A Suggested List for Neon White’s Japanese Dub

This is a blog written to celebrate Neon White, a game loved by the “everyone” in 2022. It just so happens that yours truly belongs to this illusory “everyone”. At least in this case. Though it’s not aspects that involve the jump button.

“By weebs, for weebs” is practically the marketing line for Neon White, though yours truly do not like the f word actually used there. The game is published by Annapurna Interactive, aka those people who have Academy Awarding winning actors on speed dial. I guess getting one of the most famous non-union voice actors Steve Blum for this game is a piece of cake for them, so I am imagining what they can do if they have more contacts with voice talent agencies in Japan.

The er, raw ingredient here is Food Wars Shokugeki no Soma, a show that led pro wrestler Xavier Wood to have some adventure in Japanese all those years ago. It’s based an action comic for boys where cook-offs constitute as action. So main cast members there play cooks and let’s see how they would do in a hell’s kitchen built in heaven. I intend the following 8 as the full cast, since any of 5 gents below can pull double duties as some bit players along with their respective starring roles.

Hero?

Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as White

Time to down that “Japanese Nolan North” well for the third time but there is a good reason. Mr. Matsuoka played the titular hero of Shokugeki no Soma, and has a radio voice the closest to Steve Blum’s A voice.

Radio voice to yours truly is what voice actors choose to represent themselves in mostly but not limited to audio media like radio show, podcasts or audio commentary in home media releases of video shows. Of course, when things align, they can use their radio voice for fictional characters they play.

While Mr. Blum’s voice did not match too many of his Japanese counterparts, the much younger Matsuoka’s radio voice matches it in terms of pitch and mannerism. The timing for comedy is uncannily similar as well. So, I guess he should be considered if a Japanese dub for Neon White the game is ever considered

Foe?

Sho Hayami as Green

Okay, why not include one of them “Japanese Sean Beans” as well. Mr. Hayami played Azami in Shokugeki no Soma, a super villain representing monopoly to titular hero’s more “free market benefits all” tendency. It would have been a fitting endgame for the story after Azami exited the stage as a defeated control freak, but the team over there just kept going until the creators had no more energy to design elaborate recipes.

Anyway, Neon Green in the game is a cartoon villain is a too griding for the ears voice, while Mr. Hayami’s voice is stronger on features like gravitas and smoothness. Though his villain performance would not make you to hit them any less. Yours truly sure want easier on the ears taunts in those set-piece boss fights.

Lover?

Ai Kayano as Red

For the first two ladies on this list, I’m including the two who played characters who got sidelined pretty early in Shokugeki No Soma. Like 25 episodes into the anime or 8 books into all 26 books kind of early.

Ai Kayano played Ryoko Sakaki, a red head, in Shokugeki No Soma. And it’s about it. Well, not quite. Ms. Kayano and Mr. Matsuoka usually collaborate in the “will they won’t they” drama in things where they share more scenes than they did in this cook off show. They will be at home doing the “did they didn’t they” thing in Neon White.

Crush?

Maaya Uchida as Violet

Maaya Uchida was in the very first game yours truly reviewed on this site, as she played one of the potential love interests in 2020’s Sakura Wars soft reboot. Her performance there would make her a candidate for playing Neon Red, but her role in Shokugeki No Soma, Yuki Yoshino, is Neon Violet through and through. The girl just prefers to hunt for her meat in a homicidal way uncanny to Violet.

Friend？

Natsuki Hanae as Yellow

Yeah, well, here comes “Bakey”. Mr. Hanae played Takumi Aldni in Shokugeki No Soma, a blonde Italian cook with a one-way rivalry towards the titular hero. While Mr. Hanae did not cermet him as “Japanese Troy Baker” to yours truly until his double bill in 2017, the imaginary “Northy vs. Bakey” had began in 2015 when Shokugeki No Soma went on air.

Sakuke to Naruto, John Cena…Yeah, the man who had voiced everyone’s least favorite dorky fuck boy 9S in NieR Automata would certainly be typecast if he plays Neon Yellow.

Authority?

Takehito Koyasu as Mikey

Mr. Koyasu won the honor of being the first Japanese voice actor mentioned in a Giantbomb podcast. He played the relatively easy-going chief Gin Dojima in Shokugeki No Soma, in sharp contrast to his role in Yakitate Japan, the bakeoff show mentioned by Tam.

As a man mainly play the “Screw you all, I’m transcending” type of comic book super villain, Angel Michael seen as a cigar smoking “Garfield” is almost the next stage. It answers the question “What to do, what to do after transcending” doesn’t it?

Front?

Mamiko Noto as Gaby

Mamiko Noto played the Hinako Inui, an nice yet demanding chef of Japanese cuisine in Shokugeki no Soma. Ms. Noto has a naturally haunting voice. But currently in her 40s, she seems to have more fun playing corporate ladies in suits, like her role in Gundam Witch from Mercery. She can be a blast while have a blast playing the secretary façade Angel Gabriel puts up.

Bit Players

Yuichi Nakamura as Additional Voices

Yuichi Nakamura played Kojiro Shinomiya, an authoritarian chef of French cuisine in Shokugeki No Soma. Though Mr. Nakamura’s “smooth like vanilla cream” voice usually gets him cast as the more easy-going characters. He also prided himself as a man with many voices as he got cast in many “putting bit into bit player” parts. So, I’m putting the man I wish would voice Commander Shepard here just as additional voices. Mark Meer did plenty of those in Mass Effect games after all.