Anime Voice Actors and Their Roles

Quick answers: who voices whom

The most searched pairings at a glance, original Japanese first and English dub second where both exist.

Japanese seiyuu

In Japan, voice acting is a career in its own right. Most seiyuu come up through dedicated training schools and talent agencies, and the best known are celebrities who release albums and headline events. The original Japanese cast is also the one the creators and directors worked with directly, which is why many fans treat it as the reference performance.

English dub actors

Many English anime dubs are recorded in Los Angeles and in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, where Funimation (now part of Crunchyroll) built its studio. A few actors there have led several major series each, so fans of dubs hear the same voices across many shows.

Western animation and film

American cartoons record in a different way from anime dubs. Actors usually record before the animation is drawn, often with long-running ensembles who each play many characters. That's why so much of Springfield and Bikini Bottom comes from a handful of people.

Sub or dub?

Both are legitimate ways to watch. Japanese performances were recorded with the director and often shaped the animation itself, so they're the closest to what the creators intended. Good dubs let you watch the screen instead of the subtitles, and some, like the English Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Cowboy Bebop, are as highly regarded as the originals. The best approach is to try an episode of each and see which version of a character feels right to you.

If you want to get into voice work yourself, read our practical voice acting guide on training, gear, demo reels and unions.