Eric Vale is an actor who has lent his voice to many anime characters, such as Future Trunks in Dragon Ball, Sanji in One Piece, Yuki Sohma in Fruits Basket, and Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia. He is also a director, writer, and producer who has worked on various Funimation, OkraTron 5000, and Sound Cadence Studios projects. This article will explore his career, achievements, and personal life.
| Name | Eric Vale |
| Birth Date | 28 April 1974 |
| Age | 49 Years Old |
| Birth Sign | Taurus |
| Nationality | United States |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Known For | Voicing Sanji One Piece |
| Hair Colour | Brown |
| Eyes Colour | Brown |
| Height | 5 ft 11 Inch |
| Weight | 74 Kg |
| Shoe Size | 9 (US) |
| Relationship Status | Married |
Eric Vale: Early Life and Education
Vale was born Christopher Eric Johnson Jr. in Dallas, Texas, on April 28, 1974. He grew up in Grand Prairie, Texas, where he attended South Grand Prairie High School. At a young age, he developed an interest in acting and writing and participated in several school plays and competitions. He graduated high school in 1992 and enrolled at the University of North Texas, majoring in Radio, Television and Film. He graduated from college in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Eric Vale Voice Acting Career
Eric Vale began his voice acting career in 1999 when he auditioned for Funimation Entertainment, a company that produces English dubs of Japanese anime. He was cast as Future Trunks, one of the main characters in the popular Dragon Ball Z series. He also voiced the World Martial Arts Tournament Announcer and Dr. Flappe in the same series. He continued to voice Future Trunks and other characters in the Dragon Ball franchise, such as Gotenks, Trunks Briefs, and Copy-Vegeta.
Vale also voiced many other anime characters for Funimation, such as Yuki Sohma in Fruits Basket (2001), Solf J. Kimblee in Fullmetal Alchemist (2004), Kanta Mizuno in Desert Punk (2005), Jean Croce in Gunslinger Girl (2005), Koichiro Iketani in Initial D (2005), Arystar Krory III in D.Gray-man (2009), Casshern in Casshern Sins (2010), Justin Law in Soul Eater (2010), Tsunenaga Tamaki in Deadman Wonderland (2012), Arthur Boyle in Fire Force (2019) and many more.
One of his most notable roles is Sanji, the cook and fighter of the Straw Hat Pirates in One Piece. He has been voicing Sanji since 2007 when Funimation acquired the rights to dub the long-running anime series. He has also voiced Sanji in several movies and specials based on One Piece, such as One Piece: Stampede (2019) and One Piece: Episode of Skypiea (2019).
Another prominent role of Vale is Tomura Shigaraki, the League of Villains leader and My Hero Academia’s main antagonist. He has been voicing Shigaraki since 2016. He has also voiced Shigaraki in two movies based on My Hero Academia, such as My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising (2020) and My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (2021).
Eric Vale has also voiced characters for companies besides Funimation, such as OkraTron 5000 and Sound Cadence Studios. Some of his roles for these companies include Loke in Fairy Tail (2011), Pandora’s Actor in Overlord (2018), and Hugo Simon in Tales of Luminaria (2021).
Other Work
Besides voice acting, Eric is also a director, writer, and producer who has performed on diverse projects for different media platforms. He has directed several anime series for Funimation, including Desert Punk (2005), Initial D (2005), and Baccano! (2008), Nabari no Ou (2009), and Spice and Wolf (2009). He has also written scripts for some anime series he directed or voiced, such as Dragon Ball Z Kai (2010), Hetalia: Axis Powers (2010) and Tokyo Ghoul (2014).
Vale has also written and produced original content for web series, podcasts, and films. He created a web series called The Con Saga (2013), which follows the adventures of friends attending various comic conventions nationwide. He also co-created a podcast called That Anime Show (2010-2013). It features interviews with voice actors and other people involved in the anime industry. Vale also wrote and produced a short film called Chariot (2013), a sci-fi thriller about a group of passengers who wake up on a crashed plane.
Eric Vale has also appeared in some live-action films and shows, such as The Rage Within (2001), The Adventures of Johnny Tao (2007), The Final (2010) and The Phoenix Incident (2015). He has also done stage work, such as performing in a musical adaptation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (2010) and a comedy show called The Eric Vale Experience (2013).
Personal Life
Eric Vale is married to Alesa Watson, a voice actor. They have two children, a son and a daughter. Their son, Quinn Angell, is Alesa’s child from a previous relationship, and Eric adopted him as his own. Their daughter, Luna Vale, was born in 2010. Eric and Alesa met at an anime convention in 2002 and married in 2003. They live in Dallas, Texas.
Vale enjoys comic books, video games, movies, and music. He also enjoys traveling, cooking, and gardening. He has visited many countries, such as Japan, Australia, Canada, England and France. Vale likes to cook various cuisines, such as Italian, Mexican, Indian, and Japanese. He grows his vegetables and herbs in his backyard. He also has a pet dog named Loki.
Eric is active on social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. He often posts pictures and videos of his family, friends, colleagues, and pets. Vale also promotes his upcoming projects and events. He has over 100k followers on Twitter, over 50k followers on Instagram, and 30k likes on Facebook.
Net Worth
Eric Vale is a successful voice actor, director, and producer who has worked on various anime series, video games, web series, podcasts, and films. He has earned much money from his career and other merchandise, conventions, and social media sources. According to different online sources, Eric Vale’s net worth is 1 to 5 million dollars. However, this figure may not be accurate or up-to-date, as he has not publicly disclosed his income or assets.
FAQ
What is Eric Vale’s real name?
Vale’s real name is Christopher Eric Johnson Jr. He used “Eric Vale” as a stage name since another voice actor had the same surname in the Texan voice actor union.
How old is Eric Vale?
Vale was born on April 28, 1974. He is 49 years old as of 2023.
Who is Eric Vale married to?
Vale is married to Alesa Watson, a voice actor. They have two children, a son and a daughter. They met at an anime convention in 2002 and got married in 2003.
What are some of Eric Vale’s most famous roles?
Eric Vale has voiced many anime characters, such as Future Trunks in Dragon Ball, Sanji in One Piece, Yuki Sohma in Fruits Basket, and Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia. He has also voiced for video games, such as Rean Schwarzer in The Legend of Heroes and Hugo Simon in Tales of Luminaria.
Conclusion
Eric Vale is a versatile and talented voice actor who has voiced many anime characters, such as Future Trunks in Dragon Ball, Sanji in One Piece, Yuki Sohma in Fruits Basket, and Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia. He is also a director, writer, and producer who has worked on various projects for different media platforms. He is a creative and passionate person who loves his work and family. Vale is among the most respected and admired voice actors in the anime industry.