Why Jason/Yamori From Tokyo Ghoul Sounds So Familiar
Christopher Sabat is the talented English voice actor who brought the "Tokyo Ghoul" character, Yakumo Oomori (his alias is Yamori), to life. Recognizable for his massive stature and the hockey mask he wears to cover his face, Yamori also became commonly known as Jason, likely as a reference to how much the character resembles "Friday the 13th's" iconic slasher villain, Jason Voorhees.
Fond of torturing his victims, Jason becomes a crucial antagonist in "Tokyo Ghoul" as a ghoul of the 13th Ward. Jason is the proper introduction to the Aogiri Tree, an organization whose members are all ghouls. It's described as a cult-like terrorist organization and extremely dangerous, serving as the primary antagonistic force of "Tokyo Ghoul" and its sequel. The Aogiri Tree is finally disbanded in "Tokyo Ghoul." However, Jason is one of the organization's executives and the first member introduced in the series.
Jason is one of the anime's most memorable villains due to his iconic design and overarching influence throughout the series. Of course, the incredible performance of his voice actor also helped solidify his presence. Christopher Sabat brought Jason's English dub to life, but he's been in hundreds of anime throughout his career dating back to the '80s.
Christopher Sabat has been in just about every iteration of Dragon Ball imaginable
First appearing in 1986's "Dragon Ball: Curse of the Rubies" as the English voice for Yamcha and Shenron, the magical dragon, Christopher Sabat, has gone on to voice many characters throughout the "Dragon Ball" franchise. Sabat is still part of the franchise today, with his latest credit in the franchise being in 2022's "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" (via IMDb).
Sabat has voiced many significant characters in the franchise for years, including Vegeta, Piccolo, Korin, and several others. Some of the most iconic and beloved characters to come out of the franchise have been voiced by Sabat, though the wide range in their distinct voices would make it hard to tell that it's the work of the same person.
Sabat's work on "Dragon Ball" alone shows his wide range and capability as a voice actor. It's hard to imagine someone as powerful and vital as Vegeta sounding any other way after so many years of voicing the villain-turned-hero. The series may still be ongoing after over three decades, but it wouldn't be the same without Sabat.
Sabat was the lovable Kuwabara in Yu Yu Hakusho
"Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files" was an anime from the early 1990s that ran for several years. It had movies, little spin-offs, and even video games, where Christopher Sabat voiced several characters throughout the franchise. The most important role he played was Kazuma Kuwabara, the goofy best friend of the main protagonist, Yusuke Urameshi. Kuwabara was always defined as a companion that was easy to make fun of but also had a massive heart. Although he often butted heads with the group's core members, the team noticeably didn't hold together without the glue that was Kuwabara.
Although Kuwabara wasn't the oldest, wisest, or most powerful of the team members, he could hold his own. With the ability to summon a spirit sword at will, Kuwabara acts as the group's tank. As the largest one with the most close-ranged combat options, he rushes in to take the brunt of the damage while dealing devastating blows that allow his team to rush in behind him and take over.
Sabat reprised his role as Kuwabara in 2018 when a mini-series titled "Yu Yu Hakusho OVA" was released.
One Piece is another franchise that Sabat voiced multiple characters in
Christopher Sabat's first appearance in the "One Piece" franchise was in 2000 in a short called "One Piece Pilot 3." In this short, he voiced the character Helmeppo, but since then, he's portrayed several other characters and provided his talents for additional voices. The main character he's shown in most of the franchise is Roronoa Zoro.
Also known as "Pirate Hunter" Zoro, he is a master swordsman who uses the Three Sword Style. He is one of two swordsmen in the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. After hanging up his bounty hunter hat, Zoro noticeably became the first person to join Luffey's crew. As one of the most influential members of the team, Zoro trains to, hopefully, one day, become the most powerful swordsman the world has ever seen.
Zoro is also one of the pirates that make up the "Worst Generation," a group of 12 pirates who appeared on the scene before the start of the Summit War of Marineford.
Fruits Basket also stars Christopher Sabat
"Fruits Basket" is a relatively small franchise compared to some of the anime that Christopher Sabat has voiced for. Originally debuting in 2001, Sabat voiced Ayame Sohma, the older brother of Yuki, the holder of the zodiac's rat spirit. Sabat reprised his role as Ayame in 2019 when "Fruits Basket" got a reboot series, which had a much better reception from fans than the original series due to its more fleshed-out narrative and more attention to the manga the series was based on.
Ayame is cursed with the spirit of the snake from the Chinese zodiac. Ayame is one of three members of the Mabudachi Trio, joined by his best friends, Hatori and Shiguri. Ayame acts like a foil to his younger brother, Yuki, who is quiet, respectful, and often portrayed as shy. Ayame is his opposite in most ways, as he is confident, vocal, and can come off as self-absorbed.
Ayame's story revolves around his brother quite often, as his main goal is reconnecting with Yuki after years of ignoring the younger boy in their youth. Yuki's approval and love become a focal point for Ayame's character, as it's one of the only things he seems to wish to obtain that he hasn't already gotten. Slowly, Yuki begins to open up to his elder brother's work at reconnecting, and they grow closer as the series continues.
Sabat gave Fullmetal one of its most iconic characters
"Fullmetal Alchemist" is one of those animes that everyone's heard of, and even if you haven't watched it, you likely know some aspects of the franchise. Christopher Sabat is responsible for bringing one of the most recognizable characters from the multiple series to life, Alex Louis Armstrong.
Sabat's first role as Armstrong was in a 2003 video game entitled "Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel." Still, he quickly reprised the role in 2004 when the TV series "Fullmetal Alchemist" finally debuted. Since then, he has voiced Armstrong in "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood" and several other franchise projects. He's also voiced Phillip Gargantos Armstrong and provided his voice for a few different background characters throughout the franchise. Still, without a shadow of a doubt, he will be remembered as Major Alex Louis Armstrong.
Also known as the Strong Arm Alchemist, Armstrong is part of the Amestrian State Military. As to be expected from someone with such a nickname, Armstrong is massive, muscular, and powerful, but his personality is quite the opposite of what someone might expect. Sweet, caring, and attentive, Armstrong puts a lot of value in treating people with respect and kindness.
My Hero Academia would suffer without Sabat's contributions
"My Hero Academia" is one of the newer franchises that Christopher Sabat signed on for. Starting in 2016, the series featured Sabat's talents by casting him as All Might, the superhero that suspiciously looks like he could be modeled for Marvel's Captain America. All Might, or as he's commonly known when he's not doing hero work, Toshinori Yagi is the greatest hero of his generation.
As the 8th holder of the One for All Quirk (quirk meaning what gives the hero their power), All Might became one of the most powerful superheroes ever, even becoming the Symbol of Peace. With the ability to enhance his power level to that of a superhuman, its likeness to the Super Soldier Serum isn't lost. The One for All Quirk is transferable from person to person based on the current holder's desire. They must give up the quirk willingly and transfer it to a new host.
After becoming a Foundational Hero Studies teacher at U.A. High School, All Might eventually pass the quirk down to one of his students, Izuku Midoriya.