Dubbed Belldandy And Keiichi
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	Two of the last-minute unannounced additions to the Katsucon 
Guest list were Scott Simpson and Juliet Cesario, the English voice actors 
for Keiichi and Belldandy in the new AnimEigo dub of AH! MY GODDESS. 
Dub haters take note: these two are a very interesting pair who show 
that there really is promise for the future of American dubbing.

	Neither had a significant amount of prior experience with anime 
before they landed the two plum roles in GODDESS. Simpson had previously 
played lead Koji in METAL SKIN PANIC MADOX-1, but the lead in one-shot OVA 
is quite different from a full-fledged series. Cesario was slightly greener,
her previous role being Iris in AD POLICE FILES 2. With four female roles to
pick from, Cesario did in fact audition for the role of Belldandy, having 
been drawn to the role for pretty much the same reasons as fans are: 
Belldandy's gentleness, her integrity, and her affinity to others. This 
perception was further reinforced by casting director, Scott Houle's 
selection of the temple restoration scene from the first volume to use for
the audition. Belldandy displays a concordance with nature in this scene and 
this is what really inspired Cesario to try to win the role.

	Interestingly enough, though this is a romantic series, both the 
audition scenes for Belldandy and Keiichi were standalone. That is, they 
involved scenes in which only one of the two characters was speaking. 
While this is no doubt a reflection of the way US animation is made, 
it is still somewhat surprising since AnimEigo should "know better," having
seen the Japanese approach to voice acting firsthand. In the typical American
style, each of the actors would go in the studio separately to record. 
Usually, Simpson would record his Keiichi lines first, then later, Cesario
would have a chance to hear Simpson's performance while recording her own 
lines. In fact, throughout the recording of all five OVAs, there was only 
one scene where they recorded their lines together; numerous voices 
overlapped so much that it was easier to bring everyone into record all at 
once rather than attempt to layer and mix the voices manually and make it 
sound realistic. Simpson and Cesario are, in fact, a couple, but without 
any chance of interplay in the auditioning process, it is only Houle's good 
fortune (and maybe his own talent as a casting director) that he found a 
Belldandy and Keiichi with some natural chemistry.

	Their dedication is a testament to their respect for the product and
their desire to do a great job. Recording sessions were typically three to 
four hours each with a possible additional two hours for fixes. But, in 
addition, Simpson and Cesario went above and beyond by literally "doing their
homework," practicing and rehearsing with each other during evenings and off
hours.

	Both are theatrical actors, and found the raw expressive emotion in 
anime a breath of fresh air compared to the subdued, sometimes stoic approach
in American film. To quote Simpson, "There's nothing more restrictive than 
American film for the actor." Anime is just the opposite, a wonderfully 
refreshing alternative.

	Both Simpson and Cesario were warned beforehand that they would be 
replacing or competing with (call it what you will) two very popular Japanese
voices. Their response has been to leave the comparisons to the fans and do 
the best job they can. They hope the English version will speak for itself 
and can be viewed independently from the Japanese original. Simpson added, 
"There is no one more critical of our voices than us because we always think
we could have done more." It is this frank honesty and wonderful attitude 
that is refreshing to see, and may help turn the tide for English dubbing.

				
				— by Roderick "Agitator" Lee (AnimEigo)