Bleach: Why Did Chad's Original Actor Not Reprise Their Role?

By Megan Peters

Bleach is back with a new anime at last, and of course, fans have been waiting for the series to drop its English dub. That wish was granted this past week when Viz Media put out the dub on Hulu, and it brought back voice actors like Johnny Young Bosch. However, one star from the original cast was missing, and Chad's former voice actor is opening up about his decision to leave the role behind.

Over on Twitter, Jamieson Price addressed fans about the choice after Viz Media confirmed a new actor was taking over the role. It was there the acting veteran said he chose not to return to Bleach as Chad because Price doesn't audition for roles of people of color.

The Decision Explained

"I have loved being a part of the Bleach universe and voicing Chad. It was a difficult decision to say no to coming back for TYBW. But I no longer audition for roles of people of color. Representation matters. Access matters," the actor shared.

Continuing, Price said he was first introduced to Chad during a time when access to roles in anime was incredibly unequal for POC actors. However, that has changed over the years, and Price felt it would be inappropriate to reprise Chad given the change in the industry.

READ MORE: Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Dub Unleashes Ichigo's First Getsuga Tensho: Watch

"I have had access to a very wide variety of roles in my career. Actors use their imaginations and their experience to breathe life into the characters we portray. We get to walk in someone else's skin for a time. We practice empathy. We feel. And we learn," he shared. "Access to opportunity in Anime has not been equal. But that has changed. By stepping aside now I open the door of Access and give the opportunity to an actor who can represent Yasutora Sado with the same love and pride and imagination but with more life experience than I have."

Now, Bleach is moving forward with a new actor who will oversee Chad. Alain Mesa is now in charge of the character, and fans will know the Cuban-American actor from roles in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Great Pretender, and Red Dead Redemption II. 

Did this casting change surprise you? Are you keeping up with Bleach's new series now that it is live? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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