Inside the Life of Demon Slayer Voice Actor and Anime Star Zach Aguilar

Please introduce yourself, what you do, why you do it, and what you want people to know about you. 

My name is Zach Aguilar, and I’m an actor known for roles in Demon Slayer, Genshin Impact, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and more. I’ve always loved storytelling and the way performances can connect people emotionally, especially through anime and video games. More than anything, I want people to know I genuinely care about the characters I play and the fans who support my work.

What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry? 

I’d say I’m a fast learner and a bit of a jack of all trades. In addition to acting, I sing, write music, and have played piano for most of my life. I think having experience in different forms of performance helps me bring something unique to every role.

Describe THAT moment when you realized you wanted to do what you do now. Who did you tell first? What has it been like since that moment? 

I was 12 years old when I realized I wanted to become an actor, specifically in voice over because of how much I loved anime and video games growing up. I told my parents first, and thankfully they were incredibly supportive from the beginning. Since then, it’s been a long journey filled with a lot of learning, growth, and opportunities I could’ve only dreamed of as a kid.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to face and how did you overcome it?

Honestly, getting out of my own way. I tend to overthink things sometimes, whether it’s an audition, a meeting, or a big opportunity. When I was 14, I almost backed out of a voice acting competition because I was so nervous. I ended up pushing through and auditioning anyway, and I actually won. That competition helped lead to my first major job, so it taught me early on that fear can’t make decisions for you.

Fans around the world know you as Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer. What has it been like portraying a character who has become such an important hero to audiences globally?

It’s honestly hard to put into words how much Tanjiro and Demon Slayer mean to me. I feel incredibly fortunate to play a character with so much compassion, strength, and heart. Seeing how deeply audiences connect with him around the world has been really special. I think he’s the kind of role model people genuinely need more of.

Tanjiro is known for his compassion and determination. What aspects of his personality do you connect with the most as a performer? 

Definitely his empathy and determination. No matter what he’s going through, he never loses sight of why he’s fighting in the first place, which is ultimately for the people he loves, especially Nezuko. There’s something really inspiring about how selfless he is.

You’ve voiced characters across a wide range of video games as well as anime. How does recording for video games differ from recording for anime? 

Anime usually requires much more precise timing because you’re matching an existing animation. Video games can sometimes be a bit more flexible, which allows you to focus even more on the performance and experiment in the moment. Both are really fun in different ways. 

What is your favorite video game franchise to be a part of and why? 

That’s such a hard choice, but if I had to pick one, probably Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Getting to play Byleth was surreal because little me would’ve completely freaked out hearing that one day I’d actually be in Smash Bros.

Is there a fan interaction from all your time at conventions that has really stuck with you? Tell us about it. 

It’s hard to pick just one, but something that always sticks with me is hearing fans talk about how anime and gaming helped them connect with friends or family members. Knowing that something I worked on became part of those memories is incredibly meaningful to me and honestly reminds me why I fell in love with this industry in the first place.

If you had to give one piece of advice to someone just getting their start in voice acting, what would it be? 

Focus on becoming a well-rounded actor first. Try theater, singing, improv, on-camera acting, etc. Anything that helps you grow as a performer. Also, don’t wait around for opportunities to magically appear. Put yourself out there, market yourself, and start auditioning anywhere you can.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of thus far?

Winning Best Voice Performance at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2023 for my work in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was a huge moment for me. I gave absolutely everything I had to playing David Martinez, so having that performance recognized meant a lot. 

Where would you like to see your career in 5 years? 

I’d love to continue branching out into more on-camera work, music, and other creative projects while still continuing voice acting. Voice over will always be a huge part of who I am, so I hope I’m still doing it for a very long time.

Can you tell us about any other current projects our readers can look forward to? 

There are a lot of projects I unfortunately can’t talk about yet because of NDAs, but I’m really excited for season two of Blue Box on Netflix later this year. It’s been such a refreshing and fun series to work on. 

If you had to pick the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could take your career to the next level….who would those 3 people be? 

I’d probably say Hideo Kojima, Jordan Peele, and Christopher Nolan. All three are incredible creatives who constantly push storytelling into new territory, and I’d love the opportunity to collaborate with people like that someday.