Early Life & Background
Monica Jean Rial was born on October 5, 1975, in Houston, Texas. Her father was a native of Galicia, Spain, and Monica grew up bilingual, helping translate Spanish-dubbed cartoons for her younger brother. That early exposure to voice acting—combined with theater training from age 12—set her on a path toward the recording booth. She later studied acting at the University of Houston and honed her chops on stage before jumping into anime.
Breaking Into Voice Acting
Monica’s professional debut in anime voiceover began in 1999 with background voices in Martian Successor Nadesico. Soon, she was booking named roles, like Miharu in Gasaraki and Natsume in Generator Gawl. Her breakout came as Hyatt in the surreal comedy Excel Saga, where her deadpan delivery and manic energy stood out. This launched a decades-long career that would span over 500 credited characters.
2000s: The ADV Films Era
Throughout the 2000s, Rial became a household name among anime fans, especially through her work with ADV Films and Funimation. Notable performances included:
- Lyra and Dante in Fullmetal Alchemist
- Lumière in Kiddy Grade
- Nyamo in Azumanga Daioh
- Kyoko in Full Metal Panic!
- Kirika in Noir
She also voiced the title character in Nanaka 6/17, and took on multiple leads across genres—from action to comedy to psychological drama. Rial was a fixture of the mid-2000s anime boom in North America, appearing at cons and fan panels across the country.
Voice of Bulma
In 2009, Rial inherited one of the most iconic roles in anime: Bulma in the remastered dub of Dragon Ball Z Kai, replacing Tiffany Vollmer. She has voiced the character consistently since then, across Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball Super: Broly, and other spin-offs. It’s a role she’s closely associated with, and one that introduced her to an even wider audience beyond her ADV/Funimation base.
Versatility & Range
Rial’s ability to seamlessly switch between sweet, sinister, sexy, and psychotic made her an in-demand talent. She voiced:
- Stocking in Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
- Shiro in Deadman Wonderland
- Iori in Kokoro Connect
- Michiko Malandro in Michiko & Hatchin
- Tsuyu Asui (“Froppy”) in My Hero Academia
From creepy little girls to powerful warriors to deadpan comedic leads, her versatility is rivaled by few. She’s also contributed to video games, such as Borderlands and Smite, and has voiced characters in RWBY and gen:LOCK.
ADR Writing & Directing
Rial has also worked extensively behind the mic, adapting Japanese scripts into English for dubbing. She was a lead writer for shows like Fairy Tail, D.N. Angel, and Madlax. She’s directed and supervised ADR scripts for Funimation, balancing both creative sides of the dubbing process. Though she’s stepped back from scriptwriting in recent years, her impact behind the scenes remains significant.
Recent Work & 2020s Roles
In the 2020s, Monica Rial continues to lead the voice acting industry. Some of her more recent credits include:
- Nero and Mereoleona in Black Clover
- Tanya Degurechaff in The Saga of Tanya the Evil
- Asirpa in Golden Kamuy
- Kaoru Rindo in Sakura Wars the Animation
- Suu in Monster Musume
- Bulma in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and upcoming Dragon Ball Daima
She also stars in ongoing releases like Farming Life in Another World and the 2025 adaptation of Failure Frame. Her range remains unmatched, and she shows no signs of slowing down.
Awards & Recognition
Monica has received multiple fan-voted awards from the anime community. While not always formally recognized by major awards organizations, she’s a perennial favorite at conventions and frequently appears on top-ten voice actor lists compiled by fans and industry publications.
Personal Life
She is the older sister of Natalie Rial, who also works in anime. Monica became engaged to Ron Toye in 2019. She has been an outspoken advocate for workplace safety and accountability within the anime industry. Her name became prominent during the public legal dispute involving voice actor Vic Mignogna. Rial maintained her position through a lengthy court case, which was ultimately dismissed. She and fellow actor Jamie Marchi later launched a podcast to speak about their experiences and advocate for change in the industry.
Legacy
With over two decades in the field, Monica Rial is one of the most prolific and influential voice actors in English-dubbed anime. Whether you know her as a frog-voiced teen hero, a psychic girl in space, a trash-talking goth angel, or the ever-iconic Bulma, her voice has likely been a part of your anime experience. Her consistency, vocal flexibility, and commitment to her craft have made her one of the defining voices of a generation of dubs.
