Summary
From mystery and comedy, to spine-tingling horror and supernaturalanime, we have been spoiled with masterful stories and tasteful characters. However, voice acting has become another magical aspect that truly brings anime to life.
Voice actors have become celebrities themselves, doing excellent work in voicing their respective characters. In most cases, it’s not uncommon for popular characters from various anime series to share the same voice actor. Here are some of the most iconic anime characters that were marvellously voiced and acted by the same person.
10Mikasa Ackerman And Violet Evergarden
VA: Yui Ishikawa
Yui Ishikawa has used her calm, soft and super-feminine voice for a string of female characters in anime and video games. Her two most prolific roles have made their mark in the anime space, voicing Attack on Titan’s Mikasa Ackerman and Violet Evergarden from the anime of the same name.
She embodied Mikasa to a tee, bringing out her iron will and both her emotional highs and lows while successfully delivering Violet Evergarden’s complexity. Moreover, Ishikawa has voiced Nier: Automata’s 2B and China Kousaka from Gundam Build Fighters.
9Trafalgar Law And Levi Ackerman
VA: Hiroshi Kamiya
One of the most popular and recognisable voices in Japanese voice acting, Hiroshi Kamiya has several iconic anime characters he has voiced under his belt. With a smooth, suave voice, he has lent his talents to One Piece’s swashbuckling pirate Trafalgar Law and Humanity’s Strongest SoldierLevi Ackerman from Attack on Titan.
Moreover, he’s acted out a variety of other notable anime protagonists, including The Disastrous Life of Saiki K’s Saiki Kusuo, Yato from Noragami, Ao no Exorcist’s Mephisto Pheles and Bungo Stray Dogs' Ranpo Edogawa.
8Gojo Satoru And Hawks
VA: Nakamura Yuichi
Nakamura Yuichi has had a glittering career as a voice actor and, if you look closely at his body of work, he’s largely voiced young male characters of some of the most popular anime out there. It’s no wonder why, as Nakamura has a young, carefree, playful-sounding voice despite being in his mid-forties, with the range to sound grave and dangerous as well.
He has voiced characters known for being one of the strongest in their respective universes, voicingJujutsu Kaisen’s Gojo Satoruand My Hero Academia’s Hawks. You could hardly realise these two characters are voiced by the same person, but alongside these famous characters, he has also voiced Hyouka’s Oreki Hotaro, Clannad’s Tomoya Okazaki and even voiced Metaphor: ReFantazio’s protagonist Louis Guiabern.
7Light Yagami And Dazai Osamu
VA: Mamoru Miyano
Death Note’s Light Yagamiand Bungo Stray Dogs' Dazai Osamu are not only the respective masterminds of their worlds but they are also voiced by Mamoru Miyano. Intelligent, handsome and beyond cunning, these are qualities that most of Miyano’s characters share.
Miyano doesn’t typecast himself into just one sort of character, however, displaying his talents with the awkward, bumbling Okabe Rintarou from Stein’s Gate and Rin Matsuoka from Free!. Other credits include Durarara!!’s protagonist Masaomi Kida, Assassination Classroom’s Asano Gakushuu and Nagai Kei from Ajin: Demi-Human.
6Son Goku And Doraemon
VA: Nozawa Masako
If you’re staring at your screen in disbelief, then we wouldn’t blame you. Goku and Doraemon are two classic characters in anime, ones that have stood the test of time. Theirseiyuu,Nozawa Masako, has had a whopping 85 years in the industry and is still going strong.
She not only voiced Goku, but she voiced Son Goten and Son Gohan as well. She has also voiced Doctor Kureha from One Piece and Guilmon from Digimon Tamers. It’s no wonder that Nozawa is considered the pioneer of Japanese voice acting, as she marks her 38th year voicing Goku.
5Jotaro Kujo And Sebastian Michaelis
VA: Daisuke Ono
There are no characters that have maintained their popularity more than Jotaro Kujo from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Black Butler’s Sebastian Michaelis. Daisuke Ono’s deep, commanding voice is perfect for voicing the reserved, yet powerful Jotaro and the suave demon Sebastian.
Ono voices other well-known, formidable leader-type characters, such as Attack on Titan’s Erwin Smith, Durarara!!’s Shizuo Heiwajima and Midorima from Kuruko no Basket. In short, though these characters aren’t always the lead role, they are one of the most defining in their respective series.
4Eren Jaeger And Todoroki Shoto
VA: Yuki Kaji
Another titan of voice acting, Yuki Kaji has the perfect voice for shonen anime and that is evident in his resume. He’s done brilliantly voicing Attack on Titan’s protagonist-turned-antagonist Eren Jaeger, demonstrating Eren’s intense emotions and later character shift.
He’s also voiced another stoic, yet emotionally charged character in My Hero Academia’s Todoroki Shoto. Kaji has demonstrated his range in other characters, like Noragami’s Yukine,One-Punch Man’s anti-hero Speed-o'-Sound Sonicand Ace Attorney’s Phoenix Wright.
3Naruto Uzumaki And Lambo
VA: Junko Takeuchi
Everyone’s minds were collectively shattered after the revelation that Naruto’s Naruto Uzumaki, an overpowered teenage male shinobi, was voiced by the then-30-year-old actress Junko Takeuchi. Takeuchi largely voices young male characters, voicing the grenade-loving, candy-obsessed Lambo from Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
Although Naruto is her most well-known role, Takeuchi has added her talents to voicing a young Sabo from One Piece, Rurouni Kenshin’s crossdressing warrior Honjo Kamatari and only voiced Hunter x Hunter’s Gon Freecss for a year in 1999.
2Dio Brando And Toji Fushiguro
VA: Takehito Koyasu
One of the deepest, most intimidating voices in anime, it’s no surprise that Koyasu has the ideal voice for villainous characters. Dio Brando is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s main antagonist, a powerful, megalomaniac vampire willing to do whatever it takes for his goals.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Toji Fushiguro, on the other hand, is a skilled hitman and the main antagonist of theHidden Inventory Arc. Koyasu has voiced other memorable villains, from Attack on Titan’s Zeke Jaeger and Nikolai Gogol from Bungo Stray Dogs to Uncle from Uncle From Another World.
1Monkey D. Luffy And Turbo Granny
VA: Mayumi Tanaka
These two characters could not be any more different, but that just shows you how talented Mayumi Tanaka is. Monkey D. Luffy is the cheerful protagonist of One Piece and the leader ofthe Straw Hat Pirates. In contrast, Turbo Granny is one of Dandadan’s staple characters, a hostile yokai who’s only out for herself.
You wouldn’t guess that they’re voiced by the same person with Luffy’s bright, energetic voice and Turbo Granny’s ancient-sounding, gritty tone. Alongside these two characters, Tanaka has voiced Dragon Ball’s Krillin for more than a decade and Yu Yu Hakusho’s Koenma.
