“I’ve a bit of an inferiority complex”: Death Note’s Light Yagami Voice Actor Won’t Forgive Less Senior Voice Actors Stealing His Roles

Death Note's Light Yagami Voice Actor Won't Forgive Less Senior Voice Actors Stealing His Roles
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Death Note, a classic anime, is popular for its ethically murky concept: the narrative lacks an obvious protagonist or antagonist, and this encourages the audience to rethink their own moral convictions. The series has garnered a lot of attention from fans throughout these years, and it has always been a talk in online communities, even in 2023, making the crew, notably the voice actors, quite well-known. Mamoru Miyano is probably best known for voicing one of the most important characters in anime, Light Yagami from Death Note. He was nominated for a Seiyu Award for Death Note and won the Best Voice Actor award at the 2008 Tokyo International Anime Fair. He became the first male voice actor to top the weekly Blu-ray chart in June 2017.

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Death Note
Death Note

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Mamoru Miyano stresses the voice acting industry’s reality

Mamoru Miyano, however, on a different note, sparked concern on social media platforms after recently acknowledging how challenging the voice-acting job is, even for somebody with as much experience as himself. It’s not as glitzy as folks on other ends may believe, he said.

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Mamoru Miyano
Mamoru Miyano

“I often don’t get the roles I audition for, There are many times when I don’t get them, even for the shows and films Mr. Wakabayashi works on. There’s a lot left to chance—so many different factors involved. Even now, I still am passed over in favor of less senior voice actors. I feel like, ‘That role was taken from me’ or ‘That guy got it…’”

Miyano stated this on the TV show A-Studio+, with a nod to sound director Kazuhiro Wakabayashi, whom he encountered during his time on Wolf’s Rain and who has since assisted him.

He continued to share, “I have time to think about why I am still frustrated and what was missing in my performance. That’s something I really enjoy about the voice acting profession.” He traced this back to his childhood and how the whole scenario affected him. “I have a bit of an inferiority complex because I didn’t do well as a child… I feel like I’m not wanted. You can see that through me making people smile. It’s not just about me entertaining them, but also about my own self-affirmation.”

Even though he had previously admitted to having a sense of inferiority issue, he proceeded by expressing his confidence in his voice acting skills and claiming that, as a voice actor, he is able to state with unmatched certainty that he is excellent at whatever he does.  He has numerous years of expertise, so he can also say the same about his most recent performances in stage productions, variety programs, and TV shows.

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Other well-known characters voiced by Mamoru Miyano

Miyano voiced Bungo Stray Dog’s most important character Osamu Dazai. He is a prodigy at his job and an agent of the Armed Detective Agency. No one is aware of Dazai’s true nature because of the shadowy facade he maintains. He, therefore, seems to be quite enigmatic. And he virtually spent his entire youth in the mafia. But it is highly entertaining to watch him because of his unpredictable personality and comedic timing.

Characters voiced by Mamoru Miyano
Characters voiced by Mamoru Miyano

 

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Douma is Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s major supporting antagonist. He is a demon connected to the Twelve Kizuki, having Upper-Rank Two, which is the second-highest rank. Douma exudes an air of friendliness and has a magnetic presence. Douma has psychopathic traits. His insane ideas and behaviors include viciously and joyously consuming the members of his sect and young women. By allowing them to live inside of his body, he thinks he is protecting them from their agony.

He also voiced one of the most iconic and unsettling characters in Tokyo Ghoul, Shuu Tsukiyama, a supporting character. He thus goes by the name Gourmet Ghoul. Additionally, he belongs to the Ghoul Café. He later deserts them, though, and joins Kaneki. And the scene he has with Kaneki is among his creepiest. He is fixated on Kaneki’s aroma. Thus, his personality comes out as quite self-assured and generous at first. But as time goes on, we see that everything is only a front for his prayers.

Alao read: “When are they going to learn?”: Death Note Live-Action Series Lands Writer With Stranger Things Fame Duffer Brothers as EP Despite Epic Failure of the Movie

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Source: Otaku Magazine

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Written by Kukilkalyani Borgohain

Articles Published: 33

Kukilkalyani Borgohain is a content writer at FandomWire. Previously a Journalist and a Better India featured NGO worker, she has always been a passionate literature student with a penchant for creative writing.