Max Mittelman
Max Mittelman (born September 5, 1990, in Los Angeles, California) is an American voice actor based in Los Angeles, California, renowned for providing English dubbing voices in anime, animated television series, and video games.[1][2][3] Mittelman began his career after studying theater at the University of Southern California (USC), where he initially pursued science but shifted focus to performing arts.[4] His breakthrough came in anime dubbing, with standout performances including the apathetic yet powerful Saitama in One-Punch Man (2015–present), the hot-headed Ryuji Sakamoto in Persona 5 (2016) and its adaptations, and the prodigious pianist Kousei Arima in Your Lie in April (2014–2015).[5][2][6] In Western animation, he has voiced characters such as Harry Osborn in Marvel's Spider-Man (2017–2020), and additional roles in projects like Disney's Monsters at Work (2021–present) and Nickelodeon's Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2017–2020).[7][8][2] Video game credits further highlight his versatility, including Leo in the Fire Emblem series, Red XIII in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024), and multiple characters in the indie dating sim Date Everything! (2025), which he co-created as a co-founder of Sassy Chap Games.[1][9][2] Beyond voice acting, Mittelman has contributed to game development through Sassy Chap Games, blending his performance skills with creative production in titles like Date Everything!, where he also voices characters such as Mikey Transaction and Jean Loo Pissoir.[9][2] His work has earned acclaim for capturing nuanced emotions, from deadpan humor to intense drama, establishing him as a prominent figure in the voice acting industry.[10][11]Biography
Early life
Maxwell Braden Mittelman was born on September 5, 1990, in Los Angeles, California.[12] Mittelman grew up in Los Angeles as part of the pre-digital generation of the 1990s, without smartphones or constant internet access. He was raised in a Jewish family of German descent, with cultural influences rooted in their heritage, including ancestors who survived the Holocaust.[13]Education
Mittelman attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he initially studied science with plans to become a doctor.[14][7] After four years, he switched to the Theatre Department, driven by his growing passion for performance and storytelling. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre.[14][7] During his time at USC, he was involved in the Improv Club and Street Dance Society.[15]Personal life
He resides in Los Angeles, California, where he was born and continues to base his life as a voice actor, navigating the demands of a busy recording schedule alongside personal downtime in the city's vibrant entertainment hub.[7][10] Mittelman shares longstanding personal friendships in the voice acting world, particularly with Robbie Daymond and Ray Chase, whom he considers like family through years of shared experiences, collaborative projects, and mutual support. These bonds extend beyond professional collaborations into a tight-knit group dynamic, often highlighted in their joint improv and gaming endeavors.[9]Career
Early career
Mittelman entered the voice acting industry in 2013, starting with minor roles in anime dubs and animated projects. His debut credit came as additional voices in the English dub of the South Korean disaster film Flu, directed by Kim Sung-su.[16] That same year, he provided the voice for the villainous Rhino in the episode "The Rhino" of Disney XD's Ultimate Spider-Man, marking one of his initial forays into Western animation.[2] After graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in theatre, Mittelman pursued professional voice-over opportunities, leveraging his stage training to adapt to studio work.[7] He affiliated with SBV Talent agency, which represented him for voice acting and helped facilitate early bookings in dubbing and animation.[16] To expand his resume beyond voice work, Mittelman took on small live-action television roles, including a brief appearance as a tech support representative in an episode of The Big Bang Theory. Transitioning from on-stage theater performances to isolated voice-over sessions required adjusting to remote auditions and constructing a targeted demo reel, a process he described as demanding persistence amid competitive industry entry.[17]Breakthrough roles
