Ufotable’s Demon Slayer may have a lot of defining moments that make the anime series one of the best of all time, but a major part of the credit for the success of the series should ideally go to the voice actors of Demon Slayer, who managed to capture the emotions of intense characters like Tanjiro, Nezuko, Rengoku, Zenitsu, etc.
Voicing such prominent characters can be difficult as they often end up in dire situations, and the entire focus is on them. Therefore, even a small mistake can affect the character and the voice actor’s image. Be it Japanese dubbing or any other language, the stress on the voice is similar for every voice artist who is working on the series.
Zach Aguilar, the English voice actor of the protagonist of Demon Slayer, Tanjiro, once talked about the true process of making a decent name in the industry. He explained how he himself started his career and managed to bag big roles like Tanjiro, Genos in One Punch Man, and Arthur in Seven Deadly Sins, etc.
Zach Aguilar Gives The Perfect Advice For New Voice Actors
In 2022, The Gamer interviewed Nezuko’s English voice actor Abby Trott, and Tanjiro’s voice actor Zach Aguilar, where they were asked to give a piece of crucial advice to the up-and-coming voice artists who would like to enter the voice acting industry. Aguilar revealed the one voice-acting trait that he feels is the most important.
Aguilar stated:
Besides being persistent in taking voice acting classes and building your skills from there, I think understanding the importance of your attitude is key to success. Having respect and care for the team you work with is essential; you need to understand that the impressions you make on people and the way you carry yourself all mould your experience in the industry.
He further stated:
I started in this field when I was very young, and this is still the most important thing that I’ve carried with me, in my opinion.
According to the voice actor, building your talent is important, but the most important thing is how you treat the people around you, who, just like you, are working on the same thing. Aguilar pointed out that he has been following this protocol since the beginning, and even after working for so many years, he still carries it with him.
The Struggles of Voice Actors in the Anime Industry
The job of voice actors is not easy, especially if they are working with big franchises like Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, etc. The intensity and the emotions are quite high in such series, and they often cause difficulty for voice actors. Many have even shared their experiences of spitting blood while working on such intense scenes.
Anime movies and series generally involve exaggerated and heightened emotions, which is one of the reasons why the industry is becoming so popular day by day. However, these emotions are tough to replicate in real life, thus becoming a big issue for the voice actors.
Irrespective of the struggles, the voice actor’s job is one of the most important aspects of any anime series and contributes in a big way to its overall success. Still, they are not as appreciated as they should be.
You can watch Demon Slayer on Crunchyroll.
