4Kids

The OG Dub VA for Luffy Returns as Joy Boy

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They’re Bringing Back the OG VA for Luffy for One Piece

After all of these years, the OG dub VA for Monkey D. Luffy is getting some recognition.

These days, it’s hard to imagine a world in which One Piece isn’t one of the most popular media franchises in the world. But like anything great, it didn’t start off that way. It’s taken decades for One Piece to become the globally mainstream hit it is now, and I think that part of the reason why it is that way is due to how bad its initial debut in the West was. The people who enjoy the English dub tend to think of the ongoing Funimation (now Crunchyroll) dub of One Piece, but like Dragon Ball and other anime that came westward in the 90s and 2000s, there were other English dubs. It just so happens that the OG dub of One Piece is infamously considered one of the worst ever made: the One Piece 4Kids dub.

Anyone Remember 4Kids?

Before the rise of Funimation, 4Kids Entertainment was the premier company when it came to localizing anime in the West. From the original Pokemon anime to Yu-Gi-Oh! and its numerous sequel series, 4Kids was once the king of anime. I was one of the kids who grew up loving everything they did, but looking back on it now, you can tell just how much they changed things for their audiences. The shows they dubbed were subjected to a lot of censorship and changes meant to make them what they deemed to be suitable for kids because they thought it was what was best for them. In doing so, though, they removed a lot of the tension and stakes that made the shows so compelling, with questionable results. They could get away with in Pokemon since it was meant for kids, but it starts becoming noticeable in shows like Yu-Gi-Oh! And then came the show that would ruin them: One Piece.

And they never wanted to do it in the first place.

4Kids didn’t know what it was doing

4Kids never had any intention of dubbing One Piece in the first place. The only reason that they did it is because it was part of a package deal they got with Toei that included shows that they actually wanted. They didn’t know anything about it going in, and when they saw all the more mature themes (smoking, death, fanservice) and said “we can’t show this to our demographic!” So they censored like they never censored before…with disastrous results.

There’s a reason why the 4Kids dub of One Piece is considered one of the worst dubs of all time, and if you grew up watching it, find it on dvd, or find it online, you’ll understand why. All the blood was removed, alcohol was replaced with other drinks, they removed the guns or replaced with ridiculous props. Not to mention just how bad the voice acting was. I didn’t realize it as a kid, but it was absolutely terrible! And worst of all was how they cut out key moments from the story. I didn’t even know until years later about Laboon or Little Garden because they were outright removed!

Ultimately, their attempt to dub One Piece the beginning of the end for 4Kids. It was so poorly received that their reputation would never fully recover, and several years, the company went belly up. Now all that remains is the memory of it and the dubs they left behind. As for One Piece, Funimation would eventually take up the role of dubbing it, but it would take years for them to undo the damage. These days, the English dub is in a much better position, but I’m willing to bet that there are plenty of fans that prefer sub over dub partly due to what 4Kids did. Honestly, I don’t blame them. I look back on the 4Kids dub, and realize just how bad it really was.

The sad irony? I actually stopped initially watching One Piece after the 4Kids dub ended.

At Least 4Kids Introduced me to One Piece

I was only ten years old when I started watching One Piece, and I had no idea just how bad a hand I had gotten with it. Even with all the censoring and changes, One Piece still looked so cool to me, to the point where I started going around wearing the closest thing I could find to Luffy’s straw hat. And when it ended and I think Toonami switched to the Funimation dub, I was so confused that I walked away from it altogether. Again, I was just a kid who didn’t know any better. Plus, I wasn’t able to find ways to watch the anime and read the manga until I was in high school, so there wasn’t much that I could do. Yet despite knowing how bad I got it, I can’t truly bring myself to hate the 4Kids dub of One Piece, if only because it was how I got into the series in the first place. Which is why this next bit of news brings a smile to my face.

It will have likely already passed by then, but on March 24th, for the first time ever, the dub of the One Piece anime will be caught up to the subbed. For decades, fans have had to deal with the fact that the English dub remained dozens, even hundreds, of episodes behind the subbed version. That alone is a big win. But it just got even bigger: they’re bringing back the original dub VA for Luffy.

In one of the final batches of episodes before the anime went seasonal, One Piece introduced us to the voice of Joy Boy, a legendary figure in the lore of the series who was said to be the first pirate, and the last person to wield the powers that Luffy now has. In a fun twist, the Seiyuu for Joy Boy is Uraka Takano, the original voice of Luffy. Most people don’t know this, but there was actually an OVA of One Piece released in 1998, predating the Toei series and with different animation and voices. So it’s poetic to have Joy Boy voiced by the OG Luffy.

The dub seems to have taken a similar stance on the matter, as it was announced that the English voice actor for Joy Boy is Erica Schroeder, aka the original English voice for Luffy from the 4Kids days.

I can’t help but smile at this small tribute to what came before it. Even if it was one of the worst dubs of anime in history, 4Kids is still a part of the history of One Piece. It’s how I fell in love with One Piece in the first place, so I at least respect it for that. Getting to hear the OG voice of Luffy is going to be something that I hope makes me very happy, and I’m glad that it’s getting acknowledged.

Plus, for all its faults, yjere was one thing that 4Kids did right by One Piece: the opening rap. Say what you want about everything else, but that rap song isn’t half bad.

