Christopher Ayres' passing is a tragedy for the anime community. His performance as the galactic tyrant Frieza in the Dragon Ball franchise is considered the best by many. The role is filled out nicely by Daman Millis, but there will always be an emptiness felt by Chris' absence.
For fans still reeling from the weight of this loss, not all is lost. Chris' legacy lives on through his many voice-acting roles. This doesn't just cover Dragon Ball, either. Chris' name is attached to a vast library of English dubs. In memory of this voice-over icon, here are some more of his biggest performances.
Corset - Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
Chris reuses his haughty dictator voice to good effect in the Panty & Stocking dub. Chris adds to this voice by making his character Corset speak in an eccentric and over-the-top manner. The ridiculousness of such a voice would sound a little out of place on a dignified character like Frieza, but it fits perfectly on Corset given the context in which it's used. Panty & Stocking is itself a pretty ridiculous anime, but Funimation takes a lot of creative liberties with their script to make the show even more hilarious. Panty and Stocking's cartoonish tone complemented by Funimation's comedic dialogue creates the perfect environment for Chis to give one of his most hammed-up performances ever.
Prince Soma Asman Kadar - Black Butler
Prince Soma of Black Butler fame is another ruler played by Chris, but this is where the similarities end. The young prince, unlike Frieza or Corset, is a pleasant man who seeks to rule with kindness, charm, and understanding. Chris gives Soma more of a playful and lighthearted tone to his voice in order to reflect this personality. Soma in-universe provides a refreshing contrast to the more reticent protagonist of the series, Ciel Phantomhive. The character also shines when interacting with Agni, Soma's equivalent to Ciel's butler Sebastian. Chris does a great job presenting the amicable, emotional personality of Soma to English-speaking audiences.
Takeda Shingen - Sengoku Basara
Shingen, despite being yet another leader, helps Chris to show off more of his vocal talent. Shingen commands his Takeda Clan and must consistently lead them to victory through an alternate, superpowered version of Japan's Warring States period. Exercising this control requires him to have an expressive, authoritative voice. This voice must be one that inspires confidence and relays a sense of experience to his troops. Shingen also shows a more passionate side when interacting with Sengoku Basara's deuteragonist, Sanada Yukimura. Chris taps into the deeper end of his vocal range to bring out these necessary qualities of Shingen's voice. Chris' ability to present the nuances of Shingen's voice further affirms his talents as a voice actor.
General True - Broken Blade
General True is another leadership role Chris works well in. Even though True is a general just like Shingen, the mannerisms and methods of the two are slightly different from each other. True is more about bossing his troops around than Shingen is about leading them. True also gives off an air of cocky rashness that runs the risk of leading his side to ruin in battle. In Broken Blade, the role of the wise, charismatic leader is filled out better by General Baldr. True, however, despite his shortcomings, also radiates passion and gives off a respectable sense of duty. Chris is able to capture this character's blend of arrogance and devotion to his people through his voice.
Kei Kurono - Gantz
Chris actually has a notable main character role thanks to Gantz. In this series, Like many teenagers, Kei is irritable and horny in his head but tries his hardest not to show it to others. He'll occasionally let these worse parts of himself slip out, but he remains reserved most of the time. The show makes up for this by laying bare Kei's inner monologues throughout so that the audience can hear all of his thoughts completely unfiltered. Kei, as a result, comes off as ridiculous yet relatable as he indulges in his base impulses. Chris manages to represent this awkward mindset of a teenager perfectly, complete with grumblings and voice breaks.
