LOS ANGELES — Voiceover artist Christopher Carlson, whose vocalizations can be heard in popular video games such as Wolf Whistle, Puncher 3, and Tongue Simulator, recently expressed exasperation at constantly having to do voiceover work for video games when his real passion lies in anime, sources close to the actor said.
“I only do these silly little games because they pay so well, but as a voiceover actor, you really want a project you can really sink your teeth into,” Carlson said on a break from doing dialogue for the upcoming game Renegade Soldier: Kozovo. “What I really love is treading the boards of a sound booth by dubbing anime, but it doesn’t pay the bills so here I am. I really hope to get cast in one of those animes that lasts for five-hundred or so episodes like One Piece and really get lost in the character.”
Coworkers of Carlson feel that his so-called “passion” has become really pretentious and he should be lucky for the work he’s getting.
“I’ve played a busty zombie nurse in about thirteen different games and I’m thankful for that,” co-worker Joanne Morgan said. “Considering most of the voiceover work for films is taken by celebrities nowadays, we have to take what we can get. Am I upset to use my degree in voice acting from Temple University to make guttural noises of someone whose throat was just slit? Sure! Would I rather do ‘real’ acting in an anime like Chef x Samurai? Obviously. But a lady has to eat.”
Voiceover talent agent Russ Gallant explained that he sees this all the time with his clients.
“These fresh young voices come out to LA expecting to be the next Steve Blum but end up doing offensive Latino accents for Grand Theft Auto because that’s where the work is,” Gallant explained. “Unfortunately, anime doesn’t pay, so I tell my clients, pay your dues and do the voice of an anonymous football player for the next Madden and then go and do your little artsy Tale of the Three Hearted Princess or whatever the hell in your spare time.”
As of press time, Carlson turned down the role of Baron Jürgen Pflüger in the game Balloon Race 3000 in hopes of starring in and directing the English dub of the anime Feather Devil Professors.
