Forum:Birth by Sleep English Voice Cast

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To divert the criticism not relating to the article from the BBS talk page, I've created the forum you all knew was coming. Time to complain about the English VAs! As far as I'm concerned, MX and ME both sound fine, though Nimoy's throat sounds way too scratchy in the trailer. Terra and Vanitas... meh, they're alright, and it could be worse. But Aqua, good greif Aqua's VA is horrible! She's not even acting, it's like she's just reading the script on her lap! I baffles me as to why they cast her, and I hope to God the snippet in the trailer doesn't speak for the rest of her performance. LapisScarab Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day. I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat. — 00:10, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

KrytenKoro - "Because I knew something he didn't. I knew that I was lying. Seriously, sir. 'No silicon heaven'? Where would all of the calculators go?" TALK - I honestly don't understand what they've done with the VA's for this series and the other voice-acted series. KH had wonderful voice acting, but every time they replace someone, honestly, it's never for the better. Nimoy is a good actor. He doesn't fit Master Xehanort at all. He can sound grumpy, sure, but that's as much menace as I've ever heard him put in his voice. Plus, he barely emotes in these. Cristopher Lee is the correct kind of voice, if he hadn't already been doing Ansem. You know the guy that did Rasputin for Hellboy? That is basically Master Xehanort - same personality and everything. He would have worked. EDIT: If Xehanort had been much older looking (and not "male model old"), Nimoy could have worked well. His voice could fit the unassuming but evil ancient (not old, ancient) guy. EDIT: My god, I just watched the trailer. Why they thought an OC character could emote is beyond me. There are literally leagues of better, cheaper, female actresses. That one from the WoW web-series, for example. Winry's VA from FMA. SO MANY BETTER CHOICES. Seriously, every scene with Aqua in it makes me cringe. She sucks at this. Eraqus's VA is good. Definitely Mark Hamill, yep. Terra sounds okay, though his scenes didn't require him to emote, so I can't tell if he sucks here or not. I do have to say that I've never been super-impressed by Christian Bale, though. EDIT EDIT:Based on this trailer, I am seriously wondering whether they let the VA's see what they were providing the voices for. All of the scenes which just make it BLAZINGLY OBVIOUS what tone you should be using, even to the worst actors, are lacking the proper emotion. For example, when Nimoy says "It can only be channeled", he clenches his fist, which would fit with increased emphasis on "channeled", and possibly a pause beforehand ("It can only be...channeled.") Nimoy's reading lacks that completely, reading at the same speed and tone as the rest of the line. It may just be that SE of A did a half-assed job not in picking the actors (which may have done well in the tryout process), but in helping them do well and, basically, doing the basic job of a director. Honestly, whoever was in charge of directing the actors should be sacked. He did not do his job at all, as far as I can tell. Only the Disney actors, who are intimately familiar with their characters and now how they would say a line, did well, and even then with some trouble. I honestly think a fan-dub may have better quality VA-ing than this.

I saw the trailer, HOWEVER, people harpin' on Terra's and Aqua's English voices might wanna look at the other new gameplay vids featured on the website, which sound much better

As for Vanitas, I was hooked. Aqua was fine and I really like Terra's and Erauqs' voices. And remember two things: There's still time fore rehearsing and you're going to grow into them eventually, so it doesn't really matter whining at this point. And yes, I am one of the people who accept MX's voice. The man's head is completely bald with visible veins and a bad hunch. I still wonder how Nimoy's voice doesn't work here, but that's because maybe unlike most people, I don't pretend to be some voice acting expert/critic. Kaihedgie 00:54, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

Drake Clawfang - Anger and hate are supreme....power and control are pretty nice too. TALK - 00:56, June 16, 2010 (UTC) SE had subpar voice acting for a lot of characters in Dissidia Final Fantasy. One of the VAs, JD Cullen, said he wasn't sure how to voice his character because he wasn't given much to work on - he was told to try and sound like the Japanese voice actor and to be "breathy and feminine". The character itself, Kuja, they told him very little about and he thus didn't know what was expected for his voice. Sounds like SE is flubbing BBS in the same way. I agree with the sentiment about letting them watch the footage, too. I thought watching Aqua's VA sound so lifeless and flat while Aqua was smiling and being cheerful in the footage, like "This is not right! The tone should match the expression!"

