Believe it.
Those two words defined a generation of anime fans in the West. When Naruto first hit Cartoon Network’s Toonami block in 2005, the voice coming out of the spiky-haired ninja’s mouth wasn’t what many expected. It was raspy. It was loud. It was unapologetically gritty. Behind that iconic performance was Maile Flanagan, the English voice actor for Naruto who would go on to voice the character for over seven hundred episodes, several movies, and a dozen video games.
Choosing a woman to voice a young male protagonist is a long-standing tradition in both Japanese and American animation—think Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson or Pamela Adlon as Bobby Hill. But Naruto Uzumaki was different. He had to age. He had to grow from a social pariah into a literal god-tier world leader. Flanagan didn't just provide a voice; she navigated one of the most difficult character arcs in dubbing history.
The Audition That Changed Shonen History
Most people don't realize how close we came to a different version of the Hidden Leaf's hero. When Mary Elizabeth McGlynn—the legendary ADR Director for the series—was casting, she wasn't looking for a "cartoon" voice. She needed someone who could handle the "guts" of the character.
Flanagan actually walked into the audition not knowing much about the property. At the time, Naruto was a massive hit in Japan but was only just beginning its takeover of the American market. She read the lines, channeled that specific brand of bratty determination, and landed the role. It’s funny because, in the beginning, the direction was very focused on Naruto’s status as an outcast. He wasn't supposed to be "cool" yet. He was a nuisance. Flanagan captured that loneliness hidden behind a wall of noise perfectly.
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The workload was staggering. Imagine screaming your lungs out for four hours in a small padded booth, then going home and trying to talk to your family. That was the reality for years. The "Shadow Clone Jutsu" alone probably required hundreds of takes over two decades to keep the energy consistent.
Evolution of a Shinobi: From Part I to Shippuden
One of the biggest hurdles for any English voice actor for Naruto is the time skip. In the transition from the original series to Naruto Shippuden, the characters aged about two and a half years. In the Japanese original, Junko Takeuchi kept her voice relatively similar, leaning into a slightly more mature resonance.
Flanagan had to do something similar. She couldn't suddenly sound like a 30-year-old man, because Naruto was still a teenager. The "Shippuden" voice is subtly lower, more grounded. You can hear it in the Pain Arc. When Naruto returns to the destroyed village and finds out Jiraiya is gone, the rasp in Flanagan’s voice shifts from "annoying kid" to "traumatized young man." It’s subtle, but it’s there.
Honestly, the chemistry in the booth matters too. Even though voice actors often record their lines solo (a process called "striping"), Flanagan’s rapport with Yuri Lowenthal (Sasuke) and Stephanie Sheh (Hinata) feels palpable. When Naruto finally talks to his mother, Kushina, or meets his father, Minato, the emotional weight in the English dub is largely carried by Flanagan’s ability to crack her voice at just the right moment. It feels human. It doesn't feel like a script.
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The Controversy of the Dub vs. Sub Debate
Let's be real for a second. The "Sub vs. Dub" war has been raging since the 90s, and Naruto was often at the center of it. Purists argued that no one could match Junko Takeuchi’s original performance. They hated "Believe it!" (which was a translation of the Japanese verbal tic dattebayo).
But here’s the thing: Flanagan’s performance made the character accessible to a demographic that might never have touched subtitled media. She made Naruto a Western household name. The "Believe it!" catchphrase was eventually phased out into "Know it!" and then largely dropped as the character matured, which was a smart move by the localization team at Viz Media. It showed that they were listening to the audience and respecting the character’s growth.
What’s truly impressive is how Flanagan handled the transition into Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Now she’s voicing Naruto as the Seventh Hokage—a tired, overworked father. The rasp is still there, but the frantic energy has been replaced by a weary authority. It’s a masterclass in vocal aging.
Behind the Scenes: The Technical Grind
People think voice acting is just talking. It’s not. It’s high-impact acting combined with technical precision.
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- ADR Matching: The actor has to match the "flaps" (the character's mouth movements) exactly. If Naruto’s mouth stays open for a split second longer than the line, Flanagan has to extend a vowel or add a grunt.
- Vocal Health: Screaming "Rasengan!" for fifteen years takes a toll. Many voice actors develop nodes or permanent vocal damage. Flanagan has managed to maintain her range through sheer technique.
- The "Barks": In video games like Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, actors have to record "barks"—short clips of effort sounds, getting hit, jumping, and dying. Flanagan has recorded thousands of these.
Impact on the Voice Acting Industry
Maile Flanagan’s success as the English voice actor for Naruto opened doors for more diverse casting in anime. It proved that a character's gender doesn't define who can play them, even in a high-octane action series. She has become a staple at conventions, often speaking about the responsibility of playing a character who has literally saved lives.
Fans frequently tell her that Naruto’s "never give up" attitude helped them through depression or illness. That’s a heavy mantle for any performer to carry. She handles it with a lot of grace and a pretty sharp sense of humor.
It’s also worth noting the longevity. In an industry where recasting is common due to budget or union disputes, the core Naruto English cast has remained remarkably stable. This consistency is a huge reason why the dub remains popular on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll. You grow up with these voices. They become the "real" versions of the characters in your head.
What to Watch (and Listen) for Next
If you’re a fan of Flanagan’s work, the journey doesn’t end with the original series. Seeing her range in the Boruto era is fascinating because it’s the first time we see Naruto as an adult who has actually achieved his dream. The "Hokage voice" is a specific iteration of the character that deserves its own appreciation.
Actionable Steps for Aspiring Voice Actors and Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of English dubbing or want to follow the legacy of the English voice actor for Naruto, here is how to stay informed:
- Study the ADR Process: Watch "Behind the Scenes" footage of Naruto recording sessions. It’s available on many of the older DVD box sets and YouTube. Pay attention to how the actors watch the screen while performing.
- Follow Official Channels: Viz Media often releases interviews with the cast. These provide the most accurate insights into how the localization process works for such a massive franchise.
- Attend Q&A Panels: If you go to a convention like Anime Expo or New York Comic Con, don't just ask for an autograph. Ask about the "vocal choices" made during specific arcs, like the transition to the Four-Tails state.
- Compare Performances: Listen to Flanagan’s work in other projects, like The Jellies! or Lab Rats. You’ll hear how she manipulates her natural tone to fit different genres, which highlights the specific craft she brought to the ninja world.
The legacy of the English Naruto dub is one of persistence. Much like the character himself, the dub had to prove its worth to a skeptical audience. Decades later, it stands as a cornerstone of the anime boom in the West, largely due to the raspy, energetic, and deeply emotional performance of Maile Flanagan. She didn't just voice a ninja; she helped build a cultural phenomenon that isn't slowing down anytime soon.