The sub vs. dub debates are a persisting issue for anime fans. However, the discourse hasn’t been as aggressive or judgemental in recent years. For that, we have amazing English voice actors like Aleks Le to thank. Solo Leveling is currently one of the most loved animes, and Le’s portrayal of Sung Jinwoo in the English dub is praiseworthy.
The voice actor has played many popular characters, and his growth over the years is phenomenal. So much so that it’s hard to believe that he played one of the most hated shonen characters. Many fans find Zenitsu from Demon Slayer extremely annoying, and Le is his voice actor in the English dub of the anime.
A simple look at all the characters that he has played makes it seem like there’s absolutely nothing he can’t do. The range of characters is impressive, and so is his portrayal of them.
Aleks Le has voiced the most loved and hated anime characters
There’s nothing Sung Jinwoo can’t do, yet he faces many emotionally difficult situations. For instance, the first time he killed another human was a life-changing event for him. He contemplated his actions before and after the mission with Hwang Dongsuk. Or his mother’s revival in the latest episode of season 2 shows us a sobbing Jinwoo.
Such scenes need conviction from the actor as they’re meant to resonate with the audience. Aleks Le understood what he was supposed to do, and expressed exactly what Jinwoo was experiencing. He has done the same for many characters, including Mash Burnedead from Mashle, Thorfinn from Vinland Saga, Kazuya Kinoshita from Rent A Girlfriend, and Zenitsu Agatsuma from Demon Slayer.
Contrary to the immense love Jinwoo has garnered, Zenitsu is one of the most hated characters. With the constant screaming voice being a part of why Zenitsu is hated, it’s bizarre to think that the same person who has played Jinwoo and Thorfinn also played him. It needs to be mentioned that the hate for Zenitsu comes from his characterization and is not Le’s fault by any means.
Here’s what makes Zenitsu so hated in the anime community
Zenitsu fits the “lover archetype” and characters from this category are usually fond of females. Zenitsu can be quite persistent while chasing women, and his pushy attitude doesn’t sit well with some fans. Moreover, he’s loud and always scared. He exclaims how scared he is of the situation, and considering the risk factor of his job, the constant screaming can get repetitive and annoying.
His redeeming factor was his fights, but he fought most of them while asleep. It was a weird twist that hurt his character even more. Compared to beginning, the character has undergone unimaginable growth. He played an integral role during the final showdown with Muzan. However, he started on a rough note, and his first impression is not in his favor.
Solo Leveling is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
