Demon Slayer Star Zach Aguilar Cuts Into Infinity Castle, Anime Dubbing, & The Greatest Games He’s Ever Played

Zach Aguilar is a highly sought-after voice actor currently making waves in the industry. He first gained recognition for his role as Genos in One-Punch Man, and has since become a lead voice actor in popular series like Demon Slayer and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. With each new project, Aguilar continues to build an already remarkable career.

Zach Aguilar is a talented voice actor who has worked on many popular anime, movies, and video games, including Fire Emblem: Three Houses and NieR Replicant, and he continues to be very active in the industry. I recently had a great conversation with him where he discussed his career, explained how he approaches auditions and recording, and shared his thoughts on some of his favorite projects.

You’ve been working in the voice acting industry for a few years now – quite a few, actually – How’d you get your start performing?

I started performing on camera at a young age. My mom acted as my manager and would often tell my school I was sick so I could attend auditions. I did this for a while and eventually discovered voice acting. My passion for performing really began with anime and video games.

Were you already a big fan of the Demon Slayer manga before you auditioned for the anime’s dub?

The funny thing is, I wasn’t very familiar with the manga beforehand. Growing up, I mostly followed Naruto, Bleach, and Dragon Ball. I’d occasionally catch glimpses or hear about newer series, but I didn’t really know much about Demon Slayer until I got the audition. I landed the role, and that’s what motivated me to finally read the manga – and it was amazing! I read everything to get a sense of the story. I remember thinking during the first recording session, “Wow, this is going to be an incredible journey.”

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is now the highest-grossing Japanese film worldwide. How does it feel to be part of such a momentous achievement?

It’s incredible! As a longtime anime fan, voice acting has always been my dream, and right now, it’s actually happening. I used to watch shows like Naruto and imagine myself being part of something with that same energy – action, comedy, the works. It still doesn’t feel real, and I’m truly honored.

In that same vein, Demon Slayer is one of the most popular anime and manga franchises in the world right now. Why do you think that is?

The success of Demon Slayer really comes down to a few key things. Ufotable’s animation is incredible, and the show is full of memorable characters, each with their own unique personality and striking design. It’s amazing to see how fans connect with the characters – at conventions, I often see parents dressing up as Rengoku or Shinobu alongside their kids. Demon Slayer has something for everyone, and it’s really special to witness families bonding over it – sharing an experience they all enjoy together. It’s just incredibly cool to be a part of that.

Speaking on the amazing elements that make Demon Slayer popular, Infinity Castle’s art direction and animation are simply on another level, so much so that the movie was garnering a fair bit of Oscar buzz in the lead up to the 98th Academy Award nominations. Do you feel disappointed the film didn’t make the nominee list?

It’s tough to win everything, and this year had so many fantastic films that it’s hard to feel disappointed about not being on every list. Just being nominated for awards like the Golden Globes is a huge accomplishment. Plus, we still have two more films coming out, so there’s always hope!

When it comes to your method of portraying Tanjiro and putting your own take on the character, how do you go about that? Either versus or in conversation with Natsuki Hanae’s performance in the Japanese version?

There’s a delicate balance between honoring the original performance and making the character my own, which is actually quite ironic. I remember meeting him for the first time while we were working on the Swordsmith Village arc, and that’s exactly what he told me. I asked him for his best advice as I took on the role and tried to connect with English-speaking audiences. He said simply to believe in myself and trust my instincts. He told me not to focus on what he had done, because they chose me to play Tanjiro – that I was Tanjiro.

Honestly, I was so touched that he had faith in my take on the character – that he trusted my vision! I always try to strike the right balance, and I’m constantly inspired by his performance. He’s just phenomenal – he played my absolute favorite character in Your Lie in April. Seriously, he’s amazing. I really focus on building off his interpretation and making it something English-speaking audiences can really connect with and enjoy.

Who have been your biggest inspirations and influences in your acting career?

It’s amazing to see so many talented people! In film, I admire Jim Carrey and Leonardo DiCaprio. For voice acting, I grew up watching SpongeBob, so Yuri Lowenthal and Tom Kenny are huge inspirations. I’ve actually been on set with Yuri, though we haven’t worked directly together yet. I’d love the chance to collaborate with Tom someday. I’m just focused on doing my best work and hoping for more opportunities to work with such incredible artists.

What are the main differences between recording for a season of Demon Slayer versus recording one of the films?

Recording for movies and TV shows happens on different schedules. Movies can be recorded quickly, sometimes in just a couple of weeks. For a TV season, they usually tell us which episodes we’ll be working on over a specific period, and there’s more room to adjust. Technically, though, the process is pretty similar – we work with the same team and record our lines to match the animation.

