Voice actors rarely receive the recognition they deserve for their performances in animated series. While a few titles occasionally break through to the global stage, such as the recent K-Pop Demon Hunters, which rightfully swept this year’s awards season, they remain the exception.

Countless other anime series deliver an equal, if not greater, emotional punch without ever reaching the mainstream. Many of these stories rival the depth of an Oscar-winning Best Picture, featuring voice talent that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the elite of live-action cinema.

To be fair, the media are distinct. They are not identical, nor is one inherently superior. However, it is important to acknowledge how much of themselves these actors pour into their roles. They provide the heartbeat of the audience’s experience, yet they often go unnoticed. They deserve to be seen as the world-class performers they truly are.

In a recent interview with Temple of Geek, Johnny Yong Bosch, who plays Vash the Stampede, and Sarah Roach, who plays Meryl Stryfe in TRIGUN STARGAZE, spoke about the process of preparing for emotional scenes in the anime.

Johnny Yong Bosch Offers a Glimpse into Using Grief

Throughout TRIGUN STAMPEDE and TRIGUN STARGAZE, Vash and his brother, Knives, have a troubled relationship. There is a tremendous amount of opposition and emotion between the two of them. TRIGUN STARGAZE leaned into the angst between the characters more so than in the previous installment. Bosch gave us a glimpse into the way he is able to channel his own heartbreak into an incredible performance.

When we worked on Stampede, I lost my brother to cancer. And I never said anything about it, but dealing with the dynamic between his [Vash] brother and wanting to have him there in the same space with him… what I’m getting at is it’s always there. Pain is always there. And so I don’t wanna say it’s easy, but I can, as you can see,  I can get there pretty quickly.

Sarah Roach Dives into How Meryl Feels Within Each Relationship

Meryl Stryfe is a compassionate character with a deep connection to her friends. Her emotions depend on what’s going on around her, and Sarah Roach speaks to that empathy.

I think this show is so much about the relationships between the characters. And so I really try and consider how Meryl feels about the person she’s talking to, why she’s saying what she’s saying, what does she need them to hear? And sometimes there’s multiple thoughts going on at the same time. And so I really try and get in that space by focusing on her relationship to the other characters.

About “TRIGUN STARGAZE”

It’s been two and a half years since the Lost JuLai tragedy laid waste to an entire city and engulfed the whole planet in chaos. Meryl continues her search for Vash with her new younger sidekick, Milly, and runs into Wolfwood along the way.

Meanwhile, Vash has taken the new name, Eriks, and is living in hiding in a backwater town. When he receives an abrupt visit and SOS from the third ship they call home, he acts swiftly to protect those dear to him. As soon as the planet receives good news from the far reaches of outer space, the one-winged angel returns to wreak havoc and despair. Fates collide to forge a conclusion for the panicked planet. TRIGUN STARGAZE is the second season and final journey of TRIGUN STAMPEDE.