The acclaimed Hiromu Arakawa’s latest manga, Daemons of the Shadow Realm, got the anime treatment, and fans are loving it. Reuniting the famed author with Studio BONES, who animated her past work, Fullmetal Alchemist, into one anime many claim to be the best of the medium, Daemons has a lot to live up. Thankfully, it’s action packed fights, lovable cast of characters, and gripping narrative have sunk their hooks into viewers. Temple of Geek was able to chat with the two English dub leads of the show, Ben Stegmair (Yuru) and Molly Zhang (Asa), to talk about being part of the anime, their characters, and their favorite lines.

The Complex Characters of Daemons of the Shadow Realm

Bringing Hiromu Arakawa’s richly layered characters to life requires actors who can navigate a massive emotional spectrum. For Ben Stegmair and Molly Zhang, stepping into the shoes of Yuru and Asa meant exploring individuals torn between innocence, fierce protectiveness, and dark intensity. Here, the actors break down the duality of their roles and what makes balancing these multi-faceted personalities so rewarding in the recording booth.

What makes Asa and Yuru interesting characters to dive into, as actors?

Ben Stegmair:  Yuru is so, so fascinating because going into this, I knew that Arakawa writes characters that are full of depth, that have so many layers, that have their own dreams, goals, and desires. I realized pretty early on that he has levels that he plays with. So there’s chill Yuru, there’s the innocent Yuru who’s experiencing the world for the first time, and then there’s the hunter or protector Yuru.

So going between those three is such an absolute joy to play with, where he sits in the voice, and how he reacts to specific characters. It’s so, so much fun. But it’s not just that. There are also so many complex feelings that these characters feel so deeply. And that is always such a fun, fun thing to play. So yeah, that’s one of my favorite things about Yuru: just how much of a complex character he is. And I love playing it.

Molly Zhang: Same with Asa, when she’s first introduced, I thought she was going to be a lot darker and meaner and scarier than she actually is, because she shows up and she just blows up the child form of herself in the cage. And it’s immediately very, very intense and very violent. So as I’ve recorded more, there are so many different versions of Asa, because I also voice Asa in the cage, the younger Asa, the imposter. It’s just so many things to learn as the show goes on. You’ve got the version of her that loves her brother, which has been really fun to play with as well. I keep seeing different social media accounts post this, but that meme of “She can be your angel or your devil.”

It’s got like Asa from episode one and then the Asa going like, “Oh, I love my brother!” And it’s two very, very different Asas (laughs). I feel like you can fit a third one in there, of her child form, too. And so this character just has so many different versions. It’s really fun to play with.

Finding the Voice and Channeling Method Acting

Every voice actor has a unique process for discovering how a character speaks, responds, and carries themselves. Guided by voice director Sean Gann, both leads found distinct paths to their characters, whether that meant shifting vocal pitches to portray multiple versions of the same person or simply tapping into a natural, grounded speaking voice. From established trust in the booth to humorous considerations of literal method acting, Molly and Ben share how they captured the distinct energies of Yuru and Asa.

How did you get into character for the role and how did you find their voices?

Molly: The director of Demons of the Shadow Realm, Sean Gann, I’ve worked with him before. He was pretty knowledgeable about my range and what I’m comfortable going for. So I’ve done a higher-pitched child with him before. He, right off the bat, was like, yeah, we can just do a child voice of that. Then, we usually record the adult form first, and then we go in and do the child form. To me, it’s easier to go up than to go down.

We do the lower pitch and then we do the higher pitch. It’s a lot of figuring out the voice placement and her energy level. I think when it comes to teenage Asa, it’s not so much about the different pitches, but her energy levels, because she goes from a zero to a 10 pretty quickly, depending on the situation and we figure it out as we go.

Something I’m going to start doing, because someone else gave me the idea for this earlier, to get into character, is I’m going to start wearing an eye patch when I record in the booth to really get into method acting, you know, and it won’t do much for me except like obstruct the script(laughs). I remember seeing somewhere online that Hiromu Arakawa wore an eye patch for a while to experience what it’s like being Asa, but she was running into things in the office. So she was like, never mind. So maybe I need that, too, to really get into character.

Ben: I’ve been reading for fun out loud the manga of this story for years. So when we got the audition, I was kind of like, OK, like, I know, like, I’m just going to read it how I feel it. I did like one or two takes and I was like, here you go. I think the character comes very natural to me. Similarly to Molly, Sean Gann and I have worked together numerous times, not just in the booth, but also on the stage.

We have an understanding with each other where, especially when we’re starting a new character, he can go like usually it goes like it either goes, can you do this? This is this. And I go, yes. And then it goes and he’s like, perfect. Or he goes, can you keep that? Is that OK for your voice? And I go, yes, that’s OK. He’s like, great and then we move on.

