Who did Chuck Huber voice in Dragon Ball?
The Dragon Ball franchise created by Akira Toriyama is one of the most popular anime series in history. Released first as a manga starting in 1984, Dragon Ball tells the adventures of Son Goku and his friends as they defend the Earth against villains. The manga was adapted into multiple anime series, beginning with Dragon Ball in 1986 which ran until 1989. This was followed by the much more popular sequel series Dragon Ball Z which originally aired from 1989 to 1996. In total the Dragon Ball anime series includes 153 television episodes. According to Wikipedia, the series has had “a considerable impact on global popular culture,” being referenced frequently in other media (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Ball). Dragon Ball remains hugely influential today, with recent series like Dragon Ball Super continuing the franchise.
Chuck Huber’s voice acting career
Chuck Huber is an American voice actor known for his work in anime and video games. He has had an extensive voice acting career spanning over 25 years (Behind the Voice Actors). Some of his most well-known roles include Hiei in Yu Yu Hakusho, Dr. Franken Stein in Soul Eater, Pilaf in Dragon Ball, Shou Tucker in Fullmetal Alchemist, and Android 17 in Dragon Ball Z (IMDb).
Huber’s voice work is primarily in English dubbed anime. He has voiced characters in popular shows like Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, Attack on Titan, Fairy Tail, and My Hero Academia. In total, he has over 300 credits as a voice actor in anime, films, and games (Wikipedia). His versatility and range allow him to voice both protagonists and antagonists across genres from action/adventure to comedy.
In addition to voice acting, Huber has worked as a voice director and ADR script writer. He owns an audio production company that records dubs for anime and has also taught acting workshops focused on voiceover skills.
Huber’s role as Android 17
Android 17 is a cyborg character who first appears as an antagonist in Dragon Ball Z before ultimately becoming a hero. He was originally a human named Lapis before Dr. Gero kidnapped him and his twin sister Lazuli and turned them into androids through cybernetic modifications. As Android 17, he has icy blue eyes, shoulder-length black hair, and wears a red scarf, black shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots.
According to the Dragon Ball Wiki, Android 17 is cocky, cunning, and became a sociopath who cared only for himself after being turned into an android by Dr. Gero. However, he later reforms after bonding with Android 18 and joins the fight against larger threats. He has energy-based attacks like the Infinity Bullet rapid-fire blasts and barrier techniques like Android Barrier. Overall, Android 17 serves as a complex antagonist-turned-antihero in the Dragon Ball universe.
Huber as Android 17 in Dragon Ball Z
Chuck Huber first voiced the character Android 17 in the English dub of Dragon Ball Z in 2000. He took over the role from previous voice actor Shigeru Nakahara when Funimation acquired the license for the anime and re-dubbed the episodes with their own cast (Chuck Huber | Dragon Ball Wiki | Fandom).
Android 17 was one of the main antagonists in the Cell Saga of Dragon Ball Z. He was an android created by Dr. Gero with cybernetic enhancements. Along with his twin sister Android 18, Android 17 was awakened with orders to kill Goku. However, the twins rebelled and pursued their own goals instead (Chuck Huber).
Huber voiced Android 17 through the conclusion of the Cell Games in Dragon Ball Z, establishing the character’s cocky and rebellious personality. His performance helped cement Android 17 as a fan favorite villain in the series.
Reprising the Role in Dragon Ball Super
In 2015, Funimation announced that Chuck Huber would be reprising his role as Android 17 in the English dub of the new Dragon Ball series, Dragon Ball Super. The series takes place several years after the events of Dragon Ball Z and features many of the original cast members returning. Huber was excited to voice 17 again, a character he had first brought to life nearly two decades prior.
Android 17 has a major role in the Universe Survival arc of Dragon Ball Super, where he is selected to represent Universe 7 in a multiversal tournament. Huber got to showcase 17’s character growth, as he is now a nature park ranger who protects animals. 17 plays a pivotal part in the climactic battles of the arc. His performance received praise from fans who were delighted to see one of their favorite characters again with Huber’s trademark voice.