When you’re recording a film, there’s a lot of pressure. You know you’ll probably see it many times – in the theater with your castmates, friends, and family. I even had friends wanting to rewatch the Demon Slayer movie, and I found myself agreeing to see it for the eighth time! It’s just that you know you’ll be watching it repeatedly, and you really want everyone to enjoy it, because you realize it’s something special that people will experience again and again.

On that note, how many times have you personally seen Infinity Castle at this point?

He’s seen it well over ten times, I’d say. I ran into Hanae at the premiere, and he told me he’d been watching it constantly while on tour, in every language! He’d just come from Mexico, so we watched the Spanish version, which was really neat. He even invited me to join him on the tour, and I immediately said yes. I’d love to go to Germany and hear the German dub, that would be amazing.

I know that voice acting is often solo work. Do you ever get a chance to read with the other actors? Or is it primarily yourself in the booth?

Generally, I record my lines myself. But I really like having other actors – or even the director reading the other lines – to react to. It helps me get into the scene. That’s why I waited until the very end of filming for this movie. I wanted to be able to hear the other actors’ performances in my headphones while I was recording, so I had something to respond to.

What’s been your favorite scene to record so far in your Demon Slayer career?

It’s tough to pick a favorite part, honestly! There have been so many great moments. If I had to choose, I’d say the Entertainment District arc really stood out. That fight with Gyutaro was amazing, and I really loved seeing Tengen in action. The way that arc ended was incredible – it was just packed with raw, powerful emotion. It actually made me think about how helpful it can be to just let it all out, like going into a soundproof room and screaming! It’s surprisingly therapeutic.

Oh, I bet. Do you have any acting rituals you get going before you start recording?

I definitely have a lot of pre-performance routines! I usually drink tea and do vocal warm-ups for about 30 to 40 minutes. I even use a neti pot to clear my sinuses – maybe too much information, but I try to be as prepared as possible. Sometimes, simply going for a run helps get my mind and body ready. When we’re dubbing, things move very quickly – it’s all about reacting in the moment and delivering lines with little time to overthink.

Moving on to video games for a little bit, you’re the voice of male Byleth from the Fire Emblem games. What’s it like playing a silent protagonist, and then getting opportunities to flesh them out in subsequent spin-offs and sequels where that silence isn’t as pronounced?

It’s all still pretty strange to me. I had friends who were into the Fire Emblem series, but I didn’t actually play it myself until Three Houses came out, which is kind of funny. It’s hard to believe I ended up being part of such a long-running series for Nintendo. I remember being completely surprised when Byleth was added to Super Smash Bros. – I wasn’t given any advance notice! Here’s how it usually works: when you’re booked for a recording session, they give you a project code name. It’s often something totally vague, like ‘White Snow 3’ or something similar.

I already knew the internal project code for Fire Emblem, so when I went to the recording booth and started working on what I was told was Three Houses DLC, I assumed that’s what it was. They kept telling me it was Fire Emblem: Three Houses DLC! But then, about halfway through, I had to sync my voice to footage, and that’s when I saw the Smash letter. I was completely baffled. I looked at the director and asked what was going on, because it didn’t make any sense! The director and producer were cracking up – they thought it was hilarious. I was genuinely confused and kept asking them what was happening.

I once had to keep a huge secret: Byleth from Three Houses was going to be a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Someone told me this in confidence, with a very stern warning not to breathe a word of it to anyone! It was incredibly difficult, especially since I’d regularly play Smash with my friends and we’d all speculate about who the next character would be. This was before Sora was announced, and everyone was really hoping for Sora. I knew it was going to be Byleth, but I had to keep it under wraps for a long time.

How long did you have to hold onto that secret?

Oh, months and months and months. It wasn’t an entire year, but it felt like forever to me,

Are there cases where you go into the booth for something, and you just never find out what the project is?

This isn’t the first time this has happened. Some actors likely don’t bother asking for details, but I always need to know what I’m getting into. When I start a project, I always ask, “What is this about?” I’ve already signed the non-disclosure agreement, so you can trust I won’t reveal anything before it’s released, but I need to understand the project itself.

Do you feel like that lack of context affects your performance?

You know, it really depends! As a gamer myself, I often have a feel for what a game is going for – are they aiming for something super dramatic and over-the-top, a really cartoony vibe, or something realistic like a live-action film? But thankfully, directors are usually involved to help steer you in the right direction and make sure your performance fits the game’s style.

It might be like picking a favorite child, but do you have a favorite role you’ve done?

It’s incredibly difficult to choose a favorite project – it’s like choosing a favorite child! I get asked that question all the time, especially at conventions. People want to know which of my many games and anime adaptations I like best, but they’re all so different, it’s honestly impossible to pick just one, and I don’t really want to. That said, working on Dragon Ball and Smash Bros. were both dream projects for me. NieR Replicant was a lot of fun too. But Demon Slayer has been truly life-changing. It’s opened up so many new doors in my career, allowing me to travel the world and meet amazing people. Each role holds a special place for different reasons.

