The 10 Best Characters Voiced By Critical Role's Matthew Mercer (2024)

These days, Matthew Mercer is primarily known as the extraordinary dungeon master for Critical Role, a show where “a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons and Dragons.” However, as his weekly intro alludes to, he’s also an extremely talented and prolific voice actor.

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Be it anime, video games, or western animation, Mercer has quite the extensive IMDb page, boasting a dynamic range of credits. Such a body of work certainly lends itself to the number of NPCs needed to flesh out Mercer’s Exandria, but which of these roles is his best?

Robin/Tim Drake (Batman: Arkham Knight)

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Tim Drake is arguably the best Robin, and while his inclusion in Arkham Knight is fun, it’s also strange, as Drake is shown as much older than fans are used to, and yet acts in generally the same manner as his comics counterpart, being a voice of reason for Batman.

While Robin is a great character in the Batman mythos, earning him a spot here, his low placement on the list is due to the strange age he is portrayed as, and the type-cast register Mercer employs in his portrayal of him.

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Hit (Dragon Ball Super)

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Hit appears from another universe to enter the Tournament of Destroyers. Known in his native Universe 6 as the ultimate assassin, Hit is a stoic and reserved challenge for Goku, and strikes an intimidating presence based on his close resemblance to Frieza alone.

Hit’s lower placement here is due more to typecasting Mercer for his lower, no-nonsense register than anything else. Indeed, the character doesn’t leave much for Mercer to work with, but as a main villain in a Dragon Ball saga, this role at least earns a placement here.

Cole Cassidy (Overwatch)

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It’s high noon, but admittedly low placement. This newly-named gunslinger in the stylish first-person-shooter Overwatch is somewhat challenging to master, but once a player does, it’s enough to send everyone else quaking in their boots when they hear Cassidy’s iconic line.

However, asgreat as the line is, there isn’t much here for Mercer to work with. He makes every line sing, certainly, but nearly every Overwatch character’s dialogue consists exclusively of catchphrases. That said, there’s no replacing Mercer’svoice when the ultimate lines are uttered.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki (Demon Slayer)

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The mentor and leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya is a warm, proud, and unfortunately sickly man. He leads with tact, diplomacy, and intelligence, and is able to command the respect of the Corps through love and respect rather than intimidation.

Kagaya’s serene demeanor is beautifully conveyed through Mercer’s dulcet performance. However, Mercer is also able to push the boundaries of that serenity when needed, particularly in moments of grief or moments when inspiration and hope overcome Kagaya. In short, it’s one of Mercer’s more comforting performances, lending credence to the belief that Kagaya deserves an OVA of his own.

Witch-King Of Angmar (Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War)

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Everyone remembers this iconic and intimidating henchman from The Lord of the Rings, both on the page and on the screen, and it’s a (mostly) welcome sight to see him make his on-screen return in Shadow of War. Until he has to be fought, that is.

Related: Best Episodes of Critical Role Campaign One, According to Reddit

Exandria’s make-up has its roots in a variety of fantasy titles against many mediums, and The Lord of the Rings is certainly no exception. As such, Mercer brings his absolute A-game as he lends his voice to the Witch-King, arguably overshadowing his cinematic counterpart.

Aikuro Mikisugi (Kill La Kill)

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Aikuro Mikisugi works undercover as a teacher at Hannouji Academy, presenting himself as tired, bored, and disheveled. However, when he ditches his disguise he becomes an absolutely fabulous member of the organization Nudist Beach and assists Ryuko.

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Related: 10 Best Critical Role One-Shots, According To Reddit

Anyone who has watched Critical Role knows of Mercer’s penchant for flamboyance and it’s a joy to hear him flex that side of him as Aikuro. He’s also given a lot to work with between Aikuro’s two-sided personality, and executes each side perfectly, switching out registers and tones between both.

Leon Kennedy (Resident Evil 6)

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Resident Evil’s golden boy returns after his campy and character-defining turn in Resident Evil 4. Teaming up with various characters from Resident Evil’s past, Leon has to work like hell to prevent a new viral outbreak from causing a second Raccoon City.

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Related: 10 Best Player Characters In Critical Role, According to Reddit

Resident Evil 6 was met with mixed reception, but Mercer approaches Leon with the utmost care and respect, delivering arguably the best performance of the game, and a true highlight in what is otherwise one of Resident Evil’s lesser mainline titles.

Yusuke Kitagawa (Persona 5)

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The fourth member of the Phantom Thieves in Persona 5, a game that has its own DnD similarities, Yusuke is a talented young painter who joins the fight against the corrupted adults after overcoming his exploitative mentor and teacher. Dressed as a fox and armed with a katana, Yusuke is one of the most powerful fighters in the game.

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Mercer’s performance as Yusuke is a particularly interesting one as he provides a deep, velvety voice for this awkward and pretentious, yet warm-hearted teenager. Mercer navigates Yusuke’s journey to a more generous and down-to-earth person, and the love towards his friends is evident in Mercer’s voice-work.

Jotaro Kujo (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure)

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The third of the titular JoJos to go on bizarre adventures, Jotaro is the main JoJo of Stardust Crusaders, and much rougher compared to his two predecessors. To quote Jotaro himself, no one ever said (he) was a nice guy. While being a man of few words, JoJo’s gruff demeanor is accented by a gentle heart towards those he deems worthy, as well as the right amount of camp one expects from JoJo’s.

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JoJo reincarnations are comparable to Doctor Who in a way, and each actor has to leave their mark when stepping into the role and Mercer does that beautifully, balancing the quiet-but-rough nature of Jotaro as well as the camp. It’s a large task, considering Jotaro also appears outside of his own series, but Mercer steps up.

Levi Ackerman (Attack On Titan)

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Levi Ackerman is a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense, and borderline abusive figure within the Survey Corps. Cold-hearted and quite the stickler for cleanliness, Levi is also a trusted member of the Survey Corps and looks out forthose belowwith an intense loyalty, a loyalty not reserved for those above him who abuse their power.

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One of the best characters in Attack on Titan, Mercer is given the task to navigate what in lesser hands (or lesser voices) could be a very flat performance. However, with Mercer’s approach, he’s able to deliver the extra dimensions to Levi’s cold-heartedness, and maintains that same level of quality all throughout the series, making Levi his best role. One might even say his critical role.

NEXT: 10 Best Guest Player Characters In Critical Role

The 10 Best Characters Voiced By Critical Role's Matthew Mercer (2024)

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