Finally, we have news about Death Note's lost audio-visual project, with information graciously shared by one of its major participants.
Testimony straight from the horse's mouth, as it were, which would have been fabulous to pass on last April, when we were all talking about it. No-one can blame Supermbro, L's voice actor in this licensed Death Note fan-based telling. He had his side of things typed up and sent to me exactly when he said he would.
Then it waited, and waited, and waited unseen by me and therefore neither was it relayed to you. My apologies to you and Supermbro too. His email got caught in the almighty mess up described before. Better late than never, eh?
Testimony straight from the horse's mouth, as it were, which would have been fabulous to pass on last April, when we were all talking about it. No-one can blame Supermbro, L's voice actor in this licensed Death Note fan-based telling. He had his side of things typed up and sent to me exactly when he said he would.
Then it waited, and waited, and waited unseen by me and therefore neither was it relayed to you. My apologies to you and Supermbro too. His email got caught in the almighty mess up described before. Better late than never, eh?
This particular Death Note project was mentioned back in January 2015, when Beyond the Voice Actors listed a casting call for voice actors.
It all seemed very exciting - a fan directed Death Note production, which had been already been given the official nod to proceed. Through the comments on our blog entry discussing it, news filtered through that Light and L's actors had been cast. Others too.
Then nothing. The project had been scrapped, without a word in explanation.
If that seemed sudden to us lot looking on, it was nothing to that experienced by the cast. Many of whom had already recorded their lines, promptly upon receiving the script, and had spent the the intervening weeks expecting to hear that the project had now gone live.
It all seemed very exciting - a fan directed Death Note production, which had been already been given the official nod to proceed. Through the comments on our blog entry discussing it, news filtered through that Light and L's actors had been cast. Others too.
Then nothing. The project had been scrapped, without a word in explanation.
If that seemed sudden to us lot looking on, it was nothing to that experienced by the cast. Many of whom had already recorded their lines, promptly upon receiving the script, and had spent the the intervening weeks expecting to hear that the project had now gone live.
Screenshot taken from Supermbro's playful DN Outtakes footage
Here's how Supermbro told it at the time:
The whole thing started when I signed up for a website called Casting Call Club. I had been interested in giving a crack at voice acting for a while and saw it as an opportunity to start my career.
I had a discussion with a friend at work, talking about Death Note, which I hadn't thought of since my middle school days. It stirred in my mind for a while and I told him - and myself - that if the role of Light Yagami or L should pop up I would go for it.
The day after making that promise I saw the roles of both L and Light come up.
I noted that it expanded across Behind the Voice Actor and Casting Call Club, so I went for both. A week had gone by since the audition and I get an email stating congrats you've been cast as L. I was excited!
I talked with the person developing the show and she told me that I would be receiving the script, and we need the lines in a week. I felt obliged so I had them done and turned in the day after.
I got a thank you, then the rest of the cast and I waited for an update.
A few days went by; then a few weeks (this being late Feb to March). For a while there was nothing but silence.
On Friday April 17th, we finally received an update, stating the actor voicing Ryuk was not contactable and they would be replacing him. I thought that was odd but these things happen.
I woke up Saturday morning to a sad message on Skype, left to all associated to the project. The production was cancelled due to the creator dropping out of it.
I was saddened to see this, due to me already having most of volume 1 recorded. In all, it was a fun time that had a tragic and early end.
- Supermbro, in correspondence with Death Note News, April 28th 2015
That not all was a complete loss, his voice acting for Death Note's L was uploaded onto YouTube. You may hear his lines below.
I was rather impressed by his audio likeness to Alessandro Juliani, L voice actor for the official English dub of Death Note. What do you think?
This telling seems rather after the fact now, with Supermbro kindly accepting my explanations and apologies for the lateness in response.
He's already moved on to bigger and better things - currently providing character voices for Clan of Daedryth, aired as abridged adaptations on YouTube's Lord Daedryth channel.
But he agreed that I could still pass on his experience in the Death Note project, when, for a time, Supermbro was L.
Though I have to add some of his delightful comments in much more recent conversation with me:
He's already moved on to bigger and better things - currently providing character voices for Clan of Daedryth, aired as abridged adaptations on YouTube's Lord Daedryth channel.
But he agreed that I could still pass on his experience in the Death Note project, when, for a time, Supermbro was L.
Though I have to add some of his delightful comments in much more recent conversation with me:
Wow! It has been sometime since I have even thought of this role and it's actually cool to think about again... With L being the first thing I was ever cast for it kinda hurt...
There are moments when I look back and go, man, it would have been awesome.
... Anyway if there is ever anything you need, or have an idea for an L appearance, I'm always open to it!
- Supermbro, in correspondence with Death Note News, September 2015
Anyone need an L? We've got one going spare! And a wonderful one at that.
Thank you very much, Supermbro, and once again sorry it took so long to get your information out!
Thank you very much, Supermbro, and once again sorry it took so long to get your information out!
