Fans Take On... Wendee Lee!

By: The English Track Forum Members
Date: Sunday, March 21, 2004

Welcome to the second installment of "Fans Take On..." an ongoing feature where fans get to talk about a significant individual in the US anime industry. This month, we asked fans to talk about a legend in the American anime industry, Wendee Lee.



Quicky Bio

Breaking into the world of voice acting in 1985 as the voice of Venessa Leeds in Robotech, Wendee Lee has become one of the most respected and versatile voice actresses in the business.



"Somehow I always knew I would get into animation, It was a great love of mine all through my childhood and I felt I had a place in the art form. The great mystery was how?..."



"My real break came when a dear friend of mine Christopher Amson let me sit in on a recording session for Harmony Gold. I was dying for a chance to get into voice over and he knew how interested I was. He was a recording engineer for post production when not on tour mixing live sound for major rock acts, so I jumped at the opportunity when it arose."



That lucky break turned into an audition and landed Wendee Lee her first anime role in Robotech.



Continuing to work as a voice actress, as well as on stage, Wendee was able to break into ADR script writing, and then finally directing, with Love Hina, Risky Safety and Mao-chan to her credits.

(Quotes were taken from Wendee Lee's biography at her website, WendeeLee.com.)




Selected Filmography as an actress*

Adventures of the Mini-Goddess - Urd

Ai Yori Aoshi - Tina Foster

Akira - Kei

Arc the Lad - Kukuru

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Sealed Card - Kero, Sonomi Daidoji

Chobits - Takako Shimizu

Cowboy Bebop - Faye Valentine

Digimon: T.K. (Season 1)

Dirty Pair (Several Streamline dubs) - Yuri

GTO - Asuza Fuyutsuki, Ms. Sakurai, Miyabi Aizawa

Hand Maid May - Cyber Doll Sara

Heat Guy J - Janis

Iron Virgin Jun - Jun

Kurogane Communication - Angela, Trigger, Lillith

Love Hina - Kaolla Su, Tama

Magical Girl Pretty Sammy; Tenchi Forever! The Movie; Tenchi the Movie 2: The Daughter of Darkness - Kiyone Makibi

Mahoromatic - Miss Shikijo

Outlaw Star - Suzuka

Please Teacher - Hatsuho Kazami

Real Bout High School - Ryoko Mitsurugi

Robotech: Venessa Leeds

Rurouni Kenshin - Yahiko Myojin, Yumi Komagata

Saber Marionette J Again - Luchs

Sakura Wars: The Movie - Sakura Shinguji

Sol Bionca: The Legacy - April

The Big O - Casey Jenkins / Patricia Lovejoy / Angel

The Twelve Kingdoms - Gyokuyou, Kourin

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust - Charlotte Elbourne

Vandread the Second Stage - Buzam A. Calessa

WILD ARMS: Twilight Venom - Loretta Oratorio

Witch Hunter Robin - Miho Karasuma

X - Karen Kasumi

*This is by no means a complete list.



Selected filmography as a director:

Outlaw Star

Kurogane Communication

Love Hina

Love Hina: Christmas Movie

Love Hina: Spring Movie

Love Hina Again

Mao-chan

Risky Safety

WILD ARMS: Twilight Venom





We?ll lead off with this testamonial about about Wendee Lee from TheOne: Well I am reminded of a quote of "There can Only be One" To say that Wandee Lee is a talented entertainer would be an understatement.



There are few of us who can be really talented in one field. We work with our hearts and in the end we become something special. Wandee Lee does that, and she sores above them all. From her fiery Role as Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop to her more submissive Quieter Roles In such series as GTO and X; Lee has Transcended her works and she does it with modesty as well.



She is of fire and ice, but she burns and chills at the same moment. Always taking multiple roles in almost every anime she has been in (Her record being seven) I have never experienced such a force that nearly comes as close as her fire.



