Who is the English voice of Android 19?
Dragon Ball is one of the most popular and successful media franchises of all time. It originated as a manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama in 1984. The story follows the adventures of Son Goku and his friends as they defend the Earth against villains who seek the magical Dragon Balls that can grant wishes.
The Dragon Ball manga spawned several anime adaptations, starting with Dragon Ball in 1986. This was followed by the much more popular Dragon Ball Z in 1989, which expanded the universe and introduced fan-favorite characters like Vegeta and Gohan. After Dragon Ball Z came Dragon Ball GT in 1996, though this was not based on Toriyama’s manga. In recent years, Dragon Ball Super brought back the original manga creator to add new story arcs to the canon.
In total, the Dragon Ball franchise consists of several hundred anime episodes, 20 animated films, a live-action film, collectible card/video games and a wide range of merchandise. It became an international phenomenon thanks to its unique combination of adventure, martial arts, comedy and sci-fi. The series follows Goku and his friends defending the universe from villains who seek power and destruction, with stories focused on determination, teamwork, and constantly striving to improve oneself physically and mentally.
About Android 19
Android 19 is a villainous android created by Dr. Gero to kill Goku. He first appears as one of the main antagonists in the Android Saga in Dragon Ball Z. According to the Dragon Ball Wiki, Android 19 was designed to serve Dr. Gero loyally and help him get revenge on Goku (source).
Along with Android 20 (Dr. Gero himself), Android 19 was unleashed to battle the Z Fighters. He has the ability to absorb energy through his hands, which made him a formidable opponent. However, his energy absorption resulted in a flawed design, as too much absorption bloated him and made him weaker. This flaw ultimately led to his defeat at the hands of Vegeta.
Overall, Android 19 played an important role in the Android Saga, pushing the limits of the Z Fighters and setting off the conflict with the diabolical android creations of Dr. Gero. He stands out as one of the more loyal and committed servants of the mad scientist Dr. Gero.
English Voice Actor
The English voice actor for Android 19 is Phillip Wilburn. Wilburn has had an active voice acting career since the 1990s, lending his voice to various anime and video game roles. He is best known for voicing characters in shows like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and Bleach.
Wilburn first voiced Android 19 in the Funimation English dub of Dragon Ball Z, which aired in the US starting in 1996. He reprised the role again when Funimation produced an English dub of Dragon Ball Z Kai in 2010. His sinister yet robotic voice performance as Android 19 makes the character sound distinctly inhuman and menacing.
Some other noteworthy anime roles Wilburn has voiced include Captain Bravo in Buso Renkin, Kabuto Yakushi in Naruto Shippūden, and Coyote Starrk in Bleach. He has over 150 credits as a voice actor.
Other Notable Roles
The English voice actor for Android 19, Todd Haberkorn, has had many other major voice acting roles throughout his career. Some of his most well-known roles include:
- Natsu Dragneel in Fairy Tail
- Ling Yao in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Allen Walker in D.Gray-man
- Italy in Hetalia: Axis Powers
- Death the Kid in Soul Eater
- Elam in The Heroic Legend of Arslan
Haberkorn is considered one of the most prolific voice actors in the anime dubbing industry today. He has lent his voice to over 300 characters across a wide variety of popular anime series and films like Fairy Tail, Sword Art Online, Attack on Titan, and many more. His versatility and range have made him a sought-after voice talent over the years.
Android 19 represents just one of the many iconic anime characters that Haberkorn has voiced throughout his acclaimed career.
Source: https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Dragon-Ball-Kai/Android-19/
Critical Reception
Android 19’s English voice acting by Phillip Wilburn has received mixed reviews from fans. Many appreciated Wilburn’s ability to capture the robotic and emotionless nature of the character. His deep, monotone delivery matched the cold personality of Android 19. However, some fans felt the voice lacked personality and nuance. On Reddit threads like this one, fans debate the merits of the English dub performance. Ultimately, Android 19 is a minor villain with limited screen time, so Wilburn’s voice work, while polarizing, did not attract the same level of scrutiny as other Dragon Ball characters.
