So, the news finally dropped and people are actually losing their minds. Johnny Yong Bosch is the new Netflix Devil May Cry Dante voice actor. Yeah, you read that right. The guy who has been the voice of Nero—Dante’s nephew—for nearly two decades is now stepping into the red coat of the legendary demon hunter himself.
It's a weird one. Honestly, it’s the kind of casting move that makes you do a double-take. If you’ve spent hundreds of hours in Devil May Cry 4 or DMC5 hearing Johnny yell "Deadweight!" at the screen, hearing that same voice come out of Dante’s mouth feels... surreal. Sorta like your cousin suddenly showing up with your dad’s face.
The Johnny Yong Bosch Factor
Johnny Yong Bosch isn't just some random hire. The dude is a legend. From being the second Black Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to voicing Ichigo Kurosaki in Bleach and Vash the Stampede in Trigun, his resume is basically a "Best of Anime" list.
But within the DMC community, he is Nero.
When Adi Shankar, the mastermind behind the Castlevania Netflix series, announced the cast for this new adaptation, the reaction was split right down the middle. Some fans are stoked because Johnny is a phenomenal actor who brings a specific kind of "punk rock" energy. Others? They can't unhear the nephew. It’s a lot to process, especially since Reuben Langdon has been the definitive voice of Dante since 2005.
Why the Change Happened
Look, let’s be real. Reuben Langdon and Capcom—and by extension, major production houses like Netflix—have had a complicated relationship lately. Without getting bogged down in the drama, let’s just say there’s been some distance.
📖 Related: Dragon Ball All Series: Why We Are Still Obsessed Forty Years Later
Choosing Bosch for the Netflix Devil May Cry Dante voice actor role feels like a strategic move. He’s a "safe" bet in terms of professionalism, but a "bold" bet in terms of lore.
Adi Shankar basically said he wanted to "alchemize" 20 years of history into something fresh. By picking Johnny, he’s linking the generations of the game in a way that’s meta as hell. It’s also worth noting that Johnny actually auditioned for Dante way back for Devil May Cry 3. He didn’t get it then, but life has a funny way of coming full circle.
Is It Just "Nero in a Red Coat?"
That’s the big fear, right?
I’ve listened to the clips from the booth. Johnny isn't just doing his Nero voice. It’s deeper. More "I’ve seen some things" and less "I have an anger management problem." Dante in this series is younger, but there’s a weariness to him that Johnny captures surprisingly well.
He’s not trying to do a Reuben Langdon impression. Thank god for that. Nothing kills an animated show faster than a voice actor trying to sound like someone else and failing. Instead, Johnny is leaning into a cocky, stylish, but slightly detached version of the character.
👉 See also: Down On Me: Why This Janis Joplin Classic Still Hits So Hard
The Rest of the Crew
While everyone is focused on Dante, the rest of the cast is stacked:
- Robbie Daymond as Vergil: This is inspired casting. Robbie has that cold, "I am better than you" tone down to a science (think Goro Akechi from Persona 5).
- Scout Taylor-Compton as Lady: She brings a grit that fits the vibe perfectly.
- Kevin Conroy as VP Baines: This is actually one of the legendary Batman actor’s final roles before he passed away. Hearing him in a DMC project is bittersweet, but it adds a massive level of prestige to the production.
Why This Casting Actually Makes Sense (Maybe)
Think about the DNA of these characters.
Vergil and Dante are twins. Nero is Vergil’s son. Genetically, they are all cut from the same demonic cloth. In the games, Dante and Vergil have different VAs, but having Johnny voice a younger Dante creates a weirdly effective "family resemblance" through sound.
Plus, Johnny is a martial artist. He gets the physicality of the character. When he’s in the booth, he’s moving. He’s not just reading lines; he’s performing the stunts with his voice. That energy is exactly what a high-octane Studio Mir production needs.
What This Means for the Future
If you’re a purist, you’re probably still annoyed. I get it. Changing the voice of a character after 20 years is like changing the lead singer of a band.
✨ Don't miss: Doomsday Castle TV Show: Why Brent Sr. and His Kids Actually Built That Fortress
But here’s the thing: this is a new continuity.
The Netflix series isn't a direct 1:1 of the games. It’s an "Adi Shankar Bootleg Universe" style project. It’s meant to be its own beast. If Johnny knocks it out of the park, it doesn’t take away from Reuben’s legacy in the games. It just gives us another flavor of our favorite pizza-loving demon slayer.
The show premiered in April 2025, and the consensus seems to be that while the "Nero voice" is hard to shake for the first ten minutes, Johnny eventually disappears into the role. By the time he hits his first "Jackpot," you kind of forget about the controversy.
How to Approach the New Voice
- Watch with an open mind: Don't go in looking for reasons to hate it.
- Listen to the nuance: Notice how Johnny drops the pitch of his voice compared to his Nero performance.
- Appreciate the action: The synergy between Studio Mir’s animation and Johnny’s timing is top-tier.
Honestly, the biggest hurdle isn't even the voice—it’s the writing. As long as Dante stays the lovable, arrogant dork we know, the voice actor is just the delivery mechanism. And Johnny Yong Bosch is one hell of a delivery man.
If you want to see how he stacks up, your best bet is to jump into the first couple of episodes on Netflix and judge for yourself. Just don't expect a carbon copy of the games, or you're gonna have a bad time.
Go check out the "In The Booth" featurette on Netflix's YouTube channel if you want to see Johnny actually recording. It’s pretty wild to see the physical effort he puts into the combat grunts alone. Case closed.