Anime dubs with famous celebrities?

[Samurai]

Recently I saw the anime "Armitage: Dual Matrix", and I was surprised that Hollywood actress Juliette Lewis did the voice of the main character instead of the usual anime voice actors (I'm guessing they must have had a higher budget). So just curious, anyone know any other anime dubs where famous celebrities did the voices? Not including the Miyazaki movies.

[tinlunlau]

well, there's Patrick Stewart, Alfred Molina and Anna Paquin in "Steamboy".

as for hong kong, Louis Koo's the main lead in the Cantonese dub of "Jin-Roh" (which is a rarity in Hong Kong. they usually use unknown voice actors for cantonese dubs).

[Hey_yu]

Well in the previous Armitage movie Poly-Matrix, the voice actress was Elizabeth Hurley (that chick from "Saved By the Bell" and "Showgirls"). And I think Kiefer Sutherland was also one of the voices as well. And although this might not count as a big celebrity, one of the Power Rangers did the voice of Vash the Stampede and other anime characters... :p

Although I hear in that upcoming IGPX show on Toonami, they got some big names like that one kid from "The Sixth Sense". I wonder if he'll say, "I see dead people?"

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Hey Yu--You meant Elizabeth Berkeley, not Elizabeth Hurley. Liz Hurley is the British actress who once dated Hugh Grant, and starred in the 1st Austin Powers movie.

[Mr. Pedro]

Kiki's Delivery Service did have Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman and Janeane Garofalo on the roster.

[IanC]

Howls Mocing Castle is meant to have some pretty big names. Of course im more happy that Crispin Freeman has a part...

[SonGokuGT]

Pretty much ALL the Ghibli films, right?

[Tabris-The-17th]

HOW famous are we talking here? Because I know Claudia Black from Farscape had a role in Steel Angel Kurumi.

[The Weed Of Cri]

Well in the previous Armitage movie Poly-Matrix, the voice actress was Elizabeth Hurley (that chick from "Saved By the Bell" and "Showgirls"). And I think Kiefer Sutherland was also one of the voices as well. And although this might not count as a big celebrity, one of the Power Rangers did the voice of Vash the Stampede and other anime characters... :p
Kiefer Sutherland played Ross Sylabus in the Armitage movie. And yes, Johnny Yong Bosch, the voice of Vash, was the Black Ranger in one of the numerous incarnations of the Power Rangers (but don't ask me which one; I can't tell them apart anymore).

On the weird end of the celebrity spectrum, Edwin Neal, who made a couple of movies with Tobe Hooper, including the original version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (he was the crazy hitchhiker), has been popping up in a few anime roles, including Getta Robo: Armageddon and the new dub of Gatchaman (he's Berg Katse).

[MahouShoujo13]

The only dub that comes to my mind is Princess Mononoke.

[AstroNerdBoy]

Disney-dubs tend to get bigger names. The Armitage dub-only movie (made from the OAV with a different ending) did have Keifer in it and I think he was keen to do the project.

So-called A-list celebrity voices are going to add to the cost of a title unless they are willing to do if for next to nothing. The money is usually not good enough to draw B-list celebrities.

*shrugs*

As the song says, "It don't matter to me..." ;)

[Sailor Chibi Otaku]

Well known Canadian actors and actresses have been in some dubs as well as a handful of CAPCOM video games. David Hayter is Canadian and is well known for his role as Solid Snake.

[IanC]

As the song says, "It don't matter to me..." ;)
Why post then if you dont like dubs at all?

[purplehairedwonder]

Well, even though it's more anime-influenced than actual anime, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker had Mark Hamill as the Joker (and Will Friedle as Terry McGinnis).

[Timmay]

Why post then if you dont like dubs at all?
The troll per thread quota must be fulfilled!

[Noukon]

Well, even though it's more anime-influenced than actual anime, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker had Mark Hamill as the Joker (and Will Friedle as Terry McGinnis).
RotJ was actually animated by a Japanese studio, though I can't recall which one.

[Lord Dalek]

RotJ was actually animated by a KOREAN studio, though I can't recall which one. Fixed.

[Karl Olson]

Fixed.

Actually, some boarding and key was done in Japan IIRC. I know boarding was, as one of Akira's boarders worked on RotJ, atleast if I'm remembering the commentary right.

[Noukon]

Fixed.
The commentary on the DVD said otherwise...

[FerrariCake]

Well, even though it's more anime-influenced than actual anime, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker had Mark Hamill as the Joker (and Will Friedle as Terry McGinnis).I'm pretty sure Mark Hamill was also the Joker in Batman: TAS as well... And Hamill was the bad guy in Castle in the Sky.

[Mynd Hed]

I'm pretty sure Mark Hamill was also the Joker in Batman: TAS as well... And Hamill was the bad guy in Castle in the Sky.

Yep-- as I recall he had a tendency to slip into his Joker voice during the more "villainous" scenes as well. Castle in the Sky also had James Van Der Beek (sp?) as the male lead. He sounded really odd and clipped, almost like the Canadians in South Park, presumably because he's unaccustomed to timing his lines to the lip flaps. The whole dub had a real "so bad it's good" vibe to it, real MST3K material.

[Riza Hawkeye]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet; Samuel L. Jackson will be the lead character in "Afro Samurai".

[FerrariCake]

Yep-- as I recall he had a tendency to slip into his Joker voice during the more "villainous" scenes as well. Yeah, before I knew it was Hamill I was just like "OMFG, where's Batman?!" Batman popping up anywhere in any anime would own.
I think the girl in CitS was voiced by Anna Paquin/ Rouge.
And the girl who played Lilo was also Chihiro. That's sorta famous, right?