"There can only be One, may that be Wandee Lee"



Wendee Lee as Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop:

Possibly her most famous role is as the mercurial Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop. Fans had a lot to say about Wendee?s tour-de-force perfomance:



Vicious: Yaaaayy. Wendee Lee is my Favorite Voice Actress (with Tiffany Grant being a close second). She could have done nothing else other than Faye Faye in Bebop and she'd still be my favorite female VA. One thing I especially like about her works is that alot of times it's hard to recognize that it is her. I never would have figured out that she played Yahiko in Kenshin or Ms. Sakurai in GTO on my own. She does a very good job.



But I will always rememeber her for Faye. She did an awesome job and her delivery was dead on. I don't know how she could have done that role any better.



Air of Benevolence: For characters, I'm tied between Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop and Yumi Komagata from Rurouni Kenshin. There is something about that sultry voice of hers that I like A LOT.



martialstax: "Ordinary. The kind of ordinary, dangerous beautiful you can't leave alone." Faye's description of Julia in response to a question from Jet is full of weariness, and heartbreaking inevitability.



Illusion: As everyone already mentioned, her role as Faye Valentine also cannot be overlooked. In fact, I feel Wendee Lee played her better than Hayashibara Megumi did. As a result, Cowboy Bebop is the only anime I have seen where I prefer the dub to the original version.



In short, Wendee Lee is one of, is not the, most talented female English VA out there at the moment.



cabbit: I was a hardcore sub-only supporter until I heard Wendee Lee...she has THE sexiest voice.



And I mean that.



Anytime I see her on the VA cast list...I know I'll be listening to the dub and enjoying the anime in English.



Not only does she do the best SEXY-type characters but she is flexible enough to do cute/hyper types (like Kaolla Su) and is talented to write and direct.



Ruby Marlowe, Hillary Haag and Steve Blum are my other fave VAs ...but no one can touch Wendee Lee! NO ONE!



Faye Faye will always be her defining role to me... but pretty much anything she does will be the highlight of any dub.



Kudos!



Wendee Lee as Miss Shikijo in Mahoromatic:

gpn: It's always a treat to me when I find Wendee has voiced a character in an anime I'm watching as she always brings a level of professionalism and quality to every production she's in.



To list all my favorite characters Wendee has voiced would be much too long, so I'll only point out two.



The first is Miss Shikijio in "Mahoromatic". I find it hard to think of another actress who could pull this role off as well as Wendee does; from Miss Shikijio's wild mood swings, her verbal jousting with Mahoro, her "enthusiastic" intentions towards Suguro, and her just plain zaniness, Wendee hits every note perfectly.



martialstax: Of course, Faye Valentine is something special, but her Miss Shikijo is the one I'm enjoying the most right now. The sheer inventiveness of what she comes up with, especially in her fights with Mahoro, is just brilliant. She's a laugh-out-loud funny character that you can both drool over and recoil in horror from, at the same time.



"Now fire your charged up wave-motion gun of love into me!" Miss Shikijo in episode 7 or 8 of the first season of Mahoromatic. Mahoro's cooking has just satisfied her hunger, and now she wants Suguru to satisfy another hunger. Every time Shikijo's diesel libido kicks into over-drive, we're in for another wild, hilarious ride.



Ben Phillips: I'd have to single out Kaolla Su from "Love Hina," Takako Shimizu from "Chobits," and Saori Shikijo from "Mahoromatic." Viewed individually, Ms. Lee's characterizations in these roles are pitch-perfect, and each of the performances is absolutely splendid on its own merits. Viewed together, they serve as a striking demonstration of this woman's versatility. Here are three roles that couldn't possibly be more different -- the kind-hearted, soft-spoken Shimizu, the adorably hyperactive and childish Su, and the impossibly sex-crazed Shikijo -- and Wendee Lee manages to be equally convincing as all of them. I was utterly blown away when I learned that all three of these characters were voiced by the same woman.



Wendee Lee as Ichino Yanagida in Battle Athletes Victory:

Damaramu: For what i think of as a relatively 'early' dub, i think BAV really has a classic quality, or at least is good enough to shine even among more recent company. Wendee's Ichino was so passionate and real, it shows the acting calibre she's always been able to bring to a role, and the high standard that's could have raised expectations to unrealistic levels at the time. While now hers is definitely one of the voices i listen out for, she can act so convincingly in a variety of roles and with distinct voices that i still have to check the credits sometimes. But only after I've gotten over the performance first, and that can take a while.



