Christopher Ayres

Christopher Owen Ayres (May 16, 1965 – October 18, 2021) was an American voice actor, ADR Director, and Script Writer at Seraphim Digital and Sentai Filmworks for English versions of Japanese anime series. He has also been a voice actor for FUNimation, OkraTron 5000 and New Generation Pictures. He is the older brother of Greg Ayres.

He was best known for his roles as Frieza in Dragon Ball Z Kai and Dragon Ball Super, Kei Kurono from Gantz, Prince Soma from Black Butler and Shingen Takeda from the Sengoku Basara series.

Biography
Ayres got his start in voice acting at ADV Films on Kino's Journey as an extra. Chris has since gone onto voicing in many productions by ADV and soon expanding to FUNimation's talent pool; not only as a voice actor, but as a voice director and script writer. Ayres won the 2012 Staff Choice Award for Best Male Vocal Performance in an Anime Title in a Supporting Role as Frieza in Dragon Ball Z Kai at the 1st Annual BTVA Voice Acting Awards.

In 2017, Ayres was diagnosed with advanced COPD and final stage emphysema. This illness kept him from voice acting since March of that year. A fundraiser launched in November of that year raised over $38,000 of a $25,000 goal in fan donations for Ayres' medical expenses. Daman Mills filled in as Ayres' understudy as Frieza in Dragon Ball Super lest he was too ill to perform or something worse occurrede.

In November 2019, it had been announced that Ayres had successfully undergone a double lung transplant.

Death
Ayres died on October 18, 2021, at the age of 56, following years of complications from pulmonary disease. His death was announced on Twitter the following day by his girlfriend and fellow voice actress, Krystal LaPorte, and his friend and colleague, Sean Schemmel.

Anime

 * Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (1972-1974) - Evil Commander (ep. 26), Hontwarl Captain (eps. 51-52) , Galacferatu Minion (ep. 53) , Commander Klikenstein (ep. 57) , Reporter (ep. 62) , Commander Bluefang (ep. 65) , Sub Captain Santo (ep. 78) , Additional Voices
 * Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982-1983) - Lynn Kaifun, Additional Voices
 * Saint Seiya (1986-1989) - Ushio, Boy 2 (ep. 33)
 * Crayon Shin-chan (1992-present) - Additional Voices (FUNimation Dub)
 * Yu Yu Hakusho (1992-1995) - Demon Spectator (ep. 49) (Blu-Ray Remaster)
 * Initial D: First Stage (1998) - Miki (ep. 7) (FUNimation Dub)
 * One Piece (1999-present) - Johnny, Additional Voices
 * Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (2003) - Atsunobu Hayashimizu, Additional Voices
 * Kaleido Star (2003-2004) - Mike Abbot (ep. 34), Charlie (eps. 38-39) , Mr. Patrova (ep. 39) , Performer (ep. 39) , Billy (eps. 43-44) , Troupe Leader (ep. 45)
 * Kino's Journey (2003) - Bartender (ep. 11), Man A (ep. 13)
 * Elfen Lied (2004) - Sniper (ep. 1), Additional Voices
 * Gantz (2004) - Kei Kurono
 * Kurau: Phantom Memory (2004) - Additional Voices
 * Madlax (2004) - Citizens, Soldiers, Soldier Yessir (ep. 1), Forensics Officer (ep. 4) , Galza Commander (ep. 22) , Commander (ep. 23) , The Dead (ep. 23) , Man (ep. 24) , Soldier Aplenty (ep. 24) , Enfant (ep. 26)
 * Samurai Gun (2004) - Jihou (ep. 6), Inumaru (ep. 10) , Informant (ep. 12)
 * Air (2005) - Attacker (ep. 7), Guards (ep. 8) , Monk Soldier C (ep. 8) , Pursuer (ep. 8) , Monk (ep. 9) , Priest (ep. 9) , Soldier (ep. 9)
 * Speed Grapher (2005) - Chōji Suitengu, Takeshi (ep. 17)
 * Trinity Blood (2005) - Isaak Fernand von Kämpfer, Butler (ep. 3), Noble B (ep. 18)
 * Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (2005-2006) - Nanto
 * Air Gear (2006) - Okuhira, Plugman, Onigiri's Dad (ep. 3), Potemkin (ep. 21) , Additional Voices
 * D.Gray-man (2006-2008) - Sofia's Father (eps. 33-34)
 * Innocent Venus (2006) - Additional Voices
 * Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple (2006-2007) - Makoto Daimonji
 * Kiba (2006-2007) - Elder (ep. 6), Morris (ep. 10) , Additional Voices
 * Ouran High School Host Club (2006) - Renge's Father (ep. 4)
 * Blue Drop (2007) - Lieutenant, Classics Teacher (ep. 2), Thug 3 (ep. 4) , Van Driver (ep. 7) , Michiko's Father (eps. 8, 10) , Additional Voices
 * Devil May Cry: The Animated Series (2007) - Sid, Additional Voices
 * Claymore (2007) - Dauf
 * El Cazador de la Bruja (2007) - Sanchez (ep. 8)
 * Ghost Hound (2007-2008) - Takahito Komagusu
 * Black Butler (2008-2009) - Prince Soma Asman Kadar, Additional Voices
 * CANAAN (2009) - Old Man, Additional Voices
 * Dragon Ball Z Kai (2009-2011) - Frieza
 * Fairy Tail (2009-present) - Duke Everlue (eps. 3-4)
 * Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009-2010) - Raven
 * Guin Saga (2009) - Caaslon (eps. 17-21), Kah, Riya, Mongauli Soldier (ep. 1) , Male Voice (ep. 8) , Ranos (ep. 14) , Ghuru Shin (ep. 15) , Godaro (ep. 16) , Mentius (ep. 23) , Psyden (ep. 24) , Tario (ep. 25) , Ghis (ep. 26)
 * Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings (2009) - Shingen Takeda
 * Black Butler II (2010) - Prince Soma Asman Kadar
 * Dance in the Vampire Bund (2010) - Li
 * High School of the Dead (2010) - Yoshioka (eps. 10 & 12), Male Astronaut (ep. 11)
 * Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt (2010) - Corset
 * Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings 2 (2010) - Shingen Takeda
 * Battle Girls: Time Paradox (2011) - Additional Voices
 * Another (2012) - Yousuke Sakakibara
 * Btooom! (2012) - Yoshihisa Kira (ep. 4)
 * Kokoro Connect (2012) - Inaba's Brother, Additional Voices
 * Beyond the Boundary (2013) - Additional Voices
 * Gatchaman Crowds (2013) - Additional Voices
 * Akame ga Kill! (2014) - Daidara, Bandit (ep. 10), Bill (ep. 17) , Additional Voices
 * Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters (2014-2015) - Frieza
 * Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun (2014) - Mr. Aoki (ep. 2), Drama Club (ep. 8) , Rumor Mill (ep. 12)
 * Parasyte -the maxim- (2014-2015) - Kato, Vice Principal, Pervert (ep. 3), Councilman (ep. 10) , Parasite (ep. 12) , Old Guy (ep. 15)
 * Sengoku Basara: End of Judgement (2014) - Shingen Takeda
 * Dragon Ball Super (2015-2018) - Frieza (FUNimation Dub)
 * Gatchaman Crowds insight (2015) - Additional Voices
 * Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (2015-present) - Gareth Landrock, Ganesha Flunkie A (ep. 3), Soma Crybaby (ep. 4) , Flower Man (ep. 6) , Assorted Thugs (ep. 12)