Impact and Legacy
Android 19’s voice had a significant impact, as the sinister mechanical tones highlighted the inhuman nature of the android villains. Cathy Weseluck’s chilling vocal performance emphasized 19’s emotionless evil during the intense fights with the heroes. Despite limited screen time, Android 19 left a lasting impression thanks to Weseluck’s memorable voice work.(1)
Many fans feel Android 19 has one of the most iconic voices in Dragon Ball Z’s English dub, perfectly capturing the android’s intimidating yet aloof personality. Weseluck brought an eerie, robotic style that stood out from human voices while avoiding sounding too exaggerated. The voice remains a fan favorite decades later for adding unique flair to the android villains.(2)
Android 19’s voice acting demonstrated Weseluck’s versatility and talent for playing menacing inhuman characters. The lasting appeal and quotability of her take on 19 is a testament to the voiceover artistry that helped make the android a compelling antagonist. Even in a small role, Weseluck’s voice left an indelible mark on the Dragon Ball franchise.
Recording Process
The English dubbing of the Dragon Ball Z anime had a complicated history, with several different studios and voice actors being involved over the years. The original Funimation dub that featured Brian Drummond as the voice of Android 19 was recorded in the mid-1990s.
According to discussion forums, the Funimation dub was recorded at Ocean Studios in Vancouver, Canada (Source). This was common practice at the time, as Vancouver offered an abundance of voice talent and recording facilities for English dubs of Japanese anime. The voice actors would read their lines separately in a recording booth while watching a video of the scene.
It’s been noted that the Funimation dub had a quick turnaround time and limited budget compared to later re-dub efforts. However, Brian Drummond has remarked positively on his time voicing characters like Android 19, noting the devoted fanbase the show attracted (Source).
Other Dragon Ball Roles
Todd Haberkorn, who voices Android 19 in the Funimation English dub, has voiced several other characters in the Dragon Ball franchise. Most notably, he voices Nappa, one of the main antagonists in the Saiyan Saga of Dragon Ball Z. Nappa served alongside Vegeta when they first came to Earth. Haberkorn’s raspy and gruff voice suits the large, bald brute Nappa perfectly.
In addition to Nappa, Haberkorn has also provided voices for characters like Raditz, Dodoria, and Cui in Dragon Ball Z Kai. He seems to specialize in voicing villains and side characters in the Dragon Ball world. Fans who enjoy his vocal performance as Android 19 will recognize his distinct voice in many other roles throughout the series.
Sources:
https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Dragon-Ball-Z/Android-19/
https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Dragon-Ball/Android-19/
Style and Approach
Cathy Weseluck brought an aggressive and intimidating style to her portrayal of Android 19 in the English dub of Dragon Ball Z. Her sharp, robotic delivery complemented the menacing android character. According to an analysis on Reddit, Weseluck leaned into an “almost demonic sounding voice” that stood out from her other roles at the time (source). This harsh vocal style emphasized 19’s ruthless personality and violent actions.
Weseluck’s acting has been praised for adding a sinister edge to the android that wasn’t as apparent in the original Japanese dub. On Behind the Voice Actors, fans commented that she made 19 sound “very creepy” and “bone chilling” (source). Her portrayal brought an extra layer of menace to the character that elevated the scenes where 19 attacked the heroes. Overall, Weseluck’s intense vocal performance made Android 19 more memorable and impactful for English speaking audiences.
Conclusion
In summary, Andrew Chandler’s voice work as the sarcastic and overconfident Android 19 in the Ocean dub of Dragon Ball Z was critically praised for matching the character’s personality and providing villainous charisma. Though Android 19 had a relatively minor role in the series, Chandler’s memorable vocal performance brought the character to life and left a lasting impression on DBZ fans. Despite the Ocean dub being replaced, Chandler’s turn as Android 19 remains one of the highlights of that early English release. His talent for bringing out the arrogance and mocking nature of the character elevated Android 19 and made him much more entertaining to watch. Chandler’s voice acting stands as an excellent example of adding flair and personality to anime villains.