Maybe not one of the all-time best quotes, especially as the myraid Wendee Lee characters have had a large part in hooking me on anime, but it does stand out:



"This is nothing. It gets to be a downright orgy if the tigers win the pennant." - Ichina Yanagida, BAV (episode 10)



Of course, a lot of the portrayals I recognise and adore are fairly common (almost anything she's in is synonymous with good, entertaining dubbing) and bring her a new cohort of admirers with each new wave/generation of anime fans who are exposed to them.



Nork22: After considerable thought, this is one for the books.



Episode 5 of Battle Athletes Victory:



"I guess I was awfully rude to her. I'm so sorry." - Ichino Yanagida



Despite all the silliness of Icchan's character, this line probably had the biggest impact and to pull it off with such honesty, you know Wendee is one fine actress. Of course there's the whole scene in the next episode which breaks your heart just to watch it happen but that one line says it all.



martialstax: Oh, man, that's not just one of my favorite lines in anime, it's one of my favorite scenes in anime. It's just heartbreaking.



Nork22: I think I'm gonna blub just think about it.



Wendee Lee?s many other roles:

Nork 22: While everyone will say that Faye (of Cowboy Bebop) is her defining role, which it is, I'm going to say that Umi Ryuuzaki (Magic Knight Rayearth) was the first role that actually made me notice her talents, and also one of my many earlier dub experiences, outside of ADV, that were well done.



gpn: The other role I want to make note of is from an older show that is finally making it's way to DVD this month, and that is Frol in "They Were Eleven." Frol starts off as very brash character with quite a mouth who, as the show progresses, evolves into much more. I won't say too much so I don't spoil anything for those who haven't seen this wonderful movie yet, but again Wendee is absolutely perfect with her performance.



I decided to mention a third role Wendee played that even though it was small, brought me much delight. "Galaxy Express 999", both series and movie, was one of my very first anime experiences in the late 70s/early 80s, so to me Maetel holds a special place as a most beloved anime character. What a thrill it was for me to hear Wendee, who I consider the "First Lady" of anime dubbing, voice her in "Cosmo Warrior Zero."



The_Mahou: Ayaka Kisaragi of Phantom Quest Corp...that's the first role I ever recall hearing her in (at least, I'm pretty sure it was her). That was a short, yet fun show for me and I really enjoyed the tough-as-nails/violent drunk style she put to Ayaka. It's a rather old show but it still stands out in my mind.



And although it's an RPG, I'm enjoying her role as BlackRose in the .hack games.



BakaBANG-BANG: Of all the roles that she played in, the best 2 roles that I really liked are of Karen Kasumi (X-TV) and Twilight Suzuka (Outlaw Star). In X-TV, as Karen, she displayed a lot of emotion (especially in the last episodes we see her in ). In one episode, her character's flashback is presented and Wendee Lee just plays those line dead-on.

This is in a stark contrast with Suzuka where she really maintains her cool.

Of course, I have to check her role in Kurogane Communication, as a friend has suggested her portrayal there is top-notch.

One last comment. I'm looking forward for the reprisal of her role as Tina Foster in AYA ~Enishi~, especially in the very last episodes.



Illusion: My favorite Wendee Lee role would have to be Karen Kasumi from X TV. The X TV dub is one of the best dubs I have ever heard, no doubt due to all the talented VAs involved.



I was also surprised at how well Wendee Lee pulled off Sakura in the Sakura Wars movie. Initially, I thought she could only do mature feminine roles. But after she did Yahiko in Kenshin, and Kero in CCS movie 2, that mindset changed. She proved that she could play naive, bratty, cute, sweet, sexy, etc. whenever necessary and very convincely too.



groundsquirrelsb: Ya know, I'm pretty impressed with her performance on GTO. Aside from the fact she had to do multiple roles in the series, I thought she played Ms. Fuyutsuki to a T. I think her role in this is often over-looked since it doesnt have the flash of a Cowboy Bebop.



