Why Issei From High School DxD Sounds So Familiar
"High School DxD" first started as a light novel in 2008. It was soon adapted into a manga and has even been featured on the New York Times best-seller list on several occasions. It was made into an anime in 2012, with its latest season ending in 2018.
Written by Ichiei Ishibumi and illustrated by Miyama-Zero, the series follows Issei Hyodo, a rather perverted boy who has dreams of becoming a harem king. He goes on a date with a girl who turns out to be a fallen angel. After being killed, he is revived by devil princess, Rias Gremory, who turns him into a devil, too.
Those who watch dubs might have noticed that after Season 2, Issei's voice had changed. This is because the previous voice actor was forced to leave due to legal issues and had to be replaced. Issei's new voice might be familiar to some, especially because he has portrayed characters in several popular anime adaptations.
Josh Grelle fights Titans
Arguably, Josh Grelle's most popular role is that of Armin Arlert in the highly popular anime, "Attack on Titan." The series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where humanity faces great danger at the hands of Titans, gigantic creatures that devour humans and are nearly impossible to destroy.
Armin lives in the Shiganshina District of Wall Maria alongside Eren Jaegar and Mikasa Ackerman. Being small and meek, Armin is often bullied, which leads to some major self-esteem issues. After the wall is breached by Titans — resulting in the death of Armin's grandfather — he joins Eren and Mikasa to become Scouts dedicated to eliminating Titans. Armin is understandably frightened, and this only intensifies as he watches his comrades being eaten during combat. However, Armin is determined to push himself, and he soon realizes that what he lacks in strength, he makes up for in intelligence as he plans attacks and makes observations.
Grelle puts his all into voicing Armin, a part which calls for many emotional scenes. A review from the Anime Herald praises Grelle, even saying that his work is just as good as the original Japanese.
Grelle has a quirk
"Attack on Titan" isn't the only critically-acclaimed series Grelle has been in. "My Hero Academia" is a world full of people with Quirks, and Grelle plays Fumikage Tokoyami, a pretty interesting aspiring hero. Fumikage is a student of U-A academy alongside Izuku Midoriya and Shoto Todoroki. Like Mina Ashido and Koji Koda, he has a distinguishing physical appearance which comes in the form of a dark bird's head. Though he is reserved and focused, Fumikage proves that he is also extremely loyal and brave. This is particularly true when he risks his life to save his mentor, Hawks, and unleashes the full power of his Dark Shadow after Mina gets injured.
Grelle has also appeared in both of the "My Hero Academia" films, "Two Heroes" and "Heroes Rising." After completing the dubbing for the upcoming movie, "World's Heroes' Mission," which is due for an August release in Japan, it is likely he will return to voice the bird-headed hero.
Grelle is a devil and a part-timer
"High School DxD" is not the only time Josh Grelle has been in an anime that has been adapted from a light novel. In 2014, he began playing a much cuter version of Satan in "The Devil is a Part Timer."
After Satan and his general, Alciel, turn up in modern Tokyo, they find life is a little harder than expected. Due to lack of magic, they must take on human forms. Using the name Sadao Maou, Satan gets a job at a fast-food joint called MgRonald's. He is actually pretty good and is even promoted to an assistant shift manager. There are times when he can adopt his demon form. However, rather than causing mischief, he does good deeds and shows that, though he is a devil, he has a good heart.
Crunchyroll users love the series, especially its use of comedy. It was announced in 2021 that a second season is in development, and Grelle will probably be back to voice Sadao once it gets dubbed.
Josh Grelle is also a prince
Josh Grelle soon became royalty with his work on "Snow White with the Red Hair" as Zen Wistaria. After cutting off her hair and running from a dangerous prince, Shirayuki ends up in the kingdom of Clarines, where she meets Zen. Shirayuki is a skilled herbalist, and after saving Zen's life, she begins working in the Clarines' palace. Because she and Zen have a clear difference in status, their friendship is not ideal. However, that does not stop the two from deepening their relationship as they start to fall in love with each other.
Zen is a very noble prince, having rescued Shirayuki from various dangers. He is also rather easy-going, and although he sneaks out of his castle, he is serious about his responsibility to his kingdom and his people. Because of his personality, Grelle plays him with a soft tone, especially when he is interacting with Shirayuki. He is not above raising his voice at times when he is comically annoyed or when he is protecting his friends' honors.
Grelle has performed amazing ice-skating routines
In 2016, Grelle took on a role that didn't have fantastical elements, man-eating creatures, or super-powered citizens. Instead, he became part of a different, yet equally popular genre with "Yuri on Ice," and that is the sports anime.
Grelle plays the titular character, Yuri Katsuki, who has dreams of being a professional figure skater. After many crushing defeats, Yuri decides to head back home, but his break from ice skating doesn't last long. Someone uploads a recording of Yuri showing his friend a routine from Victor Nikiforov, and an impressed Victor offers to become Yuri's coach. The road is long and hard, and though Yuri doesn't win the gold in the end, he has won something better: Victor's heart. In episode 7, Victor even kisses him after he finishes a magnificent performance.
A review on Anime UK News congratulates Grelle for his portrayal, particularly for the way he "conveys Yuri's vulnerability as well as his determination." The anime has also won several accolades in the 1st Crunchyroll Awards.