Monica Rial

Monica Jean Rial (born October 5, 1975) is an American voice actress, ADR director and script writer affiliated with Funimation and Seraphim Digital/Sentai Filmworks. She provides voices for English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series.

Biography
Rial was born in Houston, Texas. Her father is from Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain. When she was young, her family would often visit Spain. She would translate for her younger brother some of the European Spanish-dubbed cartoons which included anime shows Doraemon and Dragon Ball Z, often imitating the various characters. She studied ballet, tap, and jazz, but transitioned to musical theatre when was 12. She studied acting through high school as well as college at the University of Houston. In an interview with Otaku News, Rial mentioned voice actor inspirations from The Simpsons, Family Guy and Beavis and Butt-head. She was working on a theatre show with Jason Douglas, who suggested she audition for ADV Films. Her first voice-over role was some walla in the 1999 dub of Martian Successor Nadesico. In an interview with Otaku News, Rial said she had to talk for two minutes straight as folks in a crowd telling the Jovians to go home. She would later land main character roles as Miharu in Gasaraki, Natsume in Generator Gawl, and the title character in ADV Films' production of Hello Kitty's Animation Theater, the last of which was one of ADV's best-selling DVDs. In 2001, she voiced Izumi in the baseball anime Princess Nine and in 2002, she got to voice Hyatt in Excel Saga, which she listed among her absolute favorites.

In 2003, she voiced best-friend character Kyoko Tokiwa in Full Metal Panic!, and got to reprise her for ''Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu and Full Metal Panic: The Second Raid''. She voiced Kirika Yuumura, the quiet assassin partner in Noir. Rial said that Kirika was challenging because she had very few words but had to convey a lot of emotions. She also noted that Kirika's personality changed over the course of the series, so she voiced her to be more emotional in later episodes which drew some criticism from fans. She also voiced Lila in Najica Blitz Tactics where she also got to do a DVD commentary along with fellow actress Kira Vincent-Davis. The commentaries have become popular as she receives feedback from fans about them at anime conventions. She voiced female protagonist Haruka Shitou in the sci-fi show RahXephon.

In 2004, Rial started voice-over work with the anime dubbing company Funimation in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. During that year, she voiced Amy in the long-running detective anime series Case Closed, and Lyra (aka Dante) in the drama series Fullmetal Alchemist. Both of these shows were featured on Cartoon Network. She also voiced co-lead character Lumiere in Kiddy Grade. Meanwhile, with ADV, she voiced Nyamo-sensei in the school comedy Azumanga Daioh. She had also taken over some character roles as Momiji in Blue Seed and Maya in Neon Genesis Evangelion. Rial said that it was very difficult to try to sound like the previous voice actors, especially Maya's low voice, so she tried her own approach. She also got to voice Pen-Pen the penguin in Evangelion. In 2005, she voiced the serious lead character Jo in a team of mercenary girls in the cyberpunk science fiction series Burst Angel.

Rial continued to land leading roles in anime shows. In 2006, she voiced the title character in Nanaka 6/17, about a 17-year-old girl who, through an accident, has amnesia and regresses to her 6-year-old self. In Speed Grapher she voiced female protagonist Kagura Tennōzu, and in the ADV Films remake of Macross, she voiced Misa Hayase. In 2007, she voiced Sakura in the English anime adaptation of Clamp's Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle; Maria in Witchblade; Misuzu Kamio, a heroine in Air, and the title character in Kurau: Phantom Memory. She also voiced lead characters Misao Shinohara, Sasami's best friend in Sasami: Magical Girls Club; and heroine Asa Shigure in the harem comedy Shuffle!.

In 2010, when Dragon Ball Z was remade as Dragon Ball Z Kai, Rial got to voice the heroine character Bulma. She voiced other lead girl characters such as Miya Asami in Sekirei, Tsubaki Nakatsukasa in Soul Eater, May Chang in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, and Ringo in Casshern Sins. Both Soul Eater and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood have had sizeable runs on Adult Swim's Toonami block. In 2011,he voiced the title character Mina Tepes in Dance in the Vampire Bund, as well as several lead female characters in ensemble shows Rosario + Vampire, Highschool of the Dead and Fairy Tail, such as Yukari Sendou, Shizuka Marikawa, and Mirajane Strauss respectively.

Rial voiced more leads in 2012 with Shiro in Deadman Wonderland which also broadcast on Adult Swim, Stocking in the raunchy comedy Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. In 2013, she voiced the heroine character Haruko Amaya in the harem comedy Maken-ki! and Iori Nagase in the school anime series Kokoro Connect. With regards to her lead role of Michiko Malandro in Michiko & Hatchin, which was released on DVD in 2013 and was broadcast on Adult Swim in 2015, Rial said that out of the 300 or so characters she had voiced, only two of them were Hispanic, and she liked that her character wasn't a stereotype. In 2014 and 2015, she voiced the title characters in the comedies Watamote and Maid Sama!.