Oh and I forgot, the role where I really sat up and took notice of Wendy was in Fushigi Yuugi as Yui. What a cold b*tch she was to her best friend Miaka in that! Talk about not getting the benefit of the doubt!



Mark: First off, she's good in practically every role.

Way back when I started watching anime, I saw Orguss 2. Up until that point, I never really paid attention to how well dubs were acted. Her role as Toria, really moved me. It was a stellar cast, but hers was what made me watch it over and over again. No matter what she does in the future, she will always be Toria to me.



We?ll finish up with this well-written overview of Wendee Lee by EmperorBrandon: Well, to be honest, the only dub that she's directed that I've seen a substantial amount is Outlaw Star (so I can't say too much comparing between the series she's directed and series directed by others), but I'm pretty pleased by its dub, particularly the casting for the main characters (Gene, Jim, Aisha, Melfina, Suzuka) and some of the supporting cast (such as McDougal brothers, Gwen Khan, etc.). They were all on the mark or very close to it. It was one of my first anime dubs that I saw, so it definitely had a lasting impression on me as far as my perception of Animaze dubs went (I would later go on to enjoy Cowboy Bebop and Hand Maid May, and then more after that).



I won't have time (or the memory) to list off all of Wendee Lee's roles I've heard, but I'll comment on a few of them.



It's hard for me to tell exactly which role was my first Wendee Lee role to hear, but I'm pretty sure it was Kiyone in Tenchi in Tokyo. Having heard Sherry Lynn throughout Tenchi Universe, it definitely took some getting used to at first. In the end, though, I think she did a pretty job of portraying the character. Kiyone's character is somewhat different in TinT than in Universe, and the difference in voice actually accounts for that change well. Purely by coincidence, I think Wendee Lee's take on Kiyone was appropriate for Pretty Sammy OVA 3 as well. (though it was only decent in the case of the second and third movies, where Kiyone only had a minor role in the first place...)



The second to hear and perhaps one of my favorite roles of Wendee Lee is the beautiful assasin of Outlaw Star, Suzuka. Not only was her directing of the series pretty good, but her take on the character of Suzuka worked very well (as with much of the cast). This role always seems to be unfairly overlooked in favor of her Cowboy Bebop role as Faye Valentine, but I believe she was just as good here. Her voice just seems to have the "mysterious assasin" quality that goes with Suzuka IMHO. Even though this is one of my favorite, I actually don't think of Suzuka when I hear Wendee Lee's voice in other series (which is somewhat surprising, since Wendee uses a similar voice to Suzuka in many different series). She just seems to have some sort of unique quality as Suzuka.



Hand Maid May was one dub where I was pretty much very pleased by every character in the main cast. If I could count one dub that got me really interested in dubs, this one would be the breaking point (especially as far as Animaze dubs are concerned). Wendee Lee's role as Cyberdoll Sara was no different. Wendee Lee was able to go between Sara's serious "customer service agent" side as well as her crazy and excited stages (particularly with the ramen. Whenever I hear or see the word "ramen", I always think of Wendee Lee's voice as Sara ^_^)



Though several of the earlier roles I heard Wendee Lee in were quite similar, I've got to hear Wendee show off some range with some roles, and she did them as good as her "usual" voice. I was very surprised when I heard her first in Magic Knight Rayearth, as I haven't heard her do such young characters before. Then there's also her young boy role as Yahiko in Rurouni Kenshin. Finally, I would have never thought about Wendee Lee on Kero-chan in CCS (Movie 2), but she pulled him off very well. Kero-chan needed a woman voice, and Wendee Lee was very adequate at pulling it off.

Finally, a word from Wendee Lee herself that I received in an email:



Good-ness!



Well, thank you. This is really quite moving and sweet.

I feel truly honored and encouraged knowing that all the hard

work and performing is well received and appreciated by so

many.



Thanks for making my day!



Sincerely,



Wendee