Mittelman achieved a major breakthrough in the anime dubbing industry with his casting as Saitama, the titular hero in the English version of One Punch Man, which premiered in 2015. His portrayal captured the character's deadpan humor and overwhelming power through a distinctive monotone delivery that resonated with audiences, quickly becoming one of his most iconic roles. This performance earned him the Breakthrough Voice Actor of the Year award at the 2016 Behind the Voice Actors (BTVA) Anime Dub Awards, highlighting his rapid rise in the voice acting community.[18][2] Expanding into video games, Mittelman's role as the hot-headed Ryuji Sakamoto in Persona 5 (2016) marked another pivotal moment, showcasing his ability to voice energetic, relatable protagonists. For this performance, he received the 2018 BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award for Best Male Lead Vocal Performance in a Video Game, affirming his growing influence in interactive media. The acclaim from this role, combined with fan enthusiasm at conventions and online discussions, significantly boosted his visibility among gamers and anime enthusiasts alike.[19] In 2017, Mittelman took on the complex antagonistic character of Shirou Kotomine in Fate/Apocrypha, delivering a nuanced depiction of the scheming overseer of the Holy Grail War that added depth to the series' ensemble cast. Concurrently, he began contributing to Western animation with supporting roles in Glitter Force Doki Doki, including voicing Momota and minor characters, which helped diversify his portfolio beyond anime dubs. These mid-2010s achievements, including multiple BTVA nominations and wins, elevated Mittelman's profile, positioning him as a versatile talent sought after in both anime and gaming circles for his range from comedic leads to dramatic villains.[20][21][22]Recent developments
Since 2020, Max Mittelman has adapted to industry shifts, including the widespread adoption of remote voice recording prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed him to continue contributing to projects from home while maintaining high production quality. This flexibility has supported his expansion into diverse media, building on his established reputation in anime and gaming.[2] In Western animation, Mittelman's versatility shone through his portrayal of Lex Luthor in the Adult Swim series My Adventures with Superman (2023–ongoing), where he voices the iconic supervillain opposite a fresh take on the Superman mythos, earning praise for adding layers of intellectual menace to the character. The show's second season, which premiered in 2024, further highlighted his role in ensemble dynamics involving heroes like Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen.[23] Mittelman's prominence in video games persisted with his performance as Red XIII in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024), the second installment in Square Enix's remake trilogy, where he brought emotional depth to the wise, lion-like warrior during key narrative moments across the expanded world of Gaia.[24] This role reinforced his standing in high-profile RPGs, contributing to the game's critical acclaim for its character-driven storytelling.[25] In 2025, Mittelman voiced multiple characters, including Dayvan and Phin Junior, in the open-world survival MMO Dune: Awakening, adapting Frank Herbert's universe for Funcom's ambitious multiplayer experience.[26] He also voiced Samson, the loyal bird companion, in the Netflix animated series Dr. Seuss's Horton!, a family-friendly adaptation emphasizing themes of friendship and adventure that premiered on October 6, 2025.[27] Additionally, in the 2024–ongoing series Legends of Evergreen Hills, he voices Zack, a key figure in the ensemble exploring supernatural elements in a small-town setting.[28] Beyond acting, Mittelman has ventured into production as co-founder of Sassy Chap Games and executive producer for the dating sim Date Everything!, released in 2025, where he also voices characters like Jean Loo Pissoir and Mr. Cluckles.[29]Filmography
Anime
Max Mittelman has provided voices for numerous English dubs of Japanese anime series and films, frequently collaborating with studios such as Funimation, Crunchyroll, and NYAV Post. His roles span protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters, with many in high-profile mecha, action, and drama series.[21][2]Notable Roles
- Kousei Arima in Your Lie in April (2014, Funimation dub): The lead character, a prodigious pianist grappling with trauma and loss across the full 22-episode series.[21]
- King in The Seven Deadly Sins (2015–2021, Funimation dub): A prominent fairy king and member of the titular group, voicing the character through multiple seasons and major arcs, including the revival and wrath of the gods storylines (over 100 episodes total).[21]
- Inaho Kaizuka in Aldnoah.Zero (2015, Funimation dub): The strategic protagonist in this mecha war series, appearing in both seasons (24 episodes).[21]
- Saitama in One Punch Man (2015–, Viz Media/Crunchyroll dubs): The iconic lead hero, an overwhelmingly powerful yet unfulfilled fighter; voiced across Season 1 (2015, 12 episodes), Season 2 (2019, 12 episodes), and Season 3 (2025–present).[21][30]
- Ein Dalton in Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans (2015–2017, Funimation dub): A passionate young soldier in the first season's early arcs (12 episodes).[21]
