While the debate over the superiority of dubbed or subbed anime will rage on for as long as the anime fandom persists, everyone can agree that there are some truly talented people in the English voice acting industry. From veterans to newcomers alike, there are some incredibly hardworking performers in this field. These seven voice actors are some of the best in the industry.
Justin Briner
Justin Briner is without a doubt a terrific voice actor due to his magnificent performance in a handful of roles over just a few years’ time. Most notably, he voices My Hero Academia’s protagonist, Izuku Midoriya. Due to MHA’s unprecedented success, he quickly became the voice of the shōnen genre.
Of course, Justin Briner’s played a variety of terrific roles outside of his work in My Hero Academia. He also voices Luck Voltia in Black Clover and Cloud in Team Four Star’s Final Fantasy 7 Machinabridged. Justin has reached incredible heights in a short time and is sure to reach even grander heights as his career continues.
Kira Buckland
While many voice actors excel in filling a niche role as a particular kind of character, others deliver spectacular performances in a wide range of voices. Kira Buckland is definitely in the latter category and regularly delivers amazing performances in a variety of roles.
Kira has voiced Izumo Kamiki in Blue Exorcist, Zushi in Hunter x Hunter, and Aerith in Team Four Star’s Final Fantasy 7 Machinabridged. However, her most celebrated role was playing 2B from Nier: Automata; which is as much an anime as it is a video game. Each of these roles are distinct from one another, and Kira Buckland masterfully delivers every one of them.
Ian Sinclair
Ian Sinclair is a fantastic voice actor who has risen to widespread acclaim with several high-profile performances over the past few years. His most notable roles include Whis from Dragon Ball Super, the eponymous Dandy from Space Dandy, and Brook from One Piece.
Ian Sinclair is at his absolute best when voicing wacky characters with exaggerated and somewhat comical personalities. These performances are almost always exceptional and convey each characters’ unique charms. Quite simply, Ian Sinclair can make an already lovable character even better, and that merits high praise.
Vic Mignogna
A multi-talented performer, Vic Mignogna acting extends beyond just anime to include games and live-action work as well. The avid Star Trek fan played Captain Kirk in Star Trek Continues, a fan-created web series that has won a Webby and several other awards. He also voiced everyone’s best bud, Junpei Iori, in Persona 3, the game that may as well be an anime.
Mignogna’s most iconic role, however, is Edward Elric from both Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. His take on Edward is both youthful and mature, which brings a much-needed complexity to our tortured lead character. Yet, Mignogna’s next biggest performance may be just around the corner, as he will reprise his role as Broly in Dragonball Super: Broly. Nothing gets fans hyped like a Saiyan (just Saiyan).
Christopher Sabat
Christopher Sabat is perhaps the most accomplished and celebrated voice actor in English dubbed anime. On top of voicing Vegeta, Piccolo, and Yamcha in the various iterations of Dragon Ball, he also plays Kuwabara in Yu Yu Hakusho, Zoro in One Piece, and All Might in My Hero Academia.
It’s by no means an exaggeration to say that Christopher Sabat is one of the most successful voice actors working in anime today. His performances not only defined the childhood of countless anime fans, but he also inspired people to pursue careers in the voice acting field. Christopher Sabat’s career is remarkable, and his consistent performances are nothing short of brilliant.
Matthew Mercer
Matthew Mercer voices some of the most iconic and fan favorite anime characters in recent memory. His filmography includes Levi from Attack on Titan, Jotaro Kujo from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Trafalgar Law from One Piece, and Leorio Paladiknight from Hunter x Hunter.
It’s kind of unbelievable that one person voices all of these renowned characters and many others. Matt Mercer’s work brought some of the most celebrated characters in manga to life in a way that no one else could. Each of these characters thrives in fandoms because of how quirky and memorable they are. His performance captures the subtleties of these characters and makes them stand out even more than in previous interpretations.
Laura Bailey
Laura Bailey provides the voice for a range of characters, both in anime and other mediums. In the Naruto series, she plays Anko, Kurtosuchi, and Boruto’s grandmother Kushina. She also plays Rise in Persona 4: The Animation and Maka in Soul Eater.
Between these roles and the vast array of characters she plays outside of anime, Laura Bailey has a robust career. Her performances are always excellent, and she breathes life into each of the characters she plays. She’s a treasure in the VA industry and deserves celebration.
