With the announcement of Sucker Punch’s latest title, we now know that the protagonist of Ghost of Yotei will be voiced by Erika Ishii. The talented voice actor is well-established in the gaming industry and recognized for their past performances in numerous video games and television projects. Ishii boasts an impressive portfolio featuring several major AAA titles that have gained mainstream attention.
Despite their achievements, Erika Ishii has recently faced some controversy regarding the upcoming open-world game set in feudal Japan, Ghost of Yotei. Continue reading to discover more about this situation and their extensive body of work.
Who is Erika Ishii and What Are Their Previous Works in Ghost of Yotei?
Erika Ishii is an American voice actor born on March 7, 1987, in California. Their acting journey began early with a guest role on Full House. Ishii transitioned into voice acting after being inspired by their experience with Sony’s The Last of Us video game, subsequently contributing Additional Voices for The Last of Us Part 2.
Although Erika Ishii may be a fresh name for some gamers, they have undoubtedly left their mark in many beloved games, including:
- Apex Legends – Valkyrie
- Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 (2023) – Captain Amy Fang
- Cyberpunk 2077 – Ruth Dzeng
- Destiny 2 – Ana Bray
- Deathloop – Dr. Wenjie Evans
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – Additional Voices
- Halo Infinite – Lumu and Additional Voices
- Horizon Forbidden West – Additional Voices
- Mortal Kombat 1 – Sector (New Era)
- Starfield – Kumiho, Rikkard, Va’Runn Robot (Model A), and more
Erika Ishii has lent their voice to numerous other games from various publishers, including Bandai Namco and Nintendo, as well as indie titles. Their voice acting extended to TV shows, shorts, and TTRPG (Table Top Role Playing Game) web series, including:
- Dimension 20 – Ava, May Wong, Karen ‘K’ Tanaka, Danielle Barkstock, and more
- Dragonfly – Miyoko
- Fena: Pirate Princess – Artemisia
- Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths (Part Three) – Doctor Light and Huntress
- Oddballs – Liv and Jenna
- Sailor Moon Cosmos – Sailor Juno
- Sunny – Size
- Vampire The Masquerade: L.A. By Night – Anabelle
- Werewolf The Apocalypse: Vancouver By Night – Karina Ogami
- Young Justice – Child, Mary Bromfield, and Sergeant Marvel
In addition to these credits, as the lead in Ghost of Yotei, they will also contribute to the voice of Rook, the customizable main character in the upcoming BioWare action RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
What is the Controversy Surrounding Erika Ishii, the Ghost of Yotei Protagonist?
Following the announcement that Erika Ishii will voice the character Atsu in Ghost of Yotei, some gamers have expressed their discontent. This reaction stems not only from the game’s decision to feature a female protagonist rather than the beloved Jin Sakai from the previous installment, Ghost of Tsushima, but also due to Ishii’s political viewpoints.
When starting their career in voice acting, Ishii was advised to keep their sexual and gender identity private. For those who may not be aware, Erika Ishii identifies as genderfluid and queer, using all pronouns and not adhering to specific sexual orientation labels.
Now that they have the freedom to express their identity on social media, Ishii has been openly supportive of LGBTQ+ rights and has advocated for causes such as police reform. This has drawn criticism from some members of the gaming community, even on Sucker Punch’s official announcements.
Ghost of Yotei is scheduled for release exclusively on PlayStation 5 in 2025.
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