Fair enough, but I'd just like to briefly point out that in a story-based game, it doesn't matter at all if the battle grunts sound fine. The actor should be able to, you know, act and carry the cutscene. Aqua's VA is the only one I have an actual problem with, and it's a big one. She's atrocious. I hope you're right and she grows into the role or something, because right now she's unbearable.LapisLazuliScarab00:59, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

Neumannz — Looks like I'm gonna have to jump...! TALK — I work alone! Except when I work with Xion...which is all the time. — 01:10, June 16, 2010 (UTC)   After I watched it a couple times in high quality, I decided that the only really bad moments were Aqua's speech at the beginning, about the lucky charms; Terra's talk with Cinderella; and possibly Terra talking to Master Xehanort. The rest seemed to be within a pretty good range of quality. Big fan of Vani's VA and Mark Hamill as Eraqus. I think we're gonna be satisfied with Leonard Nimoy when we see more of him, as I'm pretty sure M. Xehanort Japanese voice matches up with his English voice, tonewise.

So now pretty much watching the trailer multiple times allows people to grow into the voices.

Still, those complaining about Aqua: thumb|300px|right

Drake Clawfang - Anger and hate are supreme....power and control are pretty nice too. TALK - 01:32, June 16, 2010 (UTC) MUCH better! That is a great improvement. Okay, I guess the opening speech was a fluke bad take then, phew.

Like I said, in a game with storyline cutscenes, being able to make good battle quotes doesn't count for crap. I actually like Aqua's voice when I first heard her voice in that demo, but her voice in the trailer is horrible. You know how when some people are reading books out loud and they just half try to make the voice sound right? This VA doesn't even sound like she's doing that. Maybe it's because they didn't show them the scenes or something, but whatever the reason, it's just not tolerable. By the way Drake, this is the demo from before the trailer. It's better, but not by much. She still sounds like she's barely trying.LapisLazuliScarab01:36, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

Drake Clawfang - Anger and hate are supreme....power and control are pretty nice too. TALK - 01:43, June 16, 2010 (UTC) Aqua is my fav character in BBS, I either grasp at straws or admit I'm gonna have to listen to that dead voice the entire game. I choose straws. ;p

KrytenKoro - "That's when we bumped into Hannity. Sean Hannity. See the thing about this dude is, at first he's fair, right? And you're like "Wow!" But then BOOM. The dude's balanced, too. And you're like, HOLY SHIT." TALK - I watched the video. She's still terrible. When you're trying to help people, you don't command them to "leave it to you". The voice Aqua uses is, honestly, one that you use when you're pissed at the person for screwing up; it's an "If you want it done right..." tone. You'd think an OC character would be overly chirpy and emotional. Willa Holland lacks all emotion in this game, and based on what Drake said about JD Cullen, I think the VA director at SE is responsible for this unmitigated crap. Probably, like Nomura, they're not "allowed" to reveal the information, even to the English VA's, because they're worried they might spoil the game. Because, you know, revealing already guessed, barely creative plot info in an already plot-hole-ridden series is much more of a problem than having terrible game quality.

Not to be offensive or anything but: do you have to be such a killjoy? x: Kaihedgie 03:56, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

Yes. For the amount of money I've put into this franchise, as well as FF, I expect them to hire directors who are at least as dedicated as those for a cheap anime. This is honestly pathetic voice acting, and should not be occurring in one of a multi-million dollar, international game franchise's flagship series.Glorious CHAOS! 04:20, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

It's only three less than four months till the game's release. Please lighten up. They can still rehearse the lines and you'll still get used to the eventually. Sheesh. There is no need to be so steely and serious business. :P 'Blargh it's not fitting my expectations cause I played the Japanese version too much'. Don't like what you hear? Do something about it or leave it be. Kaihedgie 06:24, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

I have not played the Japanese game at all. In fact, the only Japanese game I've ever played was KH2FM, and it was off of a save file that was at the end of the game. I have no bias whatsoever towards the Japanese VA's - I'm saying, quite simply, that this is crappy acting. Not "It's bad because it's not Japanese". Nope, just crappy.

Time to release: Pretty irrelevant, actually. They've gotten the recording pretty much done by now (Jesse first mentioned his going in several months back), and if this is what they're putting in the trailers? Then it's the best they have. It costs money to have celebrities voice act, and they're unlikely to redo all of it at this point. The last months are pretty much their "produce all the discs needed to have on release day" time.Glorious CHAOS! 07:00, June 16, 2010 (UTC)

As disappointed as I am in Aqua's voice actor (she would have been the best character in the series if wouldn't be for the VA...), I'm hoping the other VA's combined with the improved graphics and gameplay will make up for it. You know, Hope Springs Eternal... I doubt it... KRCCFNF is tired of being STEPPED ON.

