTRA who recently set voiceover union rates for this work. Thank goodness. It was a long time coming. The pay is better now. I also create demo tracks for those doing video game voiceover work. and my clients tell me their video game demos really work well for them. Producers really sit up and take notice when a voice talent has a video game demo.
Permalink Reply by Deby Cedars on May 7, 2009 at 8:32pm
I have an over seas client who does not want to use paypal......How do I deal with this?
Permalink Reply by Bob Ransom on May 9, 2009 at 11:23am
Call your bank and ask about receiving wire transfers.
Permalink Reply by Patrick Rizzo on September 25, 2010 at 2:57pm
This is definitely what i wish i could do with me life and i am willing to do anything for it, but i'm still new to all this. please whats the most efficient way to get myself off the ground with this kinda work?
Permalink Reply by Felecia Angelle on October 3, 2010 at 4:53pm
I moved to Dallas to pursue Anime Dubbing with FUNimation. It is VERY exclusive and a bit of a boys club as Bettye pointed out. I've been networking and sending out demos like crazy for almost two years. I've even had an ADR director say he'd love to use me...but he just doesn't have any female roles. So it's just nose to the grindstone, patience is a virtue, and all that jazz. If you want to get into it, move to where the work is, and try,try,try!! FUNimation even has an online submission process. I know that there are a few directors who scan through these and like to pick out new talent occasionally.
Permalink Reply by Patrick Rizzo on October 3, 2010 at 5:52pm
thank you very much for the help. it was a very useful for me to start off with.
Permalink Reply by Rebecca Forstadt on May 31, 2012 at 9:02pm

I've been doing anime, as well as other voice work for over 30 years in Los Angeles.  It's disheartening to hear that actors are accepting $50 or less as a rate.  Anime dubbers in LA worked extremely hard to create a contract with SAG to cover dubbing.  Right now we are at $65 an hour with a two hour minimum.  Video Game work gets a much higher rate but is mainly men.  Since actors are accepting less pay in places such as Texas, it has degraded the work in LA and there is much less production.  Also, since people pirate product off the Internet, Japan is producing less product because they aren't making enough profit.  Some of us make more as guests at anime conventions than we do dubbing.

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