Huber’s other Dragon Ball roles
In addition to voicing Android 17, Huber has lent his voice talents to many other characters in the Dragon Ball franchise over the years (https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Chuck_Huber). Some of the other notable Dragon Ball characters he has voiced include:
- Emperor Pilaf – The villain who first tried to use the Dragon Balls for world domination in the original Dragon Ball series.
- Master Shen – The Crane Hermit who was Master Roshi’s rival and trained Tien and Chiaotzu.
- See-Through the Invisible Man – One of the fighters in the Other World Tournament during the Buu saga.
- Garlic Jr. – The villain of Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone and the Garlic Jr. Saga.
- Kibito – Supreme Kai’s assistant who travels with him to find fighters to compete in the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament.
- Mustard – One of the fighters from Universe 9 in the Tournament of Power arc in Dragon Ball Super.
Huber has been praised for capturing the essence of each of these varied characters, showcasing his range and talent as a voice actor (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0399321/). Over his decades-long career with the Dragon Ball franchise, he has brought life and personality to many fan-favorite roles.
Critical reception
Chuck Huber’s voice acting for Android 17 has received widespread praise. Many consider his laidback yet menacing performance to be a perfect fit for the cocky android. According to a review on IMDB, “Huber did a fantastic job voicing Android 17. He gave the character attitude and a sarcastic wit that really brought him to life.”
Fans especially appreciated how Huber was able to capture 17’s complex personality. As one Reddit user commented after meeting Huber, “Chuck said he really liked TFS’s portrayal of 17 and Android 13, he even said ‘Look at my trucker hat’ when I chatted with him.”
In an interview on TikTok, Huber explained how he aimed to portray 17 as simultaneously dangerous yet charismatic. His nuanced approach clearly resonated with viewers.
Impact on Huber’s career
Voicing the popular role of Android 17 had a significant impact on expanding Huber’s opportunities as a voice actor. According to the Dragon Ball Wiki, Huber’s portrayal of 17 “propelled him into the sphere of anime voice acting,” leading to many other major voice acting roles. After achieving mainstream recognition through Dragon Ball Z, Huber went on to voice prominent characters in other popular anime series such as Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fairy Tail, and Attack on Titan.
In an interview with DBZ Figures, Huber acknowledged how playing Android 17 opened doors, stating “That role definitely launched my career in a big way.” He credits Dragon Ball for bringing him into contact with directors and people in the industry. Overall, voicing 17 gave Huber’s career momentum and enabled him to showcase his talents to a wider audience.
Huber’s Perspective on Voicing Dragon Ball
In an interview with The Anime Dad Podcast, Chuck Huber discussed his experience voicing Android 17 and other characters in the Dragon Ball franchise. Huber shared that he was initially surprised when he landed the role of 17, as he was still new to voice acting at the time. However, he was determined to make the character his own. Huber revealed that he came up with 17’s laidback attitude and sly sense of humor to contrast with the more intense personalities of the other villains.
When asked about reprising 17 for Dragon Ball Super, Huber said he was thrilled to return to the character after so many years. He adjusted his voice acting to reflect 17’s growth and maturity since his villainous days. Huber noted that 17 became one of the heroes and his evolution was satisfying. Overall, Huber expressed his appreciation and love for having the opportunity to be part of such an iconic anime franchise.
Conclusion
Chuck Huber has had an prolific career as a voice actor in the Dragon Ball franchise, bringing several memorable characters to life with his vocal talents. However, his standout and breakout role was undoubtedly as the menacing Android 17 in Dragon Ball Z. Huber’s chilling yet nuanced take on the cocky android antagonist helped make 17 one of the show’s most popular villains. When Dragon Ball Super brought back many classic characters, Huber was able to reprise 17 to great effect, adding more depth and sympathy to the role. Though he also voiced minor characters like Android 13 and King Cold, Android 17 remains Huber’s defining Dragon Ball part. His voice work captured 17’s danger and attitude, but also his complexity, and was crucial in elevating the character to iconic status.