All he told me at the beginning was, all right, let’s see what chill you do looks like. We went, and he was like, “That’s great”. It’s something that comes very naturally to me. I hardly ever get to play just in my natural voice. But you do with all of his ranges high, a little bit deeper, and where he sits normally. That’s me. That’s what I do every single day. So, yeah, I just get to be myself.

Standout Lines and Jaw-Dropping Moments

With a narrative as gripping and intense as Daemons of the Shadow Realm, it is no surprise that certain moments left a permanent impression on the cast. From shocking, cold introductions that perfectly encapsulate a character’s trauma to comedic beats during intense training sequences, the voice actors reveal the specific lines they had been dying to perform and the scenes that stood out to them the most during production.

Do you have a favorite scene/line this season that you really enjoyed?

Molly: For me, I think the jaw-dropping moment of episode one is when Asa walks into Higashi Village, and she’s looking for her brother, and she’s dragging poor granny by the collar through the ground. And she doesn’t even look at the Asa in the cage like she does, like one single eye flick to her. This fake asset that they’ve conjured is below human.

She doesn’t even want to acknowledge it. The only line she says is “Disgusting.” That was so impactful because she says disgusting, and then she blows her up, and there’s nothing, nothing straighter to the point than that. I can’t imagine. I wonder how she feels about the Asa in the cage. If you had an imposter that the village was lying to your brother about for that many years, and you came face to face with her, what would you do? And I think it also encapsulates it perfectly in one word: ‘disgusting.’

Ben: The one that I always tell everybody is “Second, more personally, I want to kill the runt myself. Don’t touch her. Aside from that, it’s up to you. Do whatever you please.” I just love that line so much. That’s a scene that I’ve been reading for fun out loud for years. So to get to do it in the booth was amazing. However, one of my most recent favorite lines is whenever you do is trying to practice his bowmanship and he keeps hitting left in the head and he’s like, don’t just let it hit you. I love that line so much. It was so fun to record. Yeah.

What Lies Ahead in Daemons of the Shadow Realm

As the series continues to unfold, anticipation is high for where this supernatural mystery will lead. With Studio BONES at the helm and a massive 24-episode run to execute, the story is only just beginning to scratch the surface of its complex factions and deep lore. To wrap things up, Molly and Ben tease the emotional depth, escalating action, and long-term journey that fans can look forward to as the season progresses.

What can fans expect from Daemons of the Shadow Realm?

Molly: I think that they can expect what they have gotten from other Hiromu Arakawa stories and Daemons of the Shadow Realm. What you’ve gotten is so much intrigue, mystery, action, heart-to-heart moments, characters that feel so deeply, characters that have their own goals, dreams, and desires, no matter what clan, faction, or group they belong to. It’s this whole group of people who are just diverging and have so much conflict. And it’s only going to get more interesting and better from here. We’re just getting started.

Ben: More Daemons, more Daemons, more Daemons of the Shadow Realm. We go for 24 episodes. So we’re going to be experiencing this wonderful story until October. So whether you’re going to watch it in the future or whether you’re watching alongside us right now or whatever, or whether you’re going to start watching halfway through and then join us for core two, I promise you’re going to love it. And I think that you should join us whenever you can, because it’s an amazing story that I hope everybody can experience. It’s going to be really fun.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm will be at Anime Expo this 4th of July weekend

On Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, Crunchyroll is set to completely transform the Peacock Theater, during Anime Expo, into a dedicated anime destination featuring the most prominent titles in the medium. Fans that can’t handle the wait can hear from the talent behind the upcoming mysteries in The Apothecary Diaries and see what’s next in Gachiakuta. Additionally, fans can fall further in love with this season’s standout series by diving into Daemons of the Shadow Realm and joining a magical chat with the creator and cast of Witch Hat Atelier.

Also, celebrate the world of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle at Anime Expo 2026 on July 3 at the Peacock Theater! Join us for a special event looking back on the theatrical release of Infinity Castle, featuring members of the hit film’s voice cast. Fans of studio ufotable, the studio behind the franchise, won’t want to miss a special video of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle! Plus, there will be a sneak peek of footage from ufotable’s newest film project! 

There’s a moment dedicated to every anime fan across panels that include insights into the direction and creation of Clevatess, a tenth-anniversary celebration of MobPsycho100, voice cast hijinks for You and I Are Polar Opposites, and many more. There will also be early screenings of Mushoku Tensei Season 3, Returner’s Magic Should be Special 2, Reborn As a Space Mercenary and more. 

For those who cannot attend Anime Expo, Crunchyroll will be posting highlights on its X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Channel!