Voice acting is one of those things that can really make or break an animation project, best voice acting moments in anime history are proof of that. Whether it’s English, Japanese, or any other language, there are always plenty of talented voice actors bringing their skills to anime. While fans and critics tend to focus on the art and animation in anime, if a series has truly perfect voice acting then that can also help take that series to greater heights. and makes it far superior to its contemporaries.
Overall, voice acting is an integral part of anime, and the best voice acting moments can elevate their series. The entries on this list are a mix of English and Japanese dubs, some relatively recent and others dating back decades. Each was chosen to portray characters with relevance and importance related to whatever they were talking about, and it’s safe to say that their respective anime wouldn’t be the same without them.
10 Major’s Speeches About How He Loves War (Hellsing Ultimate)
The first great voiceover moment to discuss is the Major’s speech about how much he loves war in the English dub of Hellsing Ultimate. In episode #4, the Major spends six minutes talking about how much he loves war and every bloody thing that happens in it, even the situations that don’t work in his favor, and it all builds let him bring Millenium together under the promise of starting the greatest war the world has ever seen. It’s an incredibly haunting speech, and Gildart Jackson’s pitch-perfect delivery in the English dub perfectly captures the Major’s depravity from start to finish.
9 Goku turns Super Saiyan 3 (Dragon Ball Z)
There are many great voice acting moments found in classic anime, and the most notable is the speech Goku gives when he first uses Super Saiyan 3 in Dragon Ball Z. Sean Schemmel’s delivery is excellent. works wonders to sell its appeal. Goku’s lines, especially when he says that Super Saiyan 3 will “go even further,” and then about three minutes of cumulative screaming perfectly showcase his abilities as a voice actor . Dragon Ball Z Kai’s interpretation may be more accurate than the source material, but the original version has a level of charm that can’t be beat.
8 Sekiha Love-Love Tenkyoken of Domon & Rain (Mobile Fighter G Gundam)
On rare occasions, technically poor dubbing still works because of the distribution process, and nothing sells better than everything leading up to Sekiha Love-Love Tenkyoken in Mobile Fighter G Gundam. The utter seriousness with which Mark Gatha’s Domon declares his love for Rain sells the scene, and he and Jennifer Holder’s Rain use that same seriousness to use a move called Sekiha Love-Love Tenkyoken to keep it from becoming ridiculous and sell it as nothing more than sincere. G Gundunda’s voice acting may not be technically excellent, but the delivery of everyone involved more than makes up for it.
7 Bakugo Reveals Guilt About All Might Retiring (My Hero Academia)
Naturally, there are many moments in the Japanese dub that deserve praise, and one that comes to mind is Bakugo revealing his guilt over All Might’s retirement in My Hero Academia. When Bakugo challenged Izuku in season 3, it seemed like it was another case of him being a jerk, but that was completely reversed when Bakugo tearfully revealed that he felt responsible about All Might having to retire and not knowing how to get through it. . This scene is the first real moment where anyone is meant to sympathize with Bakugo, and Nobuhiko Okamoto’s tearful performance captures it brilliantly.
6 Yami Yugi uses terrible souls (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Another great moment of the Japanese dub is when Yami Yugi uses Berserker Soul in Yu-Gi-Oh! season 4. Yami Yugi is still reeling from guilt for causing Yugi to lose his soul, and when Weevil makes it up by briefly tricking him into thinking he destroyed Yugi’s soul, he He got mad and used Berserker Soul to relentlessly attack Weevil again and again, even after he lost all his life points. Shunsuke Kazama’s voice acting did a great job of conveying Yami Yugi’s anger and how much he wanted the Weevil to suffer, and it’s no wonder why this scene remains one of the most iconic. Most impressive in the entire series.
5 Monologues About Yoshikage Kira’s Silent Life (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Unbreakable Diamond)
On the opposite side of Shunsuke Kazama’s angry moment in Yu-Gi-Oh! is the calmness of Yoshikage Kira’s monologue in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable. All Kira does is recount the mundanity of his daily routine and the extent to which he tries to maintain it, but Toshiyuki Morikawa’s diction completely detracts from the horror that Kira is supposed to be. I had to say everything, something that would be obvious even if Kira didn’t. has just been announced as a serial killer. It’s a moment that erases all doubts about Kira’s role in the story, and it almost wouldn’t have worked without Morikawa’s incredible voice acting.
4 Subaru’s Inferiority & Rem’s Reassurance (Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World)
One of the more recent examples of incredible voice acting comes from Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World with Subaru’s self-deprecation and Rem’s reassurance. In episode #18, Subaru reaches his lowest point and talks about how pathetic he is, and in the end, Rem wastes no time in going on about how great he really is and how much she loves him. how much. The voices of Yusuke Kobayashi and Inori Minase perfectly captured the desperation in Subaru’s words and Rem’s tenderness, and it’s because of the way they treat each other that the episode is able to have such impact.
3 Simon’s Final Stand Against Antispiral (Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: The Lights In The Sky Are Stars)
There’s a lot of great voice acting to be found in anime films, and one moment that stands out is Simon’s final fight against the Antispiral in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: The Lights in the Sky are Stars. Tetsuya Kakihara’s take on Simon’s declaration that his exercise will open the path to the future is even better than in the original anime, and the new scene of him reaffirming his beliefs into humanity was conveyed in a perfect way that suited the series. There are many ways in which The Lights in the Sky are Stars improves the anime, and Kakihara’s diction plays a large role in that.
2 Kyon admitted that he had fun with Haruhi (The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Another great example of voice acting in the film comes from The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya when Kyon admits that he had fun with Haruhi. As Kyon struggles with the discovery that Nagato is behind the film’s plot, he imagines another version of himself talking about how easy things would be if he stuck with the new reality, forcing Kyon had to admit that he loved all the crazy things Haruhi put him through. . Crispin Freeman’s voiceover did a great job conveying the idea of there being two different Kyons, and him delivering Kyon’s final statement was something that captured the emotional weight perfectly of the scene.
1 Hatoko Praises Jurai Becoming Chuunibyo (When Supernatural Battles Become Popular)
The last great moment of anime dubbing discussed is Hatoko’s rant about Jurai’s chuunibyo behavior in When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace. After getting fed up with Jurai constantly imposing his eccentric personality on her while never letting her get close on a personal level, Hatoko spent over two minutes talking about how ridiculous the things he liked to do were. and how tired she felt pretending to understand that. . Saori Hayami’s performance in this scene does an incredible job of capturing Hatoko’s growing frustration and suffering, and this is both the best performance of her career and one of the best. of the best scenes in all of anime.
When it comes to voice acting, there’s never really any way to know what kind of performance will be a great one. Sometimes it comes from a tearful speech, sometimes it comes from an intense action scene, and in some cases, even something completely mundane can bring out the best in a person. a voice actor. The 10 moments listed here capture all of that and more, and it’s no wonder why they stand out as much as they do. best voice acting moments in anime history.
