During an anime conference in San Antonio, Texas, I had the opportunity to meet Eric Vale, the dub voice actor for Sanji in One Piece, Shigaraki in My Hero Academia, and Trunks in Dragon Ball. At this particular San Japan panel, he shared tidbits of invaluable information suitable for any anime fan hoping to break into the wonderful world of voice acting.
Related 10 Best Voice Acting Moments in Anime History Voice acting has always been one of the most essential parts of anime, and here are 10 voice acting moments that stand out as the best. Being in the entertainment industry for 13 years takes its toll. Denial after denial is simply a part of my daily routine. However, Vale’s panel proved to me that I was on the right path; I was the competition. Not only that, but his example provides a clear “how-to” for those new to the voice acting industry: audition, audition, audition.
Of course, Vale included that voice actors should not try to copy-cat someone, but sometimes it can help casting directors to place you based on what your “voice twin” is also typically cast in. For example, I mention Ben Schwartz because there have been a ton of Sonic voice actors over the years. While not the same, they all have a very similar tone and pitch to their voice.
Yet, I am comforted by industry giants like Hayao Miyazaki, who has spearheaded another artistic movement. While studios are underpaying their staff and resorting to using Artificial Intelligence to replace human creativity, the director of Studio Ghibli has remained a beacon of hope for artists who are fearful of the future of anime.
While the creators have referred to the short as an “anime,” it was shot as a live-action production. The creative team then used AI to make the images look “cartoon,” resembling anime’s iconic style. However, what resulted was an emotionless, uncanny valley animation that appeared to be a parody of anime rather than a tribute. The LA-based production company has received harsh backlash and criticism on the project.