Voice actor and ADR Director David Wald is not returning as Gajeel’s voice in Fairy Tail. He is also not returning to Crunchyroll’s studio overall. This follows a claim on Twitter that they opened his mail and distributed the contents to staff. He posted a picture of the contents of a package that was sent to him, which Crunchyroll opened. Wald stated some were returned to him after they were “found on the company giveaway table.” He also clarified that he believes the blame lies with the company, not their employees.
Employees who would have merely picked up something off the giveaway table they thought looked cool. While ostensively ending his partnership over this, Wald made it clear this was not the only time. He described it as the latest in a line of serial abuses by Crunchyroll towards their voice talents. They publically claimed to be investigating but through a response that reads mostly as PR speak. With prior instances such as Kyle McCarley not reprising his role, this situation is hardly unique.
Crunchyroll’s Response
Crunchyroll says they are investigating David Wald’s claims concerning his mail. “Fans have a special connection with dub voice talent, and that emotional expression is important. We are currently investigating the matter regarding the allegation of undelivered fan mail. We respect the privacy of all of our voice actors. Crunchyroll does not intentionally open mail or packages not intended for us.” It’s hard to say if the streaming company means it or trying to avoid controversy.
David Wald: Past Work
Wald is known from works such as Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga, and My Hero Academia. The Fairy Tail sequel series is premiering on multiple broadcast services in Japan. Crunchyroll is streaming the series as it airs in both sub and dub forms.
Wald had been reprising his role as the voice of Gajeel for the English dub. With Wald departing Fairy Tail’s dub over these accusations, it’s unknown who will be replacing him. Several comments made by the actor on Twitter also hint that this is not the only instance. He cited abuses “far too numerous to list” in his statement about the departure.
The Latest Departure
Wald is also not the only such departure with numerous other voice actors leaving Crunchyroll. All of the departing individuals cited alleged abuses by the company as the reason for their split. These include gay discrimination, medical discrimination, union busting, a culture of fear, and a hostile work environment. With Wald’s walk-out based on abusive practices and hostile work environment, this is probably only the beginning.
Final Thoughts
After accusations of mail tampering, Wald has announced his departure from Fairy Tail and Crunchyroll overall. His stated reasons were a long history of abuse and poor treatment by the company. Nor is Wald the only one to have this treatment directed at him over the years. He has made it abundantly clear that the blame is on the shoulders of management, not employees. Wald is also nowhere near the first to leave under such circumstances.
While he may work on other projects hosted on Crunchyroll, Wald is departing from any direct projects. You should not expect to hear him on any future Fairy Tail projects or other Crunchyroll works. Also, the claims of workplace harassment seem to be a pattern with Crunchyroll. This begs the question of how they will address the issue going forward, if at all.
They may try to simply ignore the problem and hope it goes away. This does not seem likely though, and would likely only cause further backlash. With many big Crunchyroll projects featuring David Wald as a key figure, this is quite the blow.
