As I'm sure most of you familiar with his work will know, Billy Kametz, voice actor of characters such as Ferdinand in Fire Emblem, Josuke in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and Maruki in Persona 5 Royal died earlier this month, only weeks after receiving a diagnosis of stage four colon cancer. He appeared in a video not long after his diagnosis in full spirits, sharing a link to his GoFundMe page and assuring his fans that he was feeling well as he went into chemotherapy. At only 35, Billy was taken from us at a time when he was at the height of his career and set to carry on rising. His performance as Ferdinand Von Aegir in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is likely to be one of his last released, putting a bittersweet twist to hearing him give Ferdinand such life again.

Personally, when I think of Billy I think not of his performances, as lively as they are, but the man himself. Despite only being part of the VA scene for a few years, he struck me as so animated in his interviews with fans and outlets like Anime Impulse, and above all he seemed a cheerful and friendly man through everything, an impression which he proved so powerfully in his final video. He didn't seem phased in the slightest, and while I know that can't have been the case in his mind, he made such an effort not to worry his fans, even faced with an aggressive cancer at the young age of 35.

During this period following his death, it's important to be respectful of Billy's family and colleagues, especially Erica Lindbeck, who you might know as the voice of Celica in Fire Emblem or Futaba in Persona 5, who will be having an especially difficult time coming to terms with the news, as the two were dating. Now might be a good time to show your favourite voice actors your support, bearing in mind their right to privacy and the time to mourn.

Billy Kametz
March 22, 1987 – June 9, 2022