In addition to voice acting, Rial has been steadily involved in ADR script writing, with work in the English dubs for D.N. Angel, Madlax, and Gatchaman. In an interview with Active Anime, Rial said she would "take the direct translation and write it into a coherent scene that matches the lip flaps". At later anime conventions, Rial has mentioned that ADR script writing has kept her quite occupied, especially with "broadcast dubs", that is, shows that are locally dubbed soon after the original broadcast. She has also written columns for Newtype's USA edition.

Personal life
Monica Rial has a younger brother, and a younger sister, Natalie, who is also an actress.

Anime
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 * 2002
 * Chance Pop Session – Nozomi Kaibara
 * Sorcerer on the Rocks – Gin Fizz, Shibas Fizz
 * 2003
 * All Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku Nuku DASH! – Chouko Izumishibiku
 * Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi – Sayaka Imamiya
 * Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture - Prince of Darkness – Mikako Sato
 * Neo Ranga – Mei Omori, Saki
 * Pretear – Tipi, Yayoi
 * Saint Seiya – Makoto (ADV dub)
 * Saiyuki – Howei, Kouran, Rin Rei
 * Yu Yu Hakusho – Tsukihito Amanuma
 * 2004 || Super Milk Chan || Tetsuko || ||
 * 2004
 * Aura Battler Dunbine – El Fino
 * Chrono Crusade – Florette "Fiore" Harvenheit
 * Cyberteam in Akihabara – Hatoko Daikanyama/Dark Pigeon
 * Gravion – Marinia
 * Grrl Power – Ao
 * Kino's Journey – Su
 * Megazone 23 – Eve
 * Mezzo – Sakura Sakurada
 * Nurse Witch Komugi – Posokichi, Komachi
 * Peacemaker Kurogane – Saya, Saizo
 * Puni Puni Poemy – Shii Aasu
 * Sister Princess – Sakuya


 * 2005
 * Dragon Ball Z: Broly - Second Coming – Coco
 * E's Otherwise – Raphael
 * Elfen Lied – Kanae
 * Gantz – Mika Kanada
 * Gunslinger Girl – Angelica
 * Hakugei: Legend of the Moby Dick – Lucy, The Singer
 * Kekko Kamen – Mayumi Takahashi
 * Maburaho – Shino Akai
 * Mermaid Forest – Natsume
 * The Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok – Gullinbursti
 * Sakura Taisen: Ecole de Paris – Coquelicot
 * Samurai 7 – Shino (Manzo's Daughter)
 * Samurai Gun – Mitsu
 * Wandaba Style – Himawari Natsuwa
 * Yugo the Negotiator – Laila
 * Yumeria – Mizuki Agatsuma


 * 2006
 * Basilisk – Okoi
 * Desert Punk – Wakame
 * Jinki:Extend – Shizuka Tsuzaki
 * Misaki Chronicles – Akari Kureha
 * Papuwa – Papuwa
 * Princess Tutu – Raetsel
 * Tactics – Muuchan, Miyako Edogawa (Ep. 1), Yumeyakko, Nene (Ep. 6), Additional Voices
 * UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie – Rika Tokino


 * 2007
 * BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad – Esumi
 * Best Student Council – Ayumu Ohme
 * Coyote Ragtime Show – Chelsea Moore
 * Glass Fleet – Sylua Moe Silvernail
 * Hell Girl – Ryoko Takamura
 * Innocent Venus – Renée Vikro
 * Moeyo Ken – Sen Urasawa
 * Mushishi – Daughter (Ep. 14), Aya Tozawa (Ep. 17), Toyo (Ep. 18)
 * One Piece – Tashigi, Kuina, Karoo
 * Origin: Spirits of the Past – Zerui
 * Red Garden – Vanessa
 * School Rumble series – Lara Gonzalez
 * SoltyRei – Rita Revant (Greco)
 * Trinity Blood – Vanessa Walsh
 * Utawarerumono – Yuzuha
 * Welcome to the NHK – Megumi Kobayashi, Kazuko


 * 2008
 * Aquarion – Otoha
 * Black Blood Brothers – Kelly Wong
 * Claymore – Miria
 * Darker than Black – Kanami Ishizaki
 * Ghost Hunt – Madoka Mori
 * Magikano – Michiru Mamiya
 * Moonlight Mile – Riyoko Ikeuchi
 * Shattered Angels – Kaon


