In-person acting and voice acting in animation are two different beasts, which is something that many actors who have worked in animation have attested to. Unlike live acting, voice actors receive very little help getting into character, and sometimes none at all, performing by themselves in a room.
Due to this, and many other circumstances, it is no wonder why some voice acting performances come across as lackluster. It can be easy to miss the amount of effort that goes into voice work and, because of this, it is important to acknowledge the cartoon shows where the voice acting is not just good, but at times exceptional.
10 Futurama's Actors Have Great Range
Futurama was a show that featured a strong cast of voice talent, such as John DiMaggio, Phil Lamarr, and Katey Sagal. The standouts in this cast, however, are Billy West and Maurice LaMarche who voice a significant number of characters on the show by themselves. Billy West voices the main character Philip Fry, as well as Professor Farnsworth, Zoidberg, and Zapp Brannigan with many others.
Meanwhile, Maurice LaMarche voices Kif Kroker, Donbot, and Calculon along with other voices as well. Each of these characters have such distinct voices that many people don't even realize they are voiced by the same people.
9 King of the Hill's Characters Feel Right At Home
King of the Hill has a lot of talent in its cast as well. The voice cast includes the famous Mike Judge, along with Pamela Adlon (who voiced Spinelli in Recess) as well as Rose Wilson in Teen Titans Go! The voice cast also included Lauren Tom, who many may remember as the voice of Gizmo and Jinx in the original 2003 Teen Titans show.
Each cast member brings their unique talents to their respective character and the result is a group of characters who sound extremely comfortable in their environment. While the characters don't have to do much with their voices, the cast is able to give them a seamless southern drawl to immerse the audience.
8 Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Is Well Regarded For Its Personality
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy has endured in the minds of its fans due to its unrelenting visceral humor and delivering on countless iconic moments. Each character commanded attention, thanks in no small part to the stellar performance by its voice case. Grey Delisle-Griffin plays the every-aggressive Mandy, Richard Steven Horvitz brings undying energy to Billy, delivering many of the show's most famous lines, and Grim is voiced by Greg Eagles, whose distinct voice gives Grim the trademark charisma he is known for.
While these are the most famous examples, every character in the show does an amazing job.
7 Invader Zim Has A Manic Charisma To It
Invader Zim is one of the most famous examples of gross-out humor in the 2000s. Everything about the show was bizarre and intentionally uncomfortable at times but simultaneously drew in the audience with its enigmatic performances. The title character, Zim, is voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz, who brings a ton of energy to Zim and making every one of his monologues worth listening to.
Dib is Zim's rival and can be just as manic as Zim thanks to the excellent performance by Andy Berman. Gir, meanwhile, acts as a calming force, getting into more innocent mischief and Rosearik Rikki Simmons gives Gir an appropriately pure voice.
6 Adventure Time Has A Star-Studded Cast
Adventure Time grew from a fantasy show about a boy and his dog to a years-spanning story that expanded its lore with each episode. The show is most famous for its charismatic characters, each given life by the cast composed of extremely famous voice actors. Among them, to name just a few are John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny, and Hynden Walch.
There were even famous stars on the cast, such as Keith David and Donald Glover. The world of Adventure Time was a vibrant and colorful world, and each voice actor gave their character the right amount of energy to contribute to the atmosphere of the show.
5 Teen Titans Actors Thrive In Their Roles
In 2003, Teen Titans introduced a generation to the group of heroes to Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven, and Cyborg. Teen Titans was an extremely influential show when it came out and is still fondly remembered to this day. The show had its share of comedic moments but was a generally more serious show.
The main cast of Scott Menville, Hynden Walch, Greg Cipes, Tara Strong, and Khary Payton brought the characters to life, making every single word of dialogue feel genuine. Their work in the more comedic Teen Titans Go! is done just as well, with the actors thriving in the show's different tone.
4 Batman: The Animated Series Created Many Iconic Voices
Batman: The Animated Series is still considered to be the best Batman cartoon ever made. This is thanks in no small part to the voice performances of the legendary Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy, as well as the famous Mark Hamill's performance as The Joker. Both of these actors played their roles so well that they would continue to reprise their roles as these characters in the many years since.
This show was also the premiere of the fan-favorite Harley Quinn, voiced by Arleen Sorkin, who truly brings the character to life. Arleen reprised her role a few times but has largely retired from acting since then.
3 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Is Arguably The Best Dub Ever
The English dub of 2010's Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is often considered one of the greatest anime dubs of all time. The dialogue is well written and the voice cast delivers their lines seamlessly. The show is a dark, brooding affair, but still includes a few moments of comedy, and each voice actor gives their character the weight and range that they need to sound believable in any given moment.
It makes sense that the characters are done so well since the cast has a lot of famous voice acting talent, including Christopher Sabat, Colleen Clinkenbeard, Sonny Strait, and Caitlin Glass.
2 Cowboy Bebop Has A Consistent Tone Throughout
The English dub of Cowboy Bebop is another example of a well-regarded English anime dub. The Cowboy Bebop universe is a dangerous one and every element of the show conveys this, from its music to its voice acting. The English voice cast manages to capture each character's twisted emotional state in any given scene and are able to perfectly convey emotion when the script calls for it.
The veteran voice cast of Steve Blum, Beau Billingslea, Wendee Lee, and Melissa Fahn does an excellent job conveying each member of the Bebop crew, and the show is regarded as one of the best because of it.
1 Avatar: The Last Airbender Is Considered One Of The Best Ever
Avatar: The Last Airbender is considered by many to be the greatest cartoon of all time, and many have studied its storytelling to talk about its many nuances. It's no surprise that its voicework is also considered among the best. The cast includes Jack DeSena, Grey Delisle-Griffin, Dante Basco, and the late Mako Iwamatsu among many others.
The voice cast is not only able to seamlessly match the tone of whatever scene they are taking part in, but as the show progresses, many fans felt that they could feel the characters growing wiser and more mature through their voicework.