Erika Ishii is an American voice actor and host. They are best known as the voice of video game characters such as Valkyrie in Apex Legends, and for their appearances in actual play web series including L.A. by Night and Dimension 20.
Career
Ishii's work in acting started at a young age, with a guest appearance on Full House.
Voice acting
In an interview with Bungie, Ishii stated that playing The Last of Us (2013) inspired them to enter voice acting in video games. From the late 2010s, Ishii performed voice roles in numerous video games, and would contribute voice work to The Last of Us Part II in 2020. During their early career, Ishii was advised to conceal their sexuality and political views to avoid losing work. Later they became more open about their orientation and identity. Ishii indicated that doing so was a positive step, as it allowed them to be part of a community, and to take on relevant roles. "The industry is beginning to recognize the value of authenticity and inclusion. It makes for better art and it's what the majority of the world wants to see." Ishii spoke positively about their role as the mixed-Japanese lesbian Valkyrie in Apex Legends, stating that "None of it was tokenism... She's one of the most real characters I've ever had the honour of portraying."
Ishii was a narrator for the audiobook Walk Among Us (2020), "an audio-first trio of horror novellas set in Vampire: The Masquerade's World of Darkness". In September 2021, Ishii was a featured artist on the acoustic version of the song "Can You Feel My Love" by the music group Juniper Vale.
In 2025, they will be the lead character Atsu in Ghost of Yotei, the sequel to Ghost of Tsushima.
Actual play
Ishii is known for their roles in actual play role-playing web shows such as L.A. by Night and Dimension 20. In January 2023, it was announced that Ishii, with Brennan Lee Mulligan, Aabria Iyengar, and Lou Wilson, would star in the creator-owned actual play podcast Worlds Beyond Number; the show premiered in March 2023.
In December 2024, Ishii guest starred in the stage production of Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern which combines actual play, improv, and immersive theater at Stage 42 in New York City.
Hosting
Ishii was a host and producer for Geek & Sundry. Ishii has also hosted other events such as the 2018 Crunchyroll Anime Awards and the 2021 Acceleration Japan showcase.
Personal life
Ishii openly identifies as queer, bisexual, or pansexual with no preference between labels, and genderfluid. They have been vocal in their opposition to transphobia, and have raised funds for LGBTQ supporting charities such as The Trevor Project.
Filmography
Film
Television
Video games
Web series
Stage
Notes
References
External links
- erikaishii
.com Archived July 13, 2024, at the Wayback Machine - Erika Ishii at IMDb
- Erika Ishii at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
