On June 9th, anime and video game fans were shocked and saddened by the news of Killy Kametz’s passing. Despite only being a voice actor for six short years, Kametz played some of the most memorable characters in recent memory in some of the biggest titles in the anime and video game industries.
With one of his last performances set to be released this week in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes as he reprised his role as Ferdinand Von Aegir, fans can still look forward to the work of this talented actor. And his legacy will live on in some of these great roles across the industries.
10 Niccolo – Attack On Titan
Introduced in the 4th and final season of Attack on Titan, Niccolo was a Marleyan soldier who was held captive on Paradis Island and became a chef. His cooking soon grabbed the attention of food lover Sasha, who he became very fond of during the series’ time skip.
While Niccolo wasn’t in the series for long, it did give the actor a chance to play an initially calm character who would reveal a sinister tone with his involvement in one of the season’s biggest betrayals. Able to demonstrate a character emotionally breaking down, Kametz showed off his many versatile talents within this small but pivotal role.
9 Shigeru Aoba – Neon Genesis Evangelion
One of the most anticipated re-releases in 2019 was Neon Genesis Evangelion for Netflix, one of the best anime set during an apocalyptic event. The anime series and the movies would not also be introduced to both longtime fans and new viewers, but would be re-dubbed with new cast members too.
Billy Kametz was one of the lucky few invited and provided the voice for computer technician Shigeru Aoba. Despite being passionate about music, this character was also cynical too towards some of the other characters around him. In a peculiar balance, the actor was able to give the right delivery for the character, even if he showed up briefly.
8 Various Characters – Pokémon Journeys
When it comes to Pokémon, both the anime and the spin-off games have seen many talents throughout the years providing the voices for an ever-expanding roster of characters. And it’s no exception for this actor too, who provided a number of voices for Pokémon like Inteleon and Duralodon.
But he also provided the voice for Ren, one of the assistants to Professor Cerise and a fan of Magnemite. He may be easily scared by ghost-type Pokémon, but Ren is also shown to be a caring person that the actor manages to capture for English-speaking audiences. Hearing how diverse he can be between all these characters, it’s hard to imagine anyone else able to deliver this same amount of diverse performances in one series.
7 Metal Lee – Boruto
Following the events of the Naruto: Shippuden series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generation did not also see everyone’s favorite ninjas grow up, but become parents to the next generation of warriors. Among them was Metal Lee, Rock Lee’s son who also uses Taijutsu like his father.
But unlike Rock Lee, Metal is shown to suffer from anxiety during his training, which Kametz was able to capture with both humor and sincerity. Seeing the character grow and overcome it is one of the reasons why the actor was an ideal pick for Metal Lee and why it is also one of his best performances.
6 Josuke Higasshikata – Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
Debuting as the protagonist in the 4th season of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure titled Diamond is Unbreakable, the stylish Josuke Higashikata is an ordinary high schooler before discovering that he is an illegitimate son of Joseph Joestar. Upon the discovery, the teen uses the power of his Stand to protect the town of Morioh from evildoers.
Easily one of the actor’s most comedic roles, he was able to reflect the wacky and aggressive nature of this unusual protagonist. And considering how ridiculous and over the top the series has been over the years with its crazy cast of characters, he delivers with flying colors.
5 Takuto Maruki – Persona 5 Royal
When Person 5 Royal was released, it not just rebalanced the original game, but also introduced a whole host of new storylines and characters. Hailing from the best video game franchises on Xbox Game Pass, it included some new memorable allies and foes. Among them was Takuto Maruki, the school’s counselor who initially comes off as a friendly new staff member before revealing to be another foe that the Phantom Thieves of Hearts must stop.
With brilliant writing behind this grief-filled character, Kametz was able to deliver a stellar performance within this hit JRPG that many gamers got to experience. Showing off the characters’ many complex feelings and desires, this is also one of the most compelling characters that he would perform within the video game space.
4 Ferdinand Von Aegir – Fire Emblem Three Houses
Not many can say that they have performed in a major video game series, above all a Nintendo property. But Kametz was able to do just that in Fire Emblem: Three Houseswhich became the best-selling title within the series by the end of 2020 as well as one of the best RPGs according to Metacritic.
A fiercely competitive and loyal student from the Adrestian Empire, he eventually became a Cavalier and grew into maturity throughout the lengthy campaign. And being able to provide the voice for him as he matures, this was an opportunity to show off how Kametz was able to transform the character over time. And fans won’t have to wait long until they can hear his performance for Ferdinand one last time in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes.
3 Galo Thymos – Promare
When it comes to crazy and fun anime, no one can seem to do it better than Studio Tigger. Responsible for series like Kill La Kill and BNA: Brand New Animalthey made their feature movie debut with Promare in 2019 that saw firefighters using mechs to protect the city of Promepolis.
Playing as the protagonist and newest recruit, Galo Thymos, this is easily the most energetic role that the actor could have played as the excitable, ambitious, and adventurous hero. He may not have worked on many movies, but this is easily his best work in a theatrical release.
2 Rui – Demon Slayer
Released in 2019, Demon Slayer quickly became one of the most popular anime in recent memory, even being followed up with a feature film that broke box office records. Following a young demon slayer named Tanjiro, he encountered many dangerous foes and Rui was no exception as the two featured in one of the best episodes according to IMDb.
Fulfilling the role of the quiet and sinister demon, the actor was able to tell the character’s arc and emotional family reunion with his fallen parents. While the series is known for its sad backstories that led the antagonists to become who they are, Kametz put the necessary emotion and performance to make him one of the most memorable and empathetic foes.
1 Naomi Iwatani – The Rising Of The Shield Hero
He has voiced supporting characters and villains in hit anime; a movie protagonist; and the most intriguing video game characters in recent years. But he also voiced the main protagonist for some anime too, one of which was The Rising of the Hero Shield.
Playing the role of Naofumi Iwatani, he finds himself in a magical world where he becomes the wielder of the Legendary Shield and teams up with fantastic and mighty heroes to save the land. Coming off as an unlikely and begrudging protagonist, Kametz showed off his talents as he pulled off the frustrations and acceptance of the character’s journey as Iwatani matured into the hero that was needed. Billy Kametz may no longer be with us, but this and his other works will create his legacy as one of the best voice actors in video games and anime alike.
