The Official Voice Actor Discussion Thread

[Deleted member]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

And judging from what we read on Ben's reddit, the actors are not given enough context.

It's like they're actors on LOST, lol.
Anytime an actor would ask for context and background information on their character, the writers would just be like "we can't tell you". Leaving the actor to have to just make it up themselves until later episodes.

I'll have to go looking for it, but Nomura thought she sounded exactly like her japanese counterpart

I think he said the opposite? That he usually tries to get VAs that sound like their Japanese counterparts but for BBS he instead wanted English actors who he thought felt most like the characters themselves.

"He's not as weak as you think" are pretty strong.

I definitely liked that line, too.

You're right, the voice directing has been going downhill since KH1. It makes me wish we could play the entire game with Japanese voices but English subs.

I wish you could pick and choose who to have in Japanese and who to have in English. Generally I like the English Disney voices more, but I also hate Quinton Flynn's voicework >.>

(he has been phoning it in so hard since kh2 and honestly he wasn't even that great in kh2 to begin with)

 

[Dandelion]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

I think he said the opposite? That he usually tries to get VAs that sound like their Japanese counterparts but for BBS he instead wanted English actors who he thought felt most like the characters themselves.

BbSFM Images & Interview & Upcoming Update + Re:coded Video + Soundtrack Update - News - Kingdom Hearts Insider

"In their opinion, among the three protagonists of the game the voices of Ven and Aqua are closest to their Japanese originals. Miss Toyoguchi, who voices Aqua, said that she also found the voices similar."

I had thought it was just Nomura talking about it, but it was the whole team and the original voice herself.

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

BbSFM Images & Interview & Upcoming Update + Re:coded Video + Soundtrack Update - News - Kingdom Hearts Insider

"In their opinion, among the three protagonists of the game the voices of Ven and Aqua are closest to their Japanese originals. Miss Toyoguchi, who voices Aqua, said that she also found the voices similar."

I had thought it was just Nomura talking about it, but it was the whole team and the original voice herself.

Nomura on it:

How voice actors were selected

The overseas team recommended a select group of experienced voiced actors, and we narrowed down our choices after listening to their voices. Usually I choose actors whose voices are similar to the Japanese version, but this time around I focused more on candidates who were simply a good fit for the character. For Eraqus and Xehanort, I chose actors who I felt personified these characters best, but also wanted to be a bit playful in my decision-making.

so we were both right? lol.

 

[Dandelion]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

Nomura on it:


so we were both right? lol.

Yeah, and the original point still stands: Nomura has a heavy hand in who's cast.

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

what if Billy Zane for new MX VA?

 

[Dandelion]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

what if Billy Zane for new MX VA?

How dare you even speak his name. Do you know what kind of trouble you're asking for?

(personally, I want Christopher Lloyd)

 

[BlackOsprey]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

How dare you even speak his name. Do you know what kind of trouble you're asking for?

(personally, I want Christopher Lloyd)

Trouble? What trouble? Did something happen with this guy?

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

Trouble? What trouble? Did something happen with this guy?

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

Trouble? What trouble? Did something happen with this guy?

No, it just tends to start arguments over Zane vs Epcar "Who is the better Ansem: SoD?"

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

Zane. Zane was the better Ansem.
(tho epcar is not as terrible as he was in earlier games imo)


but nah i just thought it would be a neat little bookend sort of thing if they got Zane back but this time as MX lol. They likely won't though, of course.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

I love and miss Zane but Epcar proved himself in BBS. I blame his performance in KH2 on that English localization voice director who did a poor job with the game in general. Re:CoM...well, it wasn't bad but it was awkward lol. But damn. BBS when he did the iconic "All worlds begin in darkness, and all so end." monologue, he's owned it.

It would make for a nice full circle...but I imagine they'll try for somebody who sounds similar to Leonard Nimoy.

 

[Chuman]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

It would make for a nice full circle...but I imagine they'll try for somebody who sounds similar to Leonard Nimoy.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Glenn

yay or nay?

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Glenn

yay or nay?

oh man he'd be perfect

 

[Elysium]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

I wish you could pick and choose who to have in Japanese and who to have in English. Generally I like the English Disney voices more, but I also hate Quinton Flynn's voicework >.>

(he has been phoning it in so hard since kh2 and honestly he wasn't even that great in kh2 to begin with)

I've always felt that way about Flynn as Axel/Lea, although I've enjoyed other work of his. Tbh, I think part of it might be the fact that CoM originally didn't have voice acting, which leads you to certain expectations that are ruined when the voice doesn't match what you were thinking. (The worst one for me is still Vexen though.)

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

I've always felt that way about Flynn as Axel/Lea, although I've enjoyed other work of his. Tbh, I think part of it might be the fact that CoM originally didn't have voice acting, which leads you to certain expectations that are ruined when the voice doesn't match what you were thinking. (The worst one for me is still Vexen though.)

I think for me it was more comparisons to his Japanese VA who is waaaaaay better.

But really though, in KH2 Flynn's performance at least felt like a normal person. Multi-faceted.

Then he did Re:CoM where apparently when tasked with jumping back into the character he simply shrugged and said "I'll play it super bored and super gay". Since then every appearance of Axel is calling back to the Re:CoM performance instead of the KH2 one, and every portrayal feels like he is phoning it in and lacking nuance. IMO anyway.

 

[Launchpad]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

so how come Haley's head keeps growing but his face stays the same size?

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

so how come Haley's head keeps growing but his face stays the same size?

child at heart (and at face)

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

I think for me it was more comparisons to his Japanese VA who is waaaaaay better.

But really though, in KH2 Flynn's performance at least felt like a normal person. Multi-faceted.

Then he did Re:CoM where apparently when tasked with jumping back into the character he simply shrugged and said "I'll play it super bored and super gay". Since then every appearance of Axel is calling back to the Re:CoM performance instead of the KH2 one, and every portrayal feels like he is phoning it in and lacking nuance. IMO anyway.

OHGOD. This explains what I've been thinking for some years well much better than I could actually say it.

With Axel, he's not consistent at all and it is super frustrating when his KH2 performance remains his best one. For KH3, I hope both he and the voice directors try for how he sounded in KH2 because ho could he have gone from being top performer in the series to whatever-tier?

CoM had him overly theatrical, Days had him too...everywhere, BBS was too try-hard, and KH3D was somewhat okay until he got too phony-exaggerated near the end of the game.

Actually, I hope that they use a voice director that is well-versed with the nuances of English speech patterns rather than using the Japanese voice director who is trying to get a Japanese performance out of English voice actors. It makes for awkward pauses, stilted emotional inflection, and I think one of the primary causes of the really odd or wooden performances we've gotten in the handheld titles.

With KH3 there shouldn't be too much concern about matching lip flaps. Just make sure the lines flow within that time frame without sounding awkward and lip sync. And to make lip sync easier, mo-cap it all.

so how come Haley's head keeps growing but his face stays the same size?

I have something horribly judgmental to say so I won't say it at all.

 

[Dandelion]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

I have something horribly judgmental to say so I won't say it at all.

I see puffy people.


Let's ask Nomura for a new voice director.

 

[Deleted member]

Re: The Official VA Discussion Thread - RIP Otsuka, Nimoy, Lee

I'm hoping with it being KH3 there is more attention put on in the voice acting.