Who is Justin Briner and What is His Role as Deku?
Justin Briner is an American voice actor, born on August 23, 1991, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He is affiliated with FUNimation Entertainment/Crunchyroll and is best known for his role as Izuku ‘Deku’ Midoriya in My Hero Academia, where he portrays a middle school student in a superhero-based world who enrolls in a school for superheroes.
Briner’s career spans from 2012 to the present, during which he has voiced lead and main characters in various anime series. In addition to My Hero Academia, he has voiced characters such as Mikaela Hyakuya in Seraph of the End, Luck Voltia in Black Clover, Kensuke Hanasaki in Trickster, and Qwenthur Barbotage in Heavy Object.
In My Hero Academia, Briner’s portrayal of Deku has been described as excellent and standout, capturing the character’s optimistic nerdiness and heroic attitude. The series has run for seven seasons, and Briner has participated in panels and interviews at anime conventions alongside fellow voice actor Christopher Sabat.
Critical reception of his performance includes comments from Alex Osborn of IGN, who highlighted its excellence, while Tom Speelman of Polygon noted that he and his Japanese counterpart effectively embody Deku’s traits, suggesting Briner channels a bit of Morty Smith for added depth.
Moreover, Briner’s work extends to films such as My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, and My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission. His role in the video game Cibele, where he voiced Ichi, also gained him recognition in mainstream news.
Throughout his career, Briner has continued to voice notable characters, including Alfonso San Valiante in Garo: The Animation and Nasu no Yoichi in Drifters. Additionally, he has voiced characters like Tazuna in Hand Shakers, Elam in The Heroic Legend of Arslan, and Lance in the anime adaptation of Puzzle & Dragons X.
Comparing Deku’s Voice Actors: English vs Japanese
When comparing Deku’s voice actors:
- English Voice Actor: Justin Briner
- Japanese Voice Actor: Daiki Yamashita
Key details include:
- Justin Briner voices Deku in 10 titles, while Daiki Yamashita has voiced him in 17 titles.
- The total number of actors involved is 7, with a total of 19 appearances in the My Hero Academia franchise.
Both Justin Briner and Daiki Yamashita met at Anime Expo.
Moreover, their passionate portrayals of Izuku Midoriya significantly contribute to the series. In addition, Kenta Miyake and Christopher Sabat exhibit commanding presence as All Might.
The performances of both voice actors have received praise. They skillfully bring the diverse characters to life, effectively conveying their personalities and growth. This ability has played a considerable role in the show’s widespread appeal.
To summarize:
- Japanese Dub: Midoriya is voiced by Daiki Yamashita.
- US Dub: Midoriya is voiced by Justin Briner.
For further information, clips from both the Japanese and English versions of My Hero Academia have been utilized.
What Other Characters Has Justin Briner Voiced in Anime?
Justin Briner has voiced several characters in various anime series. Notably, he is known for his role as Izuku ‘Deku’ Midoriya in My Hero Academia.
Other characters include:
- Mikaela Hyakuya in Seraph of the End
- Maki Katsuragi in Stars Align
- Qwenthur Barbotage in Heavy Object
- Alfonso San Valiante in Garo: The Animation
- Luck Voltia in Black Clover
- Kensuke Hanasaki in Trickster
- Shō Kusakabe from Fire Force
- Hanako/Amane Yugi from Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun
- Kiyotaka Ayanokoji from Classroom of the Elite
In 2017, he voiced lead characters:
- Haruki Mishima in Convenience Store Boy Friends
- Tazuna Takatsuki in Hand Shakers
- Ernesti ‘Eru’ Echavalier in Knight’s & Magic
- Justice ‘Seigi’ Akatsuka in Taboo Tattoo
- Lance in Puzzle & Dragons X
- Nasu no Yoichi in Drifters
His work in Nanbaka was described as ‘more awestruck and childlike’ than that of the original Japanese counterpart.
In addition, he has continued to voice lead and main characters in other anime shows. For instance, he voiced Alfonso San Valiante, the crown prince in the first Garo: The Animation series, which Robert Prentice of Three If By Space described as having ‘a great lineup’, in particular highlighting Briner.
Overall, Justin Briner’s prominent roles showcase his versatility across numerous anime titles, contributing significantly to the characters he portrays.