Master Xehanort, Master Eraqus, espically Vanitas, Ventus, and Terra's VAs fit nicely in the English version of BBS. Now, let's look at Aqua's VA. Ooooh... Couldn't they pick a better VA for Aqua?--Keyblade0 17:12, June 21, 2010 (UTC)Keyblade0

BebopKate - This one is Zazzles...because he's Zazzy! TALK - Here's your cat...and here's your $20...20:32, June 21, 2010 (UTC) I'm really hoping that's just a scratch track for Aqua in the trailer. Really hoping. I'm getting shades of Mena Suvari's version of Aerith, and that's not a good thing. When will VA directors understand that a stoic character does not equal no voice inflection?

LapisScarab - You accept darkness, yet choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark - never given a choice? TALK - That may be... however, what other choice might we have had? Having just seen the newest trailer, I have this to say: Master Xehanort and Terra = alright, kind of hit and miss. Terra's voice seems like it should be deeper to me. Master Eraqus = great. Ven = great. Aqua = Fro this trailer alone, I don't have much to go on. She only really had one scene in it, and it was... passable.

The only time I haven't liked Aqua's voice, was her opening speech, which grated on my hearing. I don't like Terra's voice, which I don't really care about. I'll just play through his story without sound(I never really cared for Terra, obviously). And I don't have any issues with anyone else. --WheelyRampage 07:11, July 20, 2010 (UTC)

ShadowsTwilight - He's leaving you behind, and when you catch up, he'll be a different person TALK - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA impressions from latest trailer: Not the biggest fan of terra's voice but the voice acting itself is pretty solid; Mark Hamill was the perfect choice for Master Eraqus; same for Leonard Nimoy with Master Xehanort; Jesse McCartney doing a wonderful job as usual; Aqua's doing a little better. All in all cant wait

What did you all expect? She's from the OC. personally i would have liked to see Kallen's VA from Code Geass, I liked her--Memorized

Keyblade0 - Should I open the Treasure Chest? TALK - I just obtained a potion! — July 20, 2010 I'm starting to get used to the voice actors. Aqua's actor sounds better, Ven's actor is great, Terra's actor is great, Mark Hamil as Eraqus is a perfect fit, and Nimoy as Xehanort is also great

anyone else noticed that the character pages still list English VA's as TBA? the list on the BBS page isn't complete either. js since were talking about them all on here.--Memorized

HikariKH Talk! — Art is a bang, un! True art, atleast. HOW CAN SOMEONE DO SUCH A HORRIBLE JOB AS A V.A.?! I've seen the japoanese BBS, and Aqua's voice is fine. But honestly, in english, she is HORRIBLE. She's the only character I have a problem with the voice in English. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give her a 2.

Jesse McCartney, ME, vanitas, and all the disney characters are fine with me. i think leonard nimoy is a good choice but in the trailer, his voice sounds a bit to scratchy. terra is okay but i imagined more of a deeper, masculine voice. aqua is pretty bad. but the wat the way it was in the trailer with out of place music,and that the game will probably be a bit more fine tuned when finished, im fine with it. EDIT: i just saw the new trailer and aquas is muh better, but jaq's voice is scaring me, and im wondering why he cant lose the key, keyblades can open any lock, cant they?

LapisScarab - You accept darkness, yet choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark - never given a choice? TALK - That may be... however, what other choice might we have had? And once again I must comment on the newest (and final before the release) trailer. Willia Holland has reinforced my belief that every scene with Aqua will be excruciatingly painful to listen to, whoever's voicing Terra is pretty good, but I don't like how high his voice is in some scenes, Nimoy is okay, and Bret Iwan is amazing as the new Mickey. Either he's doing the voice perfectly, or that's archived voicework. Eraqus sounds great, and I'm surprised that that's Mark Hamill's voice. Vanitas is pretty good, especially his laugh. The apprentices (Braig, Even, etc.) are all done well, as are Lea and Isa. I like how all of them change their voices slightly, so they don't sound exactly like their Nobodies.

ShadowsTwilight - He's leaving you behind, and when you catch up, he'll be a different person TALK - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Personal impressions:Terra's VA is fine but the voice itself still sucks like hell, Ventus awesome as to be expected, ME not bad, MX really cool, ORG XIII's 2-8 me likes how they sound slightly different from nobodies like LS said except Braig who sounds exactly the same, Vanitas is pretty cool plus the laugh is just EPIC!!! Mickey is just plain stupendous, and Aqua's getting better but still sounds like a half ass fandub. I must say though i did not expect that would be the way to pronounce vanitas's name

GeniusMage - A keyblade isn't something you use to just bully someone around! TALK - He'll have not one,but two lights. These are my opnions on the voices: Aqua's voice...ugh just ugh...kinda painful to listen too. Terra's voice is okish not what'd except though O_o. Good job on Ven's voice. I quite like it. Master Xehanort's voice...doesn't fit. Doesn't fit at all. Eraqus's voice is the best of the bunch. Great job whoever does his voice. Vanitas's voice i've grown quite fond of. I like his voice :)