OVAs & Specials

 * Megazone 23 - Part II (1986) - Cujo (ADV Dub)
 * Halo Legends (2010) - Commander (ep. 7), Operator (ep. 7)
 * One Piece: Episode of East Blue (2017) - Johnny

Anime Films

 * Gatchaman: The Movie (1978) - Hontwarl Captain
 * Yu Yu Hakusho: The Golden Seal (1993) - Garuga / Yasha (FUNimation Dub)
 * Case Closed: The Last Wizard Of The Century (1999) - Sergei Ovchinnikov
 * A Tree of Palme (2002) - Sawadust, Additional Voices
 * Appleseed (2004) - Elder (Sentai Dub)
 * Blade of the Phantom Master (2004) - Arms Smuggler
 * 5 Centimeters Per Second (2007) - Additional Voices (ADV Dub)
 * Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance (2009) - Additional Voices (FUNimation Dub)
 * Summer Wars (2009) - Additional Voices
 * Space Pirate Captain Harlock (2013) - Gaia Coalition Member
 * Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ (2015) - Frieza
 * Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018) - Frieza

Video Game Dubbing

 * Dragon Ball Legends (2018) - Frieza

Voice Director

 * Another
 * Battle Girls: Time Paradox
 * Beyond the Boundary
 * Hakuoki: Dawn of the Shinsengum i
 * Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom
 * Hakuōki: Record of the Jade Blood
 * Kokoro Connect
 * Night Raid 1931
 * Xenosaga: The Animation

Writer

 * Another
 * Hakuoki: Dawn of the Shinsengumi
 * Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom
 * Hakuōki: Record of the Jade Blood
 * Kokoro Connect
 * Night Raid 1931

Trivia

 * He was also known for Mock Combat for Cosplay panels at anime conventions.
 * Due to Christopher Ayres' passing in 2021, many of his ongoing roles were recast.
 * Daman Mills replaced him as Frieza in the Dragon Ball series.
 * Interestingly, Mills briefly filled in for him as Frieza in episodes 26 and 27 of Dragon Ball Super and in the video games while Ayres was undergoing treatment at the time.