Did they change Android 18 voice actor?
The Dragon Ball franchise is one of the most popular and successful anime franchises of all time. It was created by Akira Toriyama and spans several anime series, movies, video games, and other media. The original Dragon Ball anime series aired from 1986 to 1989. It introduced many iconic characters, including Android 18.
Android 18 first appeared in Dragon Ball Z, the second anime series in the franchise which aired from 1989 to 1996. She was originally a human named Lazuli, but was forcibly turned into an android cyborg along with her twin brother Lapis by the evil scientist Dr. Gero. Despite being a villain at first, Android 18 goes on to become an ally of the Z Fighters and later marries Krillin. She is a prominent character across several Dragon Ball series.
Original Japanese Voice Actor
In the Japanese version of the entire Dragon Ball anime series and subsequent related media, Android 18 is voiced by Miki Itō (Wikipedia). Itō has voiced the character in all Dragon Ball media, including the original Dragon Ball Z anime series, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball video games, and Dragon Ball movies. She is known for providing the cool, confident voice that defines Android 18’s personality in Japanese.
English Voice Actors
The original English voice actor for Android 18 in Funimation’s dub of Dragon Ball Z was Meredith McCoy. McCoy voiced 18 throughout the Cell Saga and in Dragon Ball Z Kai. According to her IMDb profile, McCoy is an American actress and singer best known for voicing Android 18. She has worked extensively with Funimation on numerous anime series.
In Dragon Ball Super, 18’s voice was taken over by Colleen Clinkenbeard. Clinkenbeard has voiced 18 in all Dragon Ball Super media, video games, and merchandise released since 2015. The reason for the voice actor change from McCoy to Clinkenbeard is unclear, but many speculate it was a decision made during the recasting for Dragon Ball Z Kai and carried over to Super.
Sources:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566787/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meredith_McCoy
Kai English Voice Actor
In the English dub of Dragon Ball Kai, the voice actor for Android 18 was changed from Meredith McCoy to Laura Bailey (Android 18 – Dragon Ball Kai (TV Show)). Meredith McCoy had previously voiced the character in the Funimation dubs of Dragon Ball Z and early Dragon Ball media. However, when Funimation licensed Kai for an English dub release, the role was recast and given to Laura Bailey.
Laura Bailey took on voicing Android 18 starting with Dragon Ball Kai in 2010. She has continued to voice the character in video games and other Dragon Ball media since then. The change to Laura Bailey marked a major casting shift for the Android 18 role in the Funimation English dub productions.
Super Voice Actor
In Dragon Ball Super, Android 18 continues to be voiced by Meredith McCoy in the Funimation English dub. McCoy has been voicing the character since Dragon Ball Z and is well known for her portrayal of 18 (Behind the Voice Actors). She captures 18’s cool and confident personality that has endeared the character to many fans over the years.
Meredith McCoy is an American voice actress based in Dallas. She has worked extensively with Funimation on many anime dubs such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, Case Closed, and more (IMDb). Android 18 remains one of her most iconic voice roles and it’s great to see her continuing to voice the character in the new series.
Video Games
Android 18 has been voiced by various voice actors in the many Dragon Ball video games over the years. In games like Dragon Ball Z: Budokai and Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi, she was voiced by Meredith McCoy, reprising her role from the Funimation dub of the anime. In Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi and Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z, she was voiced by Colleen Clinkenbeard, who voiced her in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
For the more recent Dragon Ball games developed by Arc System Works like Dragon Ball FighterZ and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, Android 18’s voice was provided by Miki Ito, reprising her original Japanese voice role. Ito has voiced Android 18 in all the Dragon Ball games by Arc System Works. So while the English voice has changed, in Japanese Android 18 has consistently been voiced by Miki Ito in video games.
The only major English voice change was due to Dragon Ball Z Kai and Android 18 being recast from Meredith McCoy to Colleen Clinkenbeard starting in 2010. In games based on Kai like Ultimate Tenkaichi, this new game voice was used. Otherwise, McCoy voiced her in most English game appearances.
Abridged Series
Android 18 was voiced by Amber Lee Connors (using the pseudonym Shudo Ranmaru) in the popular Dragon Ball Z Abridged parody series created by Team FourStar. She first appeared in episode 54 of the series, titled “Flashpoint”, which aired in 2016.
Connors brought a comedic and sarcastic take on Android 18’s character that made her a fan favorite. She delivered many popular one-liners and jokes throughout her appearances on DBZA. Her chemistry and improv skills with Scott Frerichs, the voice of Krillin, were also praised.
Overall, Connors’ hilarious portrayal as Android 18 is considered one of the standout performances in DBZA. Her voicework contributed greatly to the humor and appeal of the Abridged series.
Reception
Fans have had mixed reactions to the various voice actor changes for Android 18 over the years. When Funimation took over the English dub for Dragon Ball Z in the early 2000s, Meredith McCoy was cast as 18 and remained in the role for the entirety of DBZ and Dragon Ball GT [1]. Many fans grew attached to McCoy’s portrayal during that time.
However, when Funimation produced Dragon Ball Z Kai in 2010, Colleen Clinkenbeard took over as the new voice of 18 [2]. This recasting was controversial among longtime fans who were used to McCoy’s take on the character. While some appreciated Clinkenbeard’s performance, others felt she lacked the attitude and sass that McCoy brought to the role.
When Dragon Ball Super was dubbed in 2017, Clinkenbeard continued voicing 18. Over time, fans have become more accepting of the change as Clinkenbeard has settled into the role. However, many nostalgic fans still prefer McCoy’s original portrayal and wish she could have remained as 18’s English voice actor [3].
Reasons for Voice Actor Changes
There are a few typical reasons why voice actors might be recast for sequels or new versions of an anime:
Schedule conflicts – The original voice actor may have other projects or commitments that prevent them from reprising the role. Voice acting is freelance work, so actors often juggle multiple gigs (Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/danganronpa/comments/yy83gj/why_the_heck_do_they_replace_90_of_the_voice/).
Retirement or death – The original voice actor may have retired from voice acting or passed away since the original production. Recasting is necessary in these situations (Source: https://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=1768881).
Different studios – If the sequel or reboot is produced by a different studio, they may opt to do their own casting rather than use the original voice actors. This is common when a show switches production companies (Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/danganronpa/comments/yy83gj/why_the_heck_do_they_replace_90_of_the_voice/).
Fresh start – Sometimes the producers decide to completely revamp the voice cast to give the new version a fresh feel. This may be an artistic choice rather than a logistical one.
Cost – Although rare, recasting voice actors may sometimes be motivated by trying to reduce costs on a tight budget production.
Conclusion
Android 18’s voice has gone through several iterations over the course of the Dragon Ball franchise. Originating with Miki Ito’s iconic portrayal in the Japanese version, it was later voiced by various actors in English dubs, most notably Meredith McCoy in the Funimation dub. The Kai dub brought Colleen Clinkenbeard’s take, which was well-received by fans. In video games and abridged series, other actors have also put their spin on 18’s voice.
While some fans initially resisted changes from the original Japanese voice, the evolution of Android 18’s voice acting has been an organic process. With each new portrayal, fans have gradually warmed up as actors make the character their own. Today there is appreciation for both the classic takes and new spins that keep 18 relevant and engaging for modern audiences. Her voice has become as iconic as her appearance, representing 18’s cool, confident personality. Though voices have changed, 18 continues speaking to fans young and old.