- Ritsu Kageyama in Mob Psycho 100 (2016–2022, Crunchyroll dub): The psychic younger brother of the protagonist, a major supporting role through all three seasons (37 episodes total).[21]
- Atsushi Nakajima in Bungo Stray Dogs (2016–, Crunchyroll dub): The kind-hearted lead with a tiger transformation ability, voicing him from Season 1 onward (over 70 episodes across multiple seasons).[21]
- Shiro Kotomine (2017, Funimation dub) in Fate/Apocrypha: A cunning antagonist master in the Holy Grail War, central to the 25-episode series.[21]
- Kira Yamato in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (2017 remaster dub, NYAV Post): The heroic coordinator pilot and central figure in the 50-episode sequel series, particularly prominent in the latter half's major conflict arcs (36 episodes).[31][16]
- Ryuji Sakamoto in Persona 5: The Animation (2018, Crunchyroll dub): A rebellious high school student and Phantom Thief member, a key supporting lead across the 26-episode adaptation.[21]
- Konohamaru Sarutobi in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (2019–, Crunchyroll dub): Naruto's former student and a jonin instructor, recurring in major arcs like the time skip and code ninja invasions (ongoing, dozens of episodes).[21]
- Matsumoto in Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song (2021, Funimation dub): An AI companion assisting the protagonist in time-travel missions, featured throughout the 13-episode series.[21]
- Kira Yamato in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom (2024 film, NYAV Post dub): Reprising the role as the veteran pilot in this theatrical sequel, central to the interdimensional conflict narrative.[21][30]
- Hanzawa in Detective Conan: The Culprit Hanzawa (2024, Crunchyroll dub): The titular detective character in this spin-off series, driving the investigative plot (12 episodes).[21]
- Ace Trappola in Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Animation (2025–present): A main student at Night Raven College in this isekai adaptation.[30]
- Masamune Kikuiri in Maboroshi (2023 film, English dub 2024): A key character in this supernatural mystery.[21]
Western animation
Max Mittelman's contributions to Western animation encompass a range of roles in American and European-produced animated television series, showcasing his versatility in voicing both lead characters and supporting figures. His work often features in family-friendly and action-oriented shows distributed by major networks like Netflix, Cartoon Network, and Adult Swim. Notable performances highlight his ability to portray youthful, energetic protagonists alongside more nuanced antagonistic or ensemble parts.[2] In the 2017 Netflix adaptation Glitter Force Doki Doki, a Western-localized version of the Japanese Precure franchise produced by Saban Brands, Mittelman provided the voice for Momota, a recurring student character involved in the magical girl team's school-life segments. Mittelman has also lent his voice to superhero narratives, including the role of Lex Luthor in My Adventures with Superman (2023–present), an Adult Swim and HBO Max series reimagining the DC Comics icon as a calculating antagonist opposite Clark Kent's journey. His performance in the show's second season, which premiered in 2024, emphasized Luthor's intellectual menace amid high-stakes action sequences. In the French-American co-production Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (2015–present), distributed by Disney Channel and Netflix, he voices Plagg, the sarcastic kwami companion to Cat Noir, as well as Ivan Bruel and other minor characters, appearing in over 100 episodes. Additional credits include various voices in Nickelodeon's The Loud House (2016–present), such as the recurring character River in a 2025 episode, and supporting roles like the Poltergoose in Breadwinners (2014–2016). In 2024–2025, Mittelman expanded his portfolio with the voice of Zack, a key apprentice figure, in Legends of Evergreen Hills, an animated series on The Roku Channel exploring fantastical school adventures.[28] That same year, he voiced Samson, the loyal bird sidekick to Horton, in Netflix's Dr. Seuss's Horton! (2025), a seven-episode adaptation emphasizing themes of friendship and perseverance in a whimsical jungle setting produced by Brown Bag Films.[32]| Year | Title | Role | Network/Production |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Glitter Force Doki Doki | Momota | Netflix/Saban Brands |
| 2023–present | My Adventures with Superman | Lex Luthor | Adult Swim/HBO Max |
| 2015–present | Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir | Plagg, Ivan Bruel, various | Disney Channel/Netflix |
| 2016–present | The Loud House | River, additional voices | Nickelodeon |
| 2024–present | Legends of Evergreen Hills | Zack | The Roku Channel |
| 2025 | Dr. Seuss's Horton! | Samson | Netflix |