Zack Aguilar is an incredible voice actor who has worked on some fantastic projects. The 27-year-old VA has been giving voice to Tanjiro in Demon Slayer, and you can also hear him in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners as David. And recently, Beebom got an amazing opportunity to interview the young voice actor. We talked about a lot, mostly about Demon Slayer and Edgerunners, and the actor had some interesting things to share.
I began the interview by showcasing how excited I am for the upcoming Infinity Castle films and how massive this next phase of the story feels for fans. With Tanjiro’s journey entering one of its most intense and defining phases, I asked what excites Zach the most as a performer about portraying this part of the character’s arc.
He emphasized that the story of Demon Slayer is now finally entering its true climax. From his perspective, this stage represents the emotional and narrative peak of the entire series. In addition, Zach spoke about how meaningful it has been to grow alongside Tanjiro over the years, noting that it’s been roughly seven years since he first began voicing the character.
As a manga reader himself, he’s long been attached to the story, which makes performing these final arcs rewarding. He hinted at the sheer scale of what’s coming next, explaining that the final trilogy of films contains a tremendous amount of major story developments — something he finds both exciting as a fan and energizing as a performer.
“It’s been amazing going from that point all the way till this. I’m a huge manga reader. So I’m a big fan of you know, the manga and just the story in general. And yeah, I mean, there’s just so much that goes down in these final three movies. Yeah, it’s it’s really exciting.”
Aparna: Do you remember when you first discovered that you were cast as Tanjiro in Demon Slayer? What was your initial instinct for his voice?
Zach: Yeah, I actually auditioned for three roles: Zenitsu, Tanjiro, and Inosuke. Normally, if you get selected for even one of those is a miracle, so getting the call that I’d landed Tanjiro was huge. When I first saw his character design, my instinct was that he should sound youthful and gentle; a bit higher in placement and very kind in tone.
When I went into the booth, the directors explored a few variations with me, but we ultimately came back to that core idea, which was to keep the warmth and kindness at the center of his voice.
Aparna: Were you familiar with the story before you landed the role?
Zach: No, I actually didn’t know anything about Demon Slayer before I got the part. After I was cast, I took it upon myself to read through the manga, and that’s when I became a big fan of the series myself. It’s been really cool experiencing the story from both sides: as a performer and as a fan.
Aparna: Did you realize at that time how big the show might become in the future?
Zach: I had a feeling it would be popular, just because the characters, animation, and story all come together so well and appeal to a wide audience. When those elements click like that, you can usually tell there’s something special there.
But I never imagined it would reach the level it has today. It’s grown into something huge, almost Hollywood-level, and that’s been pretty incredible to see.
Aparna: The story has come a long way. How do you think your portrayal of Tanjiro has evolved over time?
Zach: I think I’ve always tried to keep the same core qualities from season one, especially his kindness and empathy. Tanjiro is a deeply selfless character, and no matter how intense the situation gets, I try to keep that emotional center present in every scene. At the heart of it all, he’s still fighting for Nezuko. That original purpose continues to drive everything he does.
At the same time, the performance has definitely evolved. My own acting skills have grown over the course of the series, and the plot has pushed me in a lot of directions: high-stress battles, grief, comedy, friendship, and loss. Going through those moments with the character has helped me learn how to express a wider emotional range. In a way, it feels like I’ve lived through those experiences alongside him, and that naturally shows up in the performance now.
Shifting away from Tanjiro for a moment, I asked him which character and which fellow performer stand out most to him from the series. Well, Zach didn’t take long to answer.
He said Inosuke is easily one of his favorites, largely because of how wildly unpredictable and chaotic the character is. He described Inosuke as fun, random, and intense. He describes the character as the kind of presence that keeps every scene lively while also being someone you can ultimately rely on when it matters most.
On the performance side, he pointed to Bryce Papenbrook as a particularly meaningful collaborator. Working alongside him, he said, feels like a full-circle moment. Long before entering the industry himself, he had been a fan of Bryce’s performances in major anime titles, including Attack on Titan, and now sharing scenes together on the same show feels surreal and deeply rewarding.
Aparna: Without giving spoilers, is Tanjiro emotionally different in the later arcs compared to the early Demon Slayer?
Zach: He’s definitely been through a lot, but at his core, he’s still the same person. I always try to preserve his essential kindness and compassion in the performance. That part of him doesn’t change. What has changed is that he’s more emotionally seasoned, he understands loss more deeply now and has learned how to manage his feelings better, even though he still wears his heart on his sleeve.
He’s always been unusually mature, and I think people sometimes forget that he’s still just a kid, not an adult. His emotional strength and empathy are impressive for his age. So yes, he’s grown, but his good heart is still very much intact.
Aparna: Which Tanjiro moment was the most emotionally difficult for you to record?