Rachael Lillis, the Original Voice of Misty and Jessie from ‘Pokemon’, Has Died

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Rachael Lillis, the OG Voice Actress for Pokemon’s Misty and Jessie, Has Passed Away From Breast Cancer

This might be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to write for this blog, but it needs to be done. This monday, it was publicly announced that Rachael Lillis, the legendary voice actress and original voice of Misty and Jessie, passed away on Saturday, August 10th. She was 46 years old.

A professional voice actress, people best knew Rachael for her time with the Pokémon franchise. When 4Kids started dubbing the anime in the West, Rachael was part of the original cast. For eight years, she provided the voice to both Misty, the water-type Pokémon trainer with a fiery temper, and Jessie, the lovable villainess of Team Rocket. She was also the voice behind multiple Pokemon, with Jigglypuff being the most notable. To the best of my knowledge, they still use archival recordings of her for Jigglypuff to this day.

Earlier this year, I had reported how Rachael had developed breast cancer that had since spread to other parts of her body, leaving her barely able to walk on her own. Several of her relatives and colleagues set up a GoFundMe to get the money to move her to a better facility, and many spread the word about it on social media. As hopeful as I wanted to be, I knew she wasn’t long for this world. But…I didn’t expect us to lose her this soon.

I don’t need to spend time explaining just how important Rachael, Misty, and Jessie were to me. Watching Pokemon was what got me into anime. I retroactively consider Misty to be my first anime waifu ever. Watching how she could go from being sweet and friendly with Ash and Brock to being ballistic was so much fun, and it made for a big part of the show’s appeal to me. As a 90s/2000s kid, losing her is like a massive gut punch. I’m barely able to keep myself from crying as I write this; it’s beyond devastating.

Fans and colleagues are mourning Rachael’s passing all across the Internet, and it is heartbreaking to read. She was one of those early pioneers of anime in the West, and while others went on to voice her characters, to me, she was the only Misty and Jessie that I needed.

Rest in peace, Rachael. You were a real one, and I’ll never forget you as Misty for as long as I live.

Misty from Pokémon Needs Help Fighting Cancer

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They say you always remember your first. The first time you kissed someone, the first time you got behind the wheel of a car, and the day your first kid was born. But for anime fans, one of the biggest firsts is our first anime crush. For me, I am not ashamed to admit that it was Misty from the original Pokémon anime. Maybe it was because I liked her fashion sense, or her fiery nature. Which is ironic, considering she uses water-type Pokémon . Whatever the reasons, Misty holds the distinction of being my first anime waifu.

Which is why I am very sad to report this: Misty’s voice actress has cancer.

On Monday, May 13th, 2024, a new campaign went up on GoFundMe, organized by the sister of voice actress Rachel Lillis. Those who grew up watching Pokémon will best remember her as the voices of Jessie and Misty from the show. And, as of January, 2024, she’s been living in a nursing home in Los Angeles. The cancer in question, breast cancer, has already spread to her spine, making it almost impossible for her to walk.

A mere nursing home is not enough, though. If Rachel wants to get the best help, she needs to be able to pay for an assisted living home or at-home care. Thus, her sister has organized this GoFundMe campaign to help support her. At the time of this writing, it’s raised $70k, 50K more than the original goal.

Rachel’s co-stars and friends have also shown their support. Eric Stuart, her co-star and the original voice for both James and Brock, has helped to spread the word about it on Twitter. And now I’m wanting to do the same.

I freaking hate cancer, you guys. It is one of the worst ways that anyone can die from, especially since it is something that your body is unable to fight back against. I’ve seen family, pets, and even celebrities taken before their time due to cancer. And I refuse to let it take the woman who voiced my first waifu without a fight. So, please, if you have it in your heart, please donate to help Rachel. She doesn’t deserve this. 

GoFundMe for Rachel Lillis

They say you always remember your first. The first time you kissed someone, the first time you got behind the wheel of a car, and the day your first kid was born. But for anime fans, one of the biggest firsts is our first anime crush. For me, I am not ashamed to admit that it was Misty from the original Pokémon anime. Maybe it was because I liked her fashion sense, or her fiery nature. Which is ironic, considering she uses water-type Pokemon. Whatever the reasons, Misty holds the distinction of being my first anime waifu.

Which is why I am very sad to report this: Misty’s voice actress has cancer.

On Monday, May 13th, 2024, a new campaign went up on GoFundMe, organized by the sister of voice actress Rachel Lillis. Those who grew up watching Pokémon will best remember her as the voices of Jessie and Misty from the show. And, as of January, 2024, she’s been living in a nursing home in Los Angeles. The cancer in question, breast cancer, has already spread to her spine, making it almost impossible for her to walk.

A mere nursing home is not enough, though. If Rachel wants to get the best help, she needs to be able to pay for an assisted living home or at-home care. Thus, her sister has organized this GoFundMe campaign to help support her. At the time of this writing, it’s raised $70k, 50K more than the original goal.

Rachel’s co-stars and friends have also shown their support. Eric Stuart, her co-star and the original voice for both James and Brock, has helped to spread the word about it on Twitter. And now I’m wanting to do the same.

I freaking hate cancer, you guys. It is one of the worst ways that anyone can die from, especially since it is something that your body is unable to fight back against. I’ve seen family, pets, and even celebrities taken before their time due to cancer. And I refuse to let it take the woman who voiced my first waifu without a fight. So, please, if you have it in your heart, please donate to help Rachel. She doesn’t deserve this. 

GoFundMe for Rachel Lillis