When it comes to voice actors, Steve Blum is one of the most recognizable names for playing some of the most iconic characters over the past twenty years. From the alien conquerer Vilgax in Ben 10 to the Decepticon Starscream in some of the Transformers cartoons to even voicing the heroic Zeb in Star Wars; Rebels, Blum has demonstrated his talents when it comes to voice work in animation. And one of his most recent roles as Solomon Gundy in Catwoman: Hunted has only expanded his voice acting repertoire.
But he is also well known for his work for anime too, providing the voice for some of the most iconic heroes and villains. Some of the entries on the list may not be surprising, but he has done a wide variety of roles that show just how much range he has.
Leader Of The Killers League - Scissor Seven
The Netflix original Chinese-produced anime Scissor Seven follows Seven, a young barber who gets caught in a power struggle between two rival groups and slowly unearths memories of his past. With the show currently consisting of 3 seasons, it has garnered fans since its initial release.
Despite providing voices for one-off characters in the series, Steve Blum has been able to demonstrate his acting range with each role. But his biggest was the mysterious leader of the Killers League and while the characters' identity remains to be seen, the actor does show why he has played so many villains over the years.
Guilmon - Digimon Tamers
The 3rd anime series based on the Digimon brand, Digimon Tamers introduced a host of new human and Digimon characters to a new generation of fans. Among them was Takato and his Digimon, Guilmon, who battle rogue monsters from the Digital World.
While the show only ran for 51 episodes, Blum was able to provide the voice for the affectionate and loyal dinosaur-like creature. And this would not be his only role in the franchise as he provided voices for other Digimon as well as some of the characters in the 4th series, Digimon Frontiers.
Leeron Littner - Gurren Lagann
When it comes to anime, Gainax had produced some of the best series and movies throughout the 90s and 2010s. They were responsible for the fan-favorite Neon Genesis Evangelion and the movies based on the series.
But they also made another anime series named Gurren Lagann that saw a group of humans attempt to defeat the Spiral King and reclaim the Earth using super-powered mechs. And according to MyAnimeList, it's one of the best action anime on Netflix. There were plenty of colorful and oddball characters in the show, but one of the standouts was Steve Blum's Leeron Littner, the flamboyant engineer who aids humanity using his intelligence while making crude small talk with the other crew members.
Doppo Orochi - Baki
Another Netflix original anime series, this time based on the Baki manga series and the third adaptation of the series. The series follows Baki as he attempts to become strong enough to beat his father, who turns out to be the strongest fighter in the world.
Along his journey, he teams up with other fighters, including the tough and ruthless Doppo Orochi. This anti-hero shows off his devastating skills as a karate master and Blum is even able to match his physical intimidation with an equally opposing voice.
Logan aka Wolverine - Marvel Anime: X-Men
Believe it or not, Steve Blum has voiced Wolverine on more than one occasion throughout his career. Giving the character a gruff voice to match his rebellious attitude, he played the character in Wolverine and the X-Men, The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and Ultimate Spider-Man.
But he also reprised the role for an anime version of the X-Men. Under the Marvel Anime umbrella, X-Men: The Animated Series saw Blum reprising his role once again for a different type of Logan that fans of the Marvel property may not have seen before.
Zabuza - Naruto & Naruto: Shippuden
When it comes to the Naruto series, Steve Blum has provided the voice for a number of characters throughout the years. But arguably one of his best was for the first major antagonist that Naruto and his teammates encountered while on a mission.
A former member of the Seven Deadly Swordsmen of the Mist, Zabuza became a mercenary and with his water-style Ninjutsu and gigantic blade, it's not hard to see why he has remained one of the best villains of the manga and the anime. With the villain going through a surprise redemption arc of his own during their encounter, Blum was able to give an emotional send-off for the deadly ninja that made him one of the Naruto villains that fans loved.
Kyogai - Demon Slayer
The most recent series on the list, Demon Slayer became a huge hit and quickly garnered a huge global fanbase. Its first movie even beat Spirited Away from the top spot at Japan's box office, making it the best demon anime.
The drum-playing demon Kyogai may have only appeared briefly in the series, but much like Zabuza from Naruto, Blum was able to give the character a wide range of emotions during one battle. The energy that he was able to give the demon showed off the character's love of creativity while also giving him an emotional farewell too.
Orochimaru - Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden & Baruto: The Next Generations
Arguably one of Blum's most iconic voice work and villains is the deadly Orochimaru. Voicing the character across multiple series in the Naruto anime, Blum has become associated with the terrifying and seemingly immortal ninja.
For over 15 years he has been able to play the role and shows no sign of retiring anytime soon. And much like his other villains, Blum has shown his ability to give the right voice that can bring a true antagonist to life. But with Boruto, Orochimaru has become a better person compared to how he was introduced and has given more opportunities for Blum to act out unexplored themes and emotions for this mysterious character.
Spike Spiegel - Cowboy Bebop
While Cowboy Bebop may have only lasted for one season and is over 20 years old, it is still one of the most celebrated anime series of all time. And while it did receive a live-action remake on Netflix, it just couldn't quite hold a candle to the futuristic Neo-noir animated series.
While Steve Blum has provided many voices for countless heroes and villains over the years, he hasn't been able to play anyone quite like Spike Spiegel, the main protagonist of the series. With fans new and old discovering and reliving this iconic show, perhaps he will be able to play another cool hero again soon.