Chitalian8 Say... — Only by allowing strangers in can we find new ways to be ourselves. Life's little crossroads are often as simple as the pull of a trigger. — 19:36, August 20, 2010 (UTC) After watching the new trailer, I can say that Jesse McCartney is superb as always, Eraqus' voice is perfect, Vanitas sounds great, especially his laugh, Bret Iwan is perfect as Mickey, MX sounds good, Terra is pretty good, Lea and Isa are perfect, and all of the Disney characters are perfect, especially James Woods (haha). The one Disney character I don't like is Yen Sid (I think he got a new voice/voice actor). Also, Ansem the Wise sounds different in the video, so maybe Christopher Lee isn't in the game. Now about Aqua. I honestly have nothing bad to say about it. I know a lot of people hate it, but I think it's pretty much perfectly fine. She could add just a tiny bit more emotion, but I don't think it's as bad as people say it is. Oh, and, PETE'S A D-LINK :O!!!

LapisScarab - You accept darkness, yet choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark - never given a choice? TALK - That may be... however, what other choice might we have had? Final comments in the finished product. I'll only comment after I've gone through the appropriate playthrough (where the characters are featured most prominently). Terra's Story: Terra's VA, Jason Dohring (I mean Christian Bale! He's so obviously Christian Bale!) surprised me a bit. I thought he was just going to be so-so but for the most part he was a little above average, sometimes he wasn't that good, and at others he was damn good. I kind of switched back and forth on opinion of Leonard Nimoy as Master Xehanort. Overall I think he's okay, he certainly isn't unpleasant to listen to, though I prefer the Japanese VA. I think Nimoy's voice would have worked better if MX hadn't been so animated with his gestures. The deep type of voice worked for Xemnas because his gestures were slow, but MX moves quickly and it makes me think he should sound more crazy and worked up. Braig sounded awesome. I like how his voice is just slightly different from Xigbar's (thought he had a Brooklyn-ish accent at one point), and of course he was funny. Mark Hamill was great as Master Eraqus. In fact he was probably one of my favorite VAs in the game.

Mark Hamill was and is awesome. I wish he had more lines. But I'm on Aqua's scenario, so I will have to brave the deadly voice of Willa Holland. Randomnessity I, Garland, will knock you all down!

LapisScarab - You accept darkness, yet choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark - never given a choice? TALK - That may be... however, what other choice might we have had? Ven's story: Jesse McCartney is of course great as Ventus, though I'm noticing that he is given some of the wierder lines in the series ("Time to play, cat!", "Who am I going to have ice cream with", "Will someone tell me how I got so SMALL?!"). Vanitas sounds great as well, which caught me just a little by surprise. I don't know why, but I was worried that they'd mess him up somehow. The only thing that bugs me (and this is true with all helmet-wearing characters) is that his voice doesn't get muffled or change in any way when his helmet is on. I've always been rather annoyed by that. Dilan and Aeleus both sound very good and, like I mentioned before, I like how their VA's changed their voices slightly. They're less monotone than their Nobodies, which makes perfect sense. Think that's about it for Ven. Even sounds like, well, a slightly less crazy Vexen. And Ienzo has the greatest voice actor in the game. Not since Orson Welles has the world been blessed with such a voice! Oh, and Bret Iwan continues to astound me as Mickey. I honestly can't tell the difference from Mickey's two VAs. EDIT:Ah, Lea and Isa are both done very well. Not awhole lot to say about Lea, since, well, he's just a younger Axel. Isa's voice sounds very different from Saix, and again makes him seem more human than his Nobody, which is the point. I like Isa's wit and his VA (I forget his name) and Flynn work well together.

BebopKate - This one is Zazzles...because he's Zazzy! TALK - Here's your cat...and here's your $20...20:03, September 11, 2010 (UTC) Lapis, you read my mind. Especially on Mickey. About halfway through his scenes I thought, "Oh yeah, new VA!" So far, I haven't been able to tell Iwan apart from Allwine, and that's pretty impressive. I've enjoyed all of the other voice performances so far as well. I know a lot of people are thrown off by Nimoy, but I am willing to give him a break because...well, it's Leonard Nimoy! *cue Sheldon Cooper-style freak out* Aqua is growing on me just a little bit. Time will tell, though, as I'm still only working through Ven's track, and I haven't seen as much of her yet.

I was expecting Vanitas's VA to fail slightly, but I was pleasently surprised. He's good at saying idiot bluntly. Randomnessity But I will be reborn once more. So even if you die, again and again, I shall return. Born again in this endless cycle I have created!