With season 5 of My Hero Academia finally putting the spotlight back on the series' talented cast of major antagonists, Screen Rant got the chance to speak to actors Leah Clark and Jason Liebrecht who voice the villainous characters Himiko Toga and Dabi, respectively.
The first 13 episodes of season 5 adapt the manga's so-called Joint Training Arc, during which time Izuku Midoriya aka Deku, and his classmates from class 1-A compete against the students of 1-B. Although just a series of hands-on exercises, though, admittedly, very hands-on, no one is in any real danger, except when Deku loses control of his Black Whip quirk. While later episodes include an anime original that serves as a prologue for the film My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission, the most exciting thing that happens is an awkward, but very informative meal at Endeavor and Shoto's household.
The upcoming switch to the next My Villain Academia arc, however, will shake things up excessively, not only resulting in The League of Villains facing off against the sinister Meta Liberation Army, but delving into the tragic pasts of the former's most popular members, including Himiko Toga and then later Dabi.
As the following interview reveals, both Clark and Liebrecht prefer not to read the manga ahead of the anime they're working on, so Screen Rant delved into what it's like for them to voice their characters, especially in relation to other series they've been cast in.
Screen Rant: From what you know of Himiko so far, she’s definitely an interesting character. What’s it been like to voice her, especially in comparison to your other roles [Soul Eater's Blair and Kobayashi from Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid] that aren’t as …. insane or crazy.
Leah Clark: It’s been a lot of fun, a challenge, and an adventure as an actor because there are just so many layers to her. There are things about her that I have had to sit down and think about. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before for a character. Usually, the characters are blatantly obvious, and you can see things right away or it’s really spelled out for you. But for Himiko, you just keep discovering more about her. A lot of it involves me overthinking who she is just because there’s so much there, that it’s just so fascinating to me. I’m lucky. She’s just a cool, well thought-out character.
You mentioned that there are things about her that you’ve had to sit down and think about. Can you give an example?
Leah Clark: Oh yeah. You know how she’s like, “I just want to be more like the people I love?” To me, that’s really deep. Whether she sees herself as this bad person or not, or if she’s given in to the villain's life because they accept her deep down for who she is and they think she’s a good person. If she loves you, she’s like, “Let me cut you up and eat you.” It’s just fascinating and something that happens in real life. People will attach themselves to other people they wish they were like. For me, it was just, “Wow.”
When Himiko faces Midoriya in the show, are you in the same room voicing with Justin Briner? I’m just wondering because Himiko has a weird obsession with Midoriya and it must be interesting to play off each other’s reactions if that’s the case.
Leah Clark: We are not in the same room since we record separately. But if he’s recorded before me, I do get to hear him in my headphones and I get to play off what he does in that way, but not directly. That would be fun though to have that connection with him.
So, Jason, Dabi’s big reveal doesn’t come until much later. So, I guess, if you didn’t read it, what do you think Dabi’s background is, and if you do know, it’s awesome, isn’t it?
Jason Liebrecht: I do know one thing, but I must plead the fifth in terms of that. What I don’t know is what made him the way he is and where this motivation comes from and his willingness and drive to be a hero killer - that’s what I’m really curious about. He truly thinks he’s making the world a better place with his plan. I would love to know where the impetuous for that came from.
Most of your characters seem to have big reveals like the Beast Titan’s true identity as Zeke in Attack on Titan. How does Dabi measure up so far to Zeke?
Jason Liebrecht: There are some similarities, some threads that I feel are going down similar paths. I feel like Zeke also has this notion that he can make the world a better place even though it’s kind of in a flawed way. And it hasn’t been fully revealed yet. Neither has Dabi’s but they definitely have that in common. I don't where these feelings come from but, man, am I excited to learn more.
Mars from Black Clover also has a pretty messed up origin story, too.
Jason Liebrecht: I mean, it’s just really gratifying to get characters who have these challenges and layers. It's an actor's dream, you know? These guys are all very complicated and I'm learning as I'm doing the work. It’s just incredible. I feel very fortunate.
Attack On Titan is pretty different from My Hero Academia and Black Clover. What’s it like going back and forth from Attack On Titan to lighthearted shows like My Hero Academia?
Jason Liebrecht: Honestly, it was just really amazing for this to happen concurrently and for them to have these similar thought threads, similar motivations. Honestly, I would say one portrayal fed the other and vice versa. It’s just an incredible time for me personally as an actor that’s never happened to me before. My characters are in two significant properties and are starting to reveal these motivations. It’s really exciting.
So it sounds like you guys haven’t read ahead in the manga, but have you ever felt compelled to for other anime you’ve worked on?
Jason Liebrecht: I try to stay with production to be in the moment and [as] truthful as possible. But I will say, especially in the case with Zeke and Dabi, whenever I meet fans, they start going on about what’s happened in the manga. People have a real hard time not giving stuff away for me. I have heard spoilers. I will not read them. So that’s been interesting.
Leah Clark: Same for me. I think I've read ahead for Suzuka, Negima, and a little bit of My Hero Academia. I was curious and thought it might help with my performance, but the manga sometimes doesn’t follow what happens in the anime so it wasn’t that helpful. It's more fun to go along with what the anime does. I definitely enjoy performances as a journey where I just learn what’s going on during production.
New episodes of My Hero Academia are available Saturdays on Funimation.