I’m glad you mentioned NieR Replicant. NieR is one of the most emotional and subversive games ever made, and you played the main character pre Time-Skip. What was it like doing voiceover for a game with such a charged story?

It was a really great experience. I hadn’t had a chance to play the game before, but I’d seen a lot of gameplay footage. I especially watched a lot of footage of the character performed by Father Nier, hoping to get a feel for him. Honestly, it didn’t really help, because the character ended up being quite different, but the team at Square Enix were fantastic. They provided me with a comprehensive, 30-page PDF detailing the entire lore of the NieR universe, including information from the Drakengard games! I’m serious, it was incredibly detailed. I read it all to fully understand the story and my role. It was just so much fun to work on. Even though I recorded my lines separately, I could occasionally hear bits and pieces of Liam O’Brien and Laura Bailey’s performances, and it always made me smile. They’re both voice acting heroes of mine.

Do you often get like those big context PDFs for projects, or is NieR an exception?

While NieR was a great experience, I often wish I had more background information on projects – details about the story or character – to help me prepare. Recording these projects usually happens quickly, and it’s not like we have extensive rehearsals with the writers and producers to discuss everything. If I have questions or ideas for my performance, I usually have to ask them on the spot and hope I get an answer.

In cases where time and opportunity allow you to do so, how much research do you like to put into your characters?

I always try to find as much background material as possible for a project. For example, with NieR, I studied the first game, even though the main characters were different – one was a father, the other a brother. I’ll even read manga if it exists. With One-Punch Man, I was already a fan of the original webcomic, so landing that role was incredible. My friends online had predicted it would become a popular anime and wondered who would do the voice acting, and it was so strange to actually be a part of it. I’m glad I put in the research, because it helps me understand the character. Even if I’m not completely sure about my interpretation, knowing I’ve done my homework gives me confidence, and I think that comes across in my performance.

I know it’s probably not possible, given just how stacked your resume is, but have you played all the games you’ve done voice work for?

I haven’t played every single game, I’m missing a couple. I was playing World of Warcraft, but I was focused on a particular part of it, so I didn’t experience everything. I was technically a WoW player, but I skipped one of the game’s expansions. You could save your progress, of course, but there are definitely still some I haven’t tried.

When it comes to the ones that you have played, do you tend to gravitate to the characters that you voice? Are you a Byleth main Smash?

It’s amusing looking back, but before Byleth was released, I used to main Jigglypuff. I honestly just thought it would be hilarious to lose to that character, so I started playing Jigglypuff specifically to annoy my friends. When Byleth came out, I switched to him, but it was rough. He plays very differently from Jigglypuff, and I was terrible at first! I’d get really frustrated and vent online because I was so bad. It’s almost a curse – you get to experience playing Smash, but you’re just not good with the character you chose. Luckily, I ended up practicing a lot, and now I’d say Byleth and Jigglypuff are my two best characters. I’ve definitely gotten much better.

When it comes to the audition process for different roles, do you audition for specific characters, or is a blanket deal where your voice is matched to who the director thinks your voice you’d work best with?

It’s common for me to be offered roles based on previous auditions. Sometimes a director will remember how I read for a different part and decide I’d be perfect for something else, essentially pre-casting me. This often happens if they’ve worked with me before and know my abilities. Occasionally, I’ll be brought in for a short recording session – just a couple of hours – to test me out for a role they have in mind, and if it works, I end up playing it for a long time, even years.

With something like Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, what was that audition process like?

I’d been attending conventions and meeting the actors from Dragon Ball, which was amazing – they were my childhood heroes! I grew up listening to Chris Sabat, Sean Schemmel, Monica Rial, and Sonny Strait. It was surreal to finally meet them in person. I had a chance to talk with Chris Sabat and we even went out to dinner. I was doing silly impressions and weird voices, and a few months later he called me. He remembered a voice I’d done at dinner and thought it would be perfect for a character he had. He asked if I could send in an audition right away.

They sent me the audition script for Dr. Hedo, and I recorded my take. But the director wanted it even more over-the-top, so he gave me some direction and I did another version. That one seemed to stick – I ended up getting cast! I flew out to Texas for a weekend to record the part. It was just me, Chris Sabat, and Rawly Pickens in the massive Crunchyroll building, recording all alone in a sound booth.

What a crazy way to get the role!

It was completely unexpected, but those kinds of strange things happen, and you just need to be prepared. You’re always mentally switched on, ready to jump in and do something unusual. And this role definitely was unusual for me. Dr. Hedo has a completely different voice than what people are used to hearing from me, but I really enjoyed playing him.

As a Dragon Ball fan, how happy are you to be part of the franchise now?