Zach: The most challenging one for me was at the end of the Swordsmith Village arc, during the sunrise battle with Hantengu, when Nezuko appears to be burning in the sun. That whole sequence is incredibly intense. Tanjiro is chasing the demon, filled with anger and urgency, while also realizing he might lose the very person who gave him a reason to become a Demon Slayer in the first place.
He’s desperate and frustrated all at once, thinking, “What do I do without you?” That emotional swing, from combat fury to heartbreak, was really tough to perform. It actually made me cry in the booth, which helped the performance feel more real.
I even asked the director to give me a minute before recording the scene so I could fully get into Tanjiro’s headspace and understand exactly what he was feeling. I wanted to make sure the emotion came through in a believable way.
After covering the most emotionally demanding moments, I asked if there were also lighter scenes in the booth that genuinely made him smile. He laughed and said there were plenty.
Zach mentioned that he especially enjoys Tanjiro’s quieter interactions with Kanao, particularly the scenes where he talks to her and encourages her.
Zach also comes from a completely unexpected comedic beat:
“My favorite line from Demon Slayer is very random. It’s when Tanjiro and Genya are in the hot springs and he says, and here I thought we could bond together in our nakedness. It was just so random.”
For him, that tonal balance is part of what makes the series work so well. The epic battles and heartbreaking drama are offset by small bursts of humor and warmth. Those lighter moments build camaraderie between the characters, which in turn makes the tragic scenes hit even harder for the audience because the emotional connection feels earned.
Given how physically intense Tanjiro’s Hinokami Kagura attacks sound on screen, I asked how he protects his voice during those extended scream-heavy recording sessions. Zach admitted they’re every bit as demanding as they appear, often feeling more like a workout than a typical voice session.
He then explained that preparation is key. Before those recordings, he makes a point to rest his voice, drink plenty of tea, and go through proper vocal warm-ups. Directors will often give him advance notice when a session is going to be especially scream-heavy, allowing him to pace himself and come in ready for the strain.
“I do vocal warm ups before I actually go into the booth on those sessions. Sometimes the director will give me a heads up, hey, we got a lot of screaming today. So you might want to make sure you’re prepared and just kind of get into the motion of doing it.”
Interestingly, he noted that video game recordings can be even more punishing than anime sessions. Because attack lines are often recorded in long, consecutive bursts. Move after move, shout after shout, there’s very little recovery time between efforts. By the final takes, he said, he’s often pushing out the last remaining bit of voice he has left, testing the upper limits of his stamina as a performer.
Because Tanjiro is far more emotionally expressive than many traditional shonen leads, often crying openly on screen, I asked how Zach keeps those moments honest instead of slipping into melodrama. He said striking that balance is one of the trickiest parts of the performance.
He also acknowledged that even he sometimes pauses and wonders whether he personally would cry in certain situations, but reminded himself that Tanjiro is written as someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. That emotional openness is part of the character’s identity, so the performance has to honor it.
“Because sometimes when people cry, naturally, it sounds like they’re laughing. Especially if you’re a voice actor, and no one can see your face, they don’t see if I’m actually crying or what I’m doing. I want it to sound as realistic as possible. So me and the director, we kind of go back and forth. He’s like, hey, you need to cry more. And I’m like, crying less because I don’t want it to sound like too much. But there are times when I need to just find a balance, I think between the two, and that truly make Tanjiro special.”
Aparna: Looking back, if you could re-record one Tanjiro scene, which one would it be?
Zach: Performance-wise, I’d probably go back and redo the very first episode. The scene where Tanjiro returns home and finds his family murdered. Now that I understand the character much more deeply, I feel like I could bring even more heartbreak and nuance to it.
At the same time, there’s something special about how it turned out originally. Back then, I was still discovering Tanjiro as I performed him, and that uncertainty actually mirrors what the character is going through in that moment. He’s in shock and trying to process everything. So in a strange way, my own learning curve helped the scene. Still, I’d love the chance to revisit it and add a bit more emotional weight with what I know now.
Moving beyond Demon Slayer, I told him that another performance of his that stood out to me was his work as David Martinez in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. The compliment clearly meant a lot to him, and he shared that the role has been close to his heart and that he poured everything into that performance during recording.
He described David as an incredibly compelling character and said seeing the show’s global popularity has been both surreal and gratifying. While acknowledging the character’s fate, Zach expressed strong excitement about returning to that universe as a viewer.
He said he would absolutely welcome the chance to return to the Cyberpunk world in some capacity. He spoke highly of the creative team behind the project, praising the collaboration with the developers and writers, and said that experience alone would make him eager to come back. Whether as a new character, a flashback appearance, or any role that allowed him to work with that team again.
“I would like to return to that universe in a new role if I get a chance. I loved working with that team. The CD Projekt Red people are so, so cool. And the writers were amazing to work with. Just for the sake of working with the team again, and having that kind of collaboration, that collaborative process that we had while recording Edgerunners, I would love to do that again with another character or a flashback of David or something, you know, anything, I’ll, I’ll take what I can get.”
