Female VA's for male characters

[drew0402]

Okay, just tried watching Black Butler (eng dubbed, but tried the jap dub too just to hear it), and I couldn't even make it through the first episode. Why? Because they have a female voice actor voicing one of the lead characters who is a male! Now, maybe I am the only one, because I know how many naruto fans there are out there, but seriously, I cannot sit through a show (regardless of language) where a male character over the age of 12 is voiced by a female VA... It's just ridiculous!

The point of this thread, however, is to find out if I am the only one who thinks this way. So please, tell me, am I the only one who thinks this way????

And feel free to tell me why it is you agree or disagree with my opinion that teenaged male characters should be voiced by male VA's.

Thanks

[idl12]

I agree with you, this is what almost made me not like FMA in the japanese dub, Al was understandable and it made sense for his Va to be female but Edward just didn't sound right, I mean I got used to it and it didn't affect the awesomeness of the show. but still, same goes for Dbz, which, though I watched completely in japanese at one point, I still can't get over Goku's Va, off course there are times when this is actually good, for example Luffy from one piece.

[drew0402]

I agree with you, this is what almost made me not like FMA in the japanese dub, Al was understandable and it made sense for his Va to be female but Edward just didn't sound right, I mean I got used to it and it didn't affect the awesomeness of the show. but still, same goes for Dbz, which, though I watched completely in japanese at one point, I still can't get over Goku's Va, off course there are times when this is actually good, for example Luffy from one piece.

Damn, I only watched FMA eng dubeed so I didn't even know that Edward was voiced by a female VA, am really glad I got into the dub first cause that may have stopped me from watching one of the best shows ever. And as you mention One Piece, I actually said no to that show because of the female VA or Luffy, same with Naruto. Just sux cause I it bothers me so much that I miss out on a lot of great shows because of it.

But clearly for the most part based on the lack of responses to this I am of the minority on this bothering me, so oh well. c'est la vie I guess

[UnknownSoldier9]

I agree with you also. I think female VA on a male character just sounds so weird. It bothers the hell out of me too. Like the show Jyu-oh-sei the first half of it the main character was VA'd by a female and it didnt fit the part at all. lol It bugged me but eventually changed. They bug me but if its a good show i just bite the bullet.

[Hōtarō]

Damn, I only watched FMA eng dubeed so I didn't even know that Edward was voiced by a female VA, am really glad I got into the dub first cause that may have stopped me from watching one of the best shows ever. And as you mention One Piece, I actually said no to that show because of the female VA or Luffy, same with Naruto. Just sux cause I it bothers me so much that I miss out on a lot of great shows because of it.

But clearly for the most part based on the lack of responses to this I am of the minority on this bothering me, so oh well. c'est la vie I guess

The VA for neither Ed nor Al were female. The boy who played Al was just young (at youngest, 11) when the series started.

Also, a lot of young male characters are played by women. They're the only ones that can get the right tone and still get the job done in an orderly fashion. I'd even go as far as to say most. It's never bothered me. They do it in both English and Japanese dubs because it's what sounds best.

[Koby]

Alphonse in FMAB is voiced by a girl in the dub.

Luffy in One Piece and Gohan in DB Kai is voiced by a girl as well.

[drew0402]

The VA for neither Ed nor Al were female. The boy who played Al was just young (at youngest, 11) when the series started.

Also, a lot of young male characters are played by women. They're the only ones that can get the right tone and still get the job done in an orderly fashion. I'd even go as far as to say most. It's never bothered me. They do it in both English and Japanese dubs because it's what sounds best.

I totally get that pre-pubescent boys sound like girls, so I have no problem when it is a really young character, or even a side character that is voiced by a female VA. It's just makes it hard for me to get into a lead male character that is older than 12 (as I originally mentioned) who is voiced by a woman because I find it way too unrealistic. Am I being too nitpicky over this, probably, but I just can't get over it and it ruins the character for me.

As for them doing it in both Japenese and English, Hitsugaya is voiced by a female in Japenese, but by a male in English, so I don't think that's an across the board thing. Although I do wonder how they (the powers that be or whoever) decide those things...

[Koudelka]

For me, if the seiyu is good that's all that matters - i don't care about the character - seiyu gender matching as long as to me, it sounds ok. For example in the dub of Kyo Kara Maoh Wolfram is voiced by Mona Marshal and i think her voice suited the arrogant spoilt brat quite well...I'm more put off by by over the top exaggeration or painfully fake accents and the like - if a voice is badly done its just bad irrespective of character -seiyu gender imo

[Koby]

The thing is remember this. How long will the series air? Can a boy maintain his voice going through puberty? No. Using a girl is a safe bet because she'll be able to voice the character for the long haul. Take Aaron Dismuke for example. He could no longer voice Alphonse in the dub of FMAB since he had went through puberty so they chose a girl to take his place.

[Hōtarō]

I totally get that pre-pubescent boys sound like girls, so I have no problem when it is a really young character, or even a side character that is voiced by a female VA. It's just makes it hard for me to get into a lead male character that is older than 12 (as I originally mentioned) who is voiced by a woman because I find it way too unrealistic. Am I being too nitpicky over this, probably, but I just can't get over it and it ruins the character for me.

As for them doing it in both Japenese and English, Hitsugaya is voiced by a female in Japenese, but by a male in English, so I don't think that's an across the board thing. Although I do wonder how they (the powers that be or whoever) decide those things...

How does one character in a single show represent the entirety of voice acting? Americans felt that Hitsugaya (being an adult) should have a more masculine voice, while the original dubbing thought of him as a smaller, so more high pitched, character.

I wouldn't let this ruin a character for you. That seems like it's taking it a bit far. I know it's unrealistic, but...this is anime we're talking about. It doesn't have to be realistic. If it fits the character, then it fits the character.

[faisalkhan10010]

AL or ED elric bros

[drew0402]

How does one character in a single show represent the entirety of voice acting? Americans felt that Hitsugaya (being an adult) should have a more masculine voice, while the original dubbing thought of him as a smaller, so more high pitched, character.

I wouldn't let this ruin a character for you. That seems like it's taking it a bit far. I know it's unrealistic, but...this is anime we're talking about. It doesn't have to be realistic. If it fits the character, then it fits the character.

It's only in some animes that they do this, I never said anything about this representing the entirety of anime, lol. And it's only when it's a main character that it really bugs me and turns me off from a show. I loved Moribito, and that kids' voice was annoying as hell! He he.

But I do agree that if it fits the character, it fits the character. My problem is I can't see a female voice fitting a teenaged male character (exception maybe being Black Star in Soul Eater). And as you rightly pointed out, it is anime, so the character is not a real person who hasn't hit puberty yet, or just has a high pitched voice, it's an anime character. To me that's all the more reason to voice male characters 12 and up with male VA's.

[Jam-Jam444]

Totally agreed, most of the voice actors for boys 13 and under are female voice actors...like in death note, Near is voiced by a female in the dubbed...its annoying...for one the voice actor just sounds too female and most of the episodes with Near I kept on thinking he was a girl....so I just had to change to english subbed. Also Kid Gohan's voice is too girly as well, gosh, so many voice actors are used over and over. Naruto as well. Japanese voice actors make the age believeable, although boys voices are noticeable high pitched around that age but I think the voice actor for Naruot is still his voice actor (actress?) in Shippuden!!!! The seiyu (?) I really like is that of Death the Kid and L. But straying off topic. Bye. Interesting post.