It’s incredible! And he’s connected to the original story – he’s actually Dr. Gero’s grandson, which is amazing. I’m really excited to have been involved, and I’m hoping for a chance to return in future projects, whether it’s a new series or a video game. I’d be thrilled to come back in any capacity.

I was gonna ask you, are you excited about the Dragon Ball Super remake?

Yeah, I think that’s super cool! No pun intended. I’m excited to see it. I’m sure it’ll be great.

What are some of your favorite anime franchises of all time?

I’m a big fan of anime like Dragon Ball, Naruto, Code Geass, and Death Note. But if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Your Lie in April. As someone who’s played piano for years, that series really connected with me. It was so captivating that each episode flew by! I was completely drawn in by everything about it – the beautiful music, how powerfully it evoked emotions, and the stunning animation.

So you’ve also lent a lot of your talents to different JRPGs. Do you have a favorite JRPG franchise?

That’s a tough one! I’d probably say Pokémon. It was my first experience with Japanese role-playing games, and I’ve played every Pokémon game since. I even enjoy the challenge of trying to find shiny Pokémon!

This being TopMob, I do have to ask, what games are you playing right now?

I’m a little embarrassed to admit I just downloaded Red Dead Redemption 2 and haven’t started playing yet, but I’m already really excited about it! I’ve only been playing for about five or six hours, but it’s fantastic. I’ve always dreamed of being a cowboy.

Great list. Jumping back to your career, I’d love to talk about Cyberpunk a little bit. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is heralded as one of the greatest anime ever made. How do you reflect on that experience?

It felt really strange and unexpected when I landed that role. I’d actually auditioned for it previously. The timing was terrible, though, because I had COVID and was incredibly sick – I could barely stay awake for more than a few hours each day. Luckily, Wendy Lee reached out and asked if I’d be willing to try out again, since they hadn’t found the right person yet. I was eager to, but explained I was too ill to perform well. She gave me a deadline, and I asked if I could have a week to recover. She was able to extend it, but even then, my voice wasn’t fully back to normal.

My voice was really rough, and I was desperately trying to recover it. I tried everything I could think of – I took all my medication and even sat in a sauna – just to get it sounding somewhat normal. I remember submitting an audition, but I didn’t get much information about the project. They just said it involved a character named David, a street kid in a futuristic, cyberpunk-style world. They might have even used those exact words, which made me wonder if it was for Cyberpunk 2077. A week later, the director called with great news: I got the part of David! At the time, I didn’t realize how important the role was – I just thought it was another job. I had no idea I was playing the main character. On the first day of recording, I joined a small team of people – some from Poland and some from Japan – all connecting remotely.

I started asking everyone about this show I’d discovered. They told me it was called Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, an anime series. It’s connected to the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, actually taking place before the events of the game. I found that really cool, since I’d played a bit of 2077 and was familiar with some of the terms and references. I remember talking with my team, and they were surprised I understood certain things I spotted. I’d point something out, like the koi fish, and they’d ask how I knew about it. I’d just explain that I recognized it from the game. None of us expected the show to become as popular as it did.

Initially, I was informed there were no plans for merchandise related to the show, as they didn’t anticipate it becoming popular after its release on Netflix. However, it became so successful that they had to create an entire department just to handle merchandise requests. That experience was incredibly rewarding for me because the writers were directly involved and very open to my input. While it’s not uncommon for companies to have specific ideas about what they want, they often want to control certain lines or aspects of the character. But on this project, there were times when, while recording, we all felt like a different approach might be better.

It seemed like everyone in the recording studio was on the same page. I’d often suggest trying something different, like having someone add a little improvisation – maybe a playful curse word, a mumbled phrase, or even a completely new line that fit the scene’s vibe and felt more natural. We really had the luxury of taking our time with the anime projects, and we made sure everything was just right. I’m incredibly grateful for the team – they were fantastic to work with, and it was a really enjoyable experience.

Building off that, how much liberty do you get with something like Tanjiro and Demon Slayer when it comes to putting your own spin and take on the character?

I’d say Tanjiro’s character is pretty focused and doesn’t allow for much deviation from his established personality. Sometimes my ideas are considered too far off-base. So, I always try to find a different approach that works within the guidelines. I always do my best to satisfy the producers and director, and thankfully, they were open to my input on one particular scene. It was during Tanjiro’s speech to Akaza, when he says, “The strong should help and protect the weak.” They really liked my take on that moment.

I recalled reading the manga and immediately recognized that specific line when it was said. I suggested keeping that exact wording because I felt it would sync perfectly with the character’s lip movements. The script originally had something different, but I argued for using the manga’s text, as it just made sense. While we were recording, they checked, and I recorded the line. They agreed with me, and we kept it in the final version.

2026-02-13 05:14