Aparna: Have you played the Cyberpunk game as well? If yes, which character’s performance stood out to you the most?
Zach: I’ve only played a little bit of the game, but I really loved Keanu Reeves’s performance as Johnny Silverhand. He was fantastic in that role. Honestly, I’d love to meet Keanu someday and just sit down and talk about Cyberpunk. That would be really cool.
Part of me always wonders if the universe might find some way to bring David back in some form, though I don’t know if that will actually happen. It would be great if it did, just to have the chance to step into that role again. But yeah, Johnny Silverhand is my favorite from the game, for sure.
Aparna: Are you an avid gamer? If so, what are your favorite games?
Zach: Yes, though adult life and acting have definitely reduced how much time I get to play now. But I grew up playing a lot of games. I’ve spent time with titles like Halo, Call of Duty, Overwatch, and League of Legends, along with many JRPGs, including Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts II.
If I had to pick just one favorite, it would probably be Halo 3. That was a big one for me growing up. It’s what got me onto Xbox Live and playing regularly with friends, so there’s a lot of nostalgia attached to it.
Shifting the focus to anime beyond the projects he’s already been part of, I asked which modern series intrigues him most or which ones he’d love to join if given the chance. He said there are plenty, but one upcoming project immediately came to mind.
Zach shared that he’s especially excited about a new Godzilla-themed anime currently in development, centered on a boy with Godzilla-like powers. A longtime fan of the franchise, he spoke enthusiastically about playing Godzilla games growing up, watching the films, and even keeping Godzilla artwork at home. If auditions open for the project, he said he’d jump at the opportunity to throw his hat in the ring.
Among the currently running giants, he pointed to One Piece as another dream world to be more deeply involved in. He noted that he technically voiced a very small role in the series already, but would love the chance to return as a more significant character. For him, the show’s scale and legacy make it an especially exciting space to work in.
He also added that his connection to anime goes back to his early teens, having started watching regularly around the age of twelve, long before he ever imagined becoming part of the industry himself.
Aparna: Besides Godzilla, which anime was a big part of your childhood?
Zach: Naruto, for sure. That was a huge one for me growing up. It’s actually pretty surreal now, because being a voice actor lets me travel to conventions and meet the actors from that series, people I looked up to for years.
On the outside, it’s a normal professional interaction for them, but internally, I’m kind of freaking out, because I’m meeting the voices behind characters like Naruto and Sasuke. It really feels like meeting my heroes.
As the conversation turned to conventions and fan interactions, I asked if there was any memorable moment that stood out, something he’d like to share with our readers. Zach laughed and said there have been plenty of unusual encounters over the years, but one moment in particular still tops the list.
Zach recalled a fan walking up in an extremely tight shirt, dramatically tearing it open, and asking him to sign his chest. He went along with it, Sharpie in hand, and the moment has since become one of his most awkward yet favorite convention memories.
He also added that fan dedication often goes even further than that. Many attendees have permanently tattooed his autograph, something he says still feels surreal every time it happens. It happened dozens of times, not just once or twice. Some fans have even returned the next day to show him the fresh tattoo as proof.
Aparna: If we consider modern anime instead of long-running giants like Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto, which current series do you think deserve a top-three spot?
Zach: That’s a tough call. If it’s handled the right way, I think the upcoming Godzilla anime could be up there, though I’ll admit that’s partly personal bias because I’m a huge Godzilla fan. It’s such a timeless and recognizable IP that it has the potential to reach a wide audience.
I’d definitely put Demon Slayer in that top group as well. It had an enormous impact and keeps growing. Jujutsu Kaisen also deserves a spot, and my buddy Adam McArthur is in that show, so I’m especially happy to see how well it’s doing. He’s a great actor, and it’s a fantastic series overall. I’d also mention My Hero Academia as another strong modern contender. It’s really hard to limit it to just three because there’s so much good anime right now.
As we moved toward wrapping up, I asked what advice he would give to fans who hope to follow a similar path into voice acting. His answer centered on preparation and personal investment.
He emphasized that success in the field isn’t just about talent, it’s about consistent work and training. Acting classes, voice training, and even singing lessons, he said, all contribute to becoming a stronger, more versatile performer. Zach shared a personal motto he lives by: luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.
From his perspective, aspiring actors should treat skill-building broadly rather than narrowly. Opportunities can appear in unexpected forms, and being prepared — even in areas you might not think you’ll need — can make all the difference. Above all, he stressed that investing in yourself and your craft yields the greatest long-term results.
Alright, that’s all we got to talk about with Zack, and it was surely amazing to learn about the actor and his mindset on preparing for such incredible roles.
Ajith Kumar
