Audio: English: My Favorite English VAs in Anime

 

Audio: English
With the Audio:English series, PenguinTruth takes a critical look at the English
dubs which grace some of anime's most defining series in North America.

 

As somebody with a critical eye on anime English dubs, I'm often at odds with a reputation for "hating" dubs and dub voice actors. But the truth is, there are plenty of very talented voice actors working in English dubs of anime. I'm fond of quite a few of them and have definite favorites. I've even been able to rank them in their own "tiers". But let's put tier rankings aside, because this is just a list of the dub VAs I like the most. I've also listed the roles I like them in the most.

 

 

Favorite Anime Voice Talent (English):

 

- Steven Blum (Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop, Roger Smith in The Big O, Shishio Makoto in Rurouni Kenshin)

 

- Wendee Lee (Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop, Angel in The Big O, Haruhi Suzumiya in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

 

- Crispin Freeman (Alucard in Hellsing, Togusa in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Alan Gabriel in The Big O)

 

- Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Makoto Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Cornelia Li Britannia in Code Geass, Julia in Cowboy Bebop)

 

- Beau Billingslea (Jet Black in Cowboy Bebop, Bear Walken in Gungrave, Col. Millard Johnson in Macross Plus)

 

- Michael McConnohie (Schwarzwald in The BIg O, Norris Packard in Gundam 08th MS Team, Charles Zi Britannia in Code Geass)

 

- Tony Oliver (Lupin III in Lupin III [Part 2], Harry MacDowel in Gungrave)

 

- Kari Wahlgren (Haruhara Haruko in FLCL, Saya and Diva in Blood+, Tsuruya in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

 

- Johnny Yong Bosch (Vash the Stampede in Trigun, Itsuki Koizumi in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)

 

- Richard Epcar (Batou in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Daisuke Jigen in Lupin III [Part 2], Inspector Lunge in Monster)

 

- Robert Buchholz (Gene Starwind in Outlaw Star, Beck in The Big O, Hubb Lebowski in Wolf's Rain)

 

- Michelle Ruff (Fujiko Mine in Lupin III [Part 2], Yuki Nagato in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Yoko Littner in Gurren Lagann)

 

- Michael Forest (Alex Rosewater in The Big O, Kojima in Gundam 08th MS Team)

 

- William Frederick Knight (Daisuke Aramaki in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Gordon Rosewater in The Big O)

 

- Brad Swaile (Amuro Ray in Mobile Suit Gundam, Light Yagami in Death Note)

 

- Brian Drummond (Vegeta in Dragon Ball Z, Zechs Marquise in Gundam Wing, Ryuk in Death Note)

 

- Kirby Morrow (Van Fanel in Vision of Escaflowne, Miroku in Inu Yasha)

 

- Scott McNeil (Piccolo in Dragon Ball Z, Duo Maxwell in Gundam Wing, Koga in Inu Yasha)

 

- Cathy Weseluck (Dorothy Catalonia in Gundam Wing, Near in Death Note)

 

- Aaron Dismuke (Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist)

 

- Brice Armstrong (Captain Ginyu in Dragon Ball Z, Tim Marcoh in Fullmetal Alchemist)

 

- Chuck Huber (Hiei in Yu Yu Hakusho, Crane Hermit in Dragon Ball)

 

- Monica Rial (Hyatt in Excel Saga, Lyra in Fullmetal Alchemist, Bulma in Dragon Ball Kai)

 

- Colleen Clinkenbeard (Riza Hawkeye in Fullmetal Alchemist, Nice Hollystone in Baccano!, Gohan in Dragon Ball Kai)

 

- Kent Williams (Tao Pai Pai in Dragon Ball, Father in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

 

- Christine Auten (Izumi Curtis in Fullmetal Alchemist)

 

- Bryan Massey (Ladd Russo in Baccano!)

 

- Laura Bailey (Shinnosuke Nohara in Shin-chan, Lust in Fullmetal Alchemist, Dieter in Monster)

 

- Meredith McCoy (Artificial Human 18 in Dragon Ball Z, Maria Ross in Fullmetal Alchemist)

 

- Justin Cook (Yusuke Uremeshi in Yu Yu Hakusho, Russell Tringham in Fullmetal Alchemist)

 

- Rachael Lillis (Misty in Pokémon, Boo in Now and Then, Here and There, Micott Bartsch in Gundam Unicorn)

 

- Peter Marinker (Keiichi Gotoh in Patlabor: The Movie, Patlabor 2: The Movie, General Gerhard Donner in Venus Wars)

 

- Liam O'Brien (Dr. Kenzo Tenma in Monster, Vincent Law in Ergo Proxy)

 

- Lia Sargent (R. Dorothy Wayneright in The Big O, Milly Thompson in Trigun)

 

- Barbara Goodson (Naota Nandaba in FLCL)

 

- Kirk Thornton (Jin in Samurai Champloo, Count Cagliostro in Castle of Cagliostro)

 

- Jamieson Price (Duke Red in Metropolis, Big Ear in The Big O, Lord Genom in Gurren Lagann)

 

- Brianne Siddall (Jim Hawking in Outlaw Star, Al Izuruha in Gundam 0080, Gimmy in Gurren Lagann)

 

- Richard Ian Cox (Inu Yasha in Inu Yasha, Kai Shiden in Mobile Suit Gundam)

 

- David Kaye (Treize Kushrenada in Gundam Wing, Sesshomaru in Inu Yasha)

 

- Lisa Ann Beley (Chi Chi in Dragon Ball Z, Hal Lidner in Death Note)

 

- Paul Dobson (Folken Fanel in Vision of Escaflowne, Naraku in Inu Yasha)

 

- Michael Dobson (Dekim Barton in Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, Dryden Fassa in Vision of Escaflowne)

 

- Marÿke Hendrikse (Revy in Black Lagoon)

 

- Kyle Hebert (Gohan in Dragon Ball Z, Sosuke Aizen in Bleach, Kamina in Gurren Lagann)

 

- Gwendolyn Lau (Sheska in Fullmetal Alchemist)

 

- Jason Liebrecht (Hei in Darker than Black, Alfons Heiderich in Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa)

 

- Troy Baker (November 11 in Darker than Black, Schneizel El Britannia in Code Geass, Greed (II) in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)

 

- Travis Willingham (Roy Mustang in Fullmetal Alchemist)

 

- Veronica Taylor (Ash Ketchum in Pokémon)

 

- Eric Stuart (Brock in Pokémon)

 

- Dan Green (Nabuca in Now and Then, Here and There, Asuma Shinohara in Patlabor)

 

Now, this isn't to say that those not on the list are terrible. I may have forgotten a name or two or have never considered them "favorites" per se. I'm also not ranking them here, so don't reach the conclusion I like Kyle Hebert more than Travis Willingham. Though I have to admit that Steven Blum and Wendee Lee are on top because they're my favorite of favorites.

 

Feel free to engage me on this subject in the comments section.

 

As for Japanese VAs, I'll have to get back to voice highlight articles, now won't I?


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