The Genshin Impact community is a little, uh, on fire at the moment. That's due to SAG-AFTRA, an American union of actors across entertainment media (including, naturally, videogames), and its ongoing strike.
Said strike has been proceeding apace for over eight months now, with voice actors still embroiled in fights over deals for protection against AI exploitation. Being a game with voice actors in it, Genshin Impact has been… well, impacted.
The 'good' news for Genshin Impact players who don't care about such protections (and MiHoYo, mind) is that one of the games' characters, Kinich, will have voice acting again. The bad news for everyone else is that a Japanese-based voice actor has swept in and accepted the role without acknowledging the ongoing strike.
"I'm honored to join the English cast of Genshin Impact as the voice of Kinich," writes Jacob Takanashi, "Taking up the mantle of Malipo is a privilege, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to carry the flame from the previous flamebearer, John, who did an incredible job. Those are big shoes to fill, and I promise to give it my all—out of respect for him, for HoYoverse, and for you, the fans … I'm deeply grateful for the privilege of entertaining you all."
To be blunt—Takanashi has written this as though John Patneaude, who has been voicing the character for half a decade, stepped down from the role due to illness or a tragic accident or something. Which seems ignorant of the reality of the situation. Patneaude was on strike.
As explained in a post on the actor's X account, Patneaude has been "withholding voice-over services during the SAG AFTRA Interactive Strike because Hoyo/Cognosphere wouldn't offer Al protections in the form of a SAG Interim Agreement. They'd kept my character's dialogue silent for months, all the while I had made the difficult decision to continue not going in until an interim agreement was signed, and this ultimately was why I was recast.
"Now obviously, a recast is not what I wanted. I'd hoped that any progress behind the scenes would be made and I could come back safely, or that if recast auditions went out my colleagues wouldn't read for them. Unfortunately, I was wrong."
I will note that Takanashi is based in Tokyo, and as such is not part of an American union like SAG-AFTRA. He is, however, joining an English-speaking cast alongside many American castmates—who'd consider themselves peers of the actor he's replacing. It's also relevant that Patneaude doesn't appear to be in the union—though he was striking in solidarity, which isn't uncommon.
While Takanashi isn't crossing a picket line by technical definitions, he is coming in from the outside and replacing someone who was withholding their work in protest. In other words, he's a strikebreaker—sometimes called a "scab".
Whatever your opinions are on the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, whether voice actors have a right to be worried about AI profiting off their likeness with zero protections and without their consent, or the efficacy of SAG-AFTRA in general, that is unavoidably what's going on here. It's not the move you make if you care about getting on with your co-workers, to put it lightly.
English castmates respond
Takanashi has not been given a warm welcome. Corina Boettger, who voices Paimon, writes: "This wasn't a passing of the torch." Kayli Mills, who voices Keqing, adds: "This is actually kinda diabolical. If you need the money, at LEAST take the role uncredited. This just comes off as an easy grab for clout. It’s not a good look."
Valeria Rodriguez, the voice of Sucrose, responded with a trio of thumbs down emoji—they've also been voicing their frustration at fan responses, too.
For context, there's a non-zero amount of fans who've replied to Takanashi expressing support for him, and hoping that other striking actors will be replaced in short order—with some believing that the English cast is acting "elitist" or cliquey for critiquing a Japanese voice actor who isn't technically bound by union rules, just etiquette. Some are also just frustrated that the characters in their gacha game are unvoiced.
Rodriguez is having none of it. "It’s insane how entitled the gacha fanbase is holy sh*t. 'Keeping the characters hostage from us and hurting our experience' WHAT?!? We’re fighting for worker’s rights, that’s what a strike is all about. If this was the 1940s & we were striking it’d be based or some sh*t.
"I’m grateful that the projects I’m still working on offer humane protections and livable wages. And fan bases that aren’t insane and appreciate real, integral voices. Also I know this ISN’T ALL gacha fans. But the replies to some of my fellows are HORRENDOUS."
Voice actors from elsewhere in the industry have also expressed their disapproval, such as Stephanie Sheh, English VA for Naruto's Hinata and Bleach's Orihime—in videogames, she's recently worked on Like a Dragon: Infinite wealth, Armored Core 4, and Mortal Kombat 1:
"There are many reasons why roles get recast. I personally draw the line when the original actor is holding out because they are fighting for better work conditions. I have refused many auditions to take over roles from my peers because I’d never do that to another fellow actor."
It is, to borrow a phrase, a dumpster fire of a situation. To be clear, there is nuance to this sort of thing. By Boettger's own admission, they've still chosen to voice Paimon through the strike due to their disability, and a need to pay for their medical bills. The specificities of Takanashi's personal or financial situation are, likewise, unknown.
Other actors working on Genshin Impact have tried to calm the situation down. Nathan Nokes, who voices Ororon, writes: "Negativity CANNOT fight negativity. Be gracious, kind and respectful even when you disagree. It’s ok to disagree, and probably encouraged by some. But putting someone down is never going to make someone think more positively." Paul Castro Jr. voice of Freminet, also posted: "When in doubt -- treat others how you want to be treated."
I'll broadly say—dogpiles aren't helpful, and I'm not assuming Takanashi is a moustache-twirling villain counting his fat stacks of dollar bills. However, any working voice actor is going to be aware that taking a role someone lost because they were striking in solidarity won't be received well. Besides, the concept of strikebreaking isn't even remotely a new one. Takanashi likely understood there would be pushback involved from his peers. Whether he's the first of such grim replacements, it remains to be seen.
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