 * 2009
 * Baccano! – Chane Laforet
 * Bamboo Blade – Reimi Odajima
 * Big Windup! – Ruri Mihashi
 * Blassreiter – Elea
 * D.Gray-Man – Lulu Bell, Lero
 * Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone – Pen Pen
 * Heroic Age – Tail Ol Mehelim, Mail Al Mehelim
 * Kaze no Stigma – Misao Ogami
 * Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple – Number 20
 * Murder Princess – Milano Entolasia/Alita Forland, Falis
 * Save Me! Lollipop – San
 * Sgt. Frog – Momoka Nishizawa
 * Strain: Strategic Armored Infantry – Becky
 * The Tower of Druaga series – Coopa
 * 2009 || Tears to Tiara || Octavia || Anime Network ||
 * 2010
 * Blue Drop – Hagino Senkoji (Ekaril)
 * Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies – Bulma
 * Ghost Hound – Himeko Ogami
 * Hero Tales – Enki
 * Hetalia Axis Powers – Belarus, Flying Mint Bunny
 * Linebarrels of Iron – Miu Kojo
 * Master of Martial Hearts – Ryu Geturei
 * My Bride is a Mermaid – Maki
 * The Sacred Blacksmith – Lisa, Lisa Oakwood (Ep. 9)
 * Sands of Destruction – Linan
 * Strike Witches – Chris Barkhorn
 * Tears to Tiara – Octavia
 * Xam'd: Lost Memories – Haru Nishimura
 * 2010 || Casshern Sins || Ringo || ||
 * 2010 || Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood || May Chang || ||


 * 2011
 * Baka and Test – Riko (Ep. 7)
 * Corpse Princess – Saki Amase
 * Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance – Pen Pen
 * Spice and Wolf – Merta


 * 2012
 * Aria the Scarlet Ammo – Yutori Takamagahara
 * The Booke of Bantorra – Neinu
 * Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker – Avexis
 * Ef: A Fairy Tale of the Two – Chihiro Shindou
 * Fractale – Enri Granitz
 * 2012 || Golgo 13 || Jean Barbara || ||
 * IS (Infinite Stratos) – Houki Shinonono
 * Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere – Adele Balfette
 * Magical Dreamers – Maricia Adeine
 * Majikoi! – Oh! Samurai Girls – Saki Mimori
 * Penguindrum – Himari Takakura
 * Princess Jellyfish – Mayaya
 * Princess Resurrection – Sawawa Hiyorimi
 * Shiki – Midori Kunihiro
 * Un-Go – Mine Kuramitsu (Ep. 9–10), Mitsuko Sasa (Ep. 3–4)
 * The World God Only Knows – Fujidera (Ep. 9-11), Yuri (Ep. 7)


 * 2013
 * AKB0048 – Yuuka Ichijou
 * Bodacious Space Pirates – Gruier Serenity, Luca Kaoru
 * Campione! – Erica Blandelli
 * 2013 || Campione! || Erica Blandelli || ||
 * Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess – Mirajane
 * Girls und Panzer – Karina Sakaguchi
 * Good Luck Girl! – Mika Tsuwabuki
 * High School DxD – Susan
 * Inu x Boku SS – Karuta Roromiya
 * Kamisama Dolls – Hibino Shiba
 * Kokoro Connect – Iori Nagase
 * Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine – Nora (Ep. 4)
 * Medaka Box – Nekomi Nabeshima
 * Michiko and Hatchin – Michiko Malandro
 * Nakaimo - My Sister is Among Them! – Konoe Tsuruma
 * Nyan Koi! – Chizuru Mochizuki
 * Phi Brain: Puzzle of God – Melancholy (Season 2)
 * S · A: Special A – Hikari Hanazono
 * Say "I Love You". – Asami Oikawa
 * Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 – Christel Takigawa (Newscaster)


 * 2014
 * The Devil Is a Part-Timer! – Emeralda Etūva
 * From the New World – Maria Akizuki
 * 2014 || From the New World || Maria Akizuki || ||
 * Majestic Prince – Tamaki Irie, Irina
 * Maria Holic – Mariya Shido, Shizu Shido
 * Samurai Bride – Maeda Keiji
 * Short Peace – Frog (Possessions)
 * Space Dandy – Pine-Pine (Ep. 19)


 * 2015
 * Beyond the Boundary – Mitsuki Nase
 * Dragonar Academy – Navi
 * Gangsta. – Sig
 * 2015 || Heavy Object || Ohoho || ||
 * High School DxD BorN – Venerana Gremory
 * Noragami – Tsuguha


 * 2016
 * Divine Gate – Metabon
 * Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On – Moca


 * 2017
 * Code Geass: Akito the Exiled – Ferilli Bartlow
 * 2017 || Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199 || Starsha Iscandar || ||


 * 2018
 * 2018
 * Golden Kamuy
 * Asirpa

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