Why some Japanese actors just come back for certain roles

[songohan619]

I have been thinking about it, and perhaps it is because they want a better voice for the characters?

[dbgtFO]

I have been thinking about it, and perhaps it is because they want a better voice for the characters?

Or maybe because they are offered loads of money?
I mean Nozawa-San is what 74 years old? and she's still in the business, when over here we would have been retired for years!
Or maybe she sees it as a hobby, because when having done it for so long, it isn't that hard or straining?

Either way I believe there was a big deal with Toei using a lot of cash to make the Veteran Voice Actors return to their roles, so maybe Nozawa just went in for the cash, since they aren't really giving better performances than they did back in the day, if you ask me...

[NX14]

I think it's because since most of the actors are old now, so they want to reprise the easy roles that don't put as much stress on their voice.

[TheGreatness25]

Well if I was an actor or voice actor and I was the one who portrayed an iconic character that I'm just constantly associated with, I'd come back and do the role every time too. Look at Adam West. How many parodies has he made of Batman? And how old is he? He even voiced in Batman: The Animated Series (not as Batman, but still). Or how Mark Hamill is associated with The Joker and voices him in video games and every opportunity that arises now. Or Kevin Conroy's Batman. Okay yeah I'm a fan, but if we move away from that, look at The Jetsons. The original season was made in 1963 and then again continued in 1985, which is 22 years later. And pretty much the entire voice cast was the same. I mean first of all, not many voice actors have many roles that are the "big ones." Sean Schemmel will never find a role that is as big as Goku. I'm sure Nozawa never found a role as big as Goku either. So why not do it? It is their legacy.

Maybe I'm just trying to be sentimental with it instead of saying it's all about the money. Maybe I'm wrong but I'm sure that not everyone does it just for the money. I wouldn't.

[JulieYBM]

Well, even Conroy and Hammil don't voice Batman and Joker all of the time. They're appeared in several non-DCAU projects as new Batman and Jokers , sure, but new actors are constantly being brought into the fold. Bruce Greenwood has been the first, however, to portray the Batman of two different universes since Conroy started to (first he did Under the Redhood and now he is in the Young Justice series).


Anyhow, for the main topic...I think we're looking at a mix of money, time, and creative discourse on Kai's production's part. From the sound of things Kai never really knows when they're going to end so bringing back Utsumi Kenji to voice Shen Long for the two times he has popped up in the series is cheaper than also bringing him back up for the far more involved Reacoom. This way they can can a number of other veteran actors by recasting all of the Ginyû Special Corps. Certain actors, of course, they know that they could never recast (i.e. all of the main crew up until now). I think Toei got some sour grapes for recasting like they did in the initial two arcs, though, which is why we haven't seen any of the Artificial Humans recast.

[TheGreatness25]

Well, even Conroy and Hammil don't voice Batman and Joker all of the time. They're appeared in several non-DCAU projects as new Batman and Jokers , sure, but new actors are constantly being brought into the fold. Bruce Greenwood has been the first, however, to portray the Batman of two different universes since Conroy started to (first he did Under the Redhood and now he is in the Young Justice series).


Anyhow, for the main topic...I think we're looking at a mix of money, time, and creative discourse on Kai's production's part. From the sound of things Kai never really knows when they're going to end so bringing back Utsumi Kenji to voice Shen Long for the two times he has popped up in the series is cheaper than also bringing him back up for the far more involved Reacoom. This way they can can a number of other veteran actors by recasting all of the Ginyû Special Corps. Certain actors, of course, they know that they could never recast (i.e. all of the main crew up until now). I think Toei got some sour grapes for recasting like they did in the initial two arcs, though, which is why we haven't seen any of the Artificial Humans recast.

What you say about Batman is true, but that is not their decision, it is the decision of the ones that do the casting, in which case have tried to make different incarnations of Batman by changing up the voices, but would eventually return to Conroy and Hamill as fans recognized them most for those voices. If it were up to Hamill and Conroy, they would always agree to those roles though, so that's the entire point.

But back on Dragon Ball, if a voice actor had fun doing the role, got a lot of attention in doing the role (from people such as us), and could not top the "epicness" of that role, why not come back? Besides a monetary issue, wouldn't that person want to reprise his/her role?

[dbgtFO]

From the sound of things Kai never really knows when they're going to end so bringing back Utsumi Kenji to voice Shen Long for the two times he has popped up in the series is cheaper than also bringing him back up for the far more involved Reacoom. This way they can can a number of other veteran actors by recasting all of the Ginyû Special Corps.

I always thought Reacoom's voice sounded different in DBZ Kai and you and Dragonball wikia confirms it.
http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Recoome
I prefer DBZ Recoome to DBK...

[JulieYBM]

From the sound of things Kai never really knows when they're going to end so bringing back Utsumi Kenji to voice Shen Long for the two times he has popped up in the series is cheaper than also bringing him back up for the far more involved Reacoom. This way they can can a number of other veteran actors by recasting all of the Ginyû Special Corps.

I always thought Reacoom's voice sounded different in DBZ Kai and you and Dragonball wikia confirms it.
http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/Recoome
I prefer DBZ Recoome to DBK...

Yeah, Sasaki Seiji is great and all...but Utsumi was just incredible. That man crafted Reacoom like no other and it's such a shame he'll probably never play him again.