This is a biographical recounting of the life and times of one Paul Castro Jr., a human man of considerable vocal elasticity, whose larynx has been employed by the likes of Square Enix, Disney, and other behemoths of the entertainment industrial complex.
The Early Years: From Brooklyn to the Jersey Shore (A Geographical Downgrade? Discuss.)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that all great stories must begin somewhere, and for Paul Castro Jr., that somewhere was Brooklyn, New York. Born into the chaotic hum of the city, he was swiftly whisked away to the Jersey Shore, a land famed not for its subtle, understated drama, but for boardwalks, brine, and a certain distinctiveness of accent that Paul has remarkably managed to avoid—unless, of course, the role calls for it.
Young Paul was not merely a child; he was a “class clown,” a title bestowed upon him by the academic institutions he frequented. This is a polite way of saying he preferred the applause of his peers to the droning of algebra. He spent his formative years in a state of “perpetual adolescence,” a condition he candidly admits to maintaining well into adulthood. While other children were perhaps learning valuable skills like tax preparation or competitive knitting, Paul was absorbing the glowing radiation of cathode-ray tubes. He played video games. Lots of them. He consumed Lunar: Silver Star Story, Suikoden II, and Final Fantasy with the voracious appetite of a starving Victorian orphan. Little did he know, this “waste of time” (as many a concerned parent might label it) was actually high-level career training.
He eventually found himself at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, an establishment where people go to take pretending very seriously. Here, he learned the fine arts of acting, filmmaking, and presumably, how to walk backwards while talking, though that particular skill has yet to appear on his resume.
The New York Grind: A Series of Unfortunate Small Roles
Before he was summoning dragons or wielding oversized keys, Paul did what every East Coast actor must do: he appeared on Blue Bloods. It is practically a rite of passage, like a baptism, but with more Tom Selleck. He also popped up in God Friended Me, Limitless, and the film The Skeleton Twins alongside Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig.
During this period, he also dabbled in the theatre, performing in an off-Broadway revival of Love and Human Remains. But while his corporeal form was hitting marks on a stage, his soul was yearning for a padded room. A soundproof padded room, that is. He had fallen in love with voiceover. He became the voice of “Nick Sports” for Nickelodeon, announcing Rocket Power marathons to millions of sugar-crazed children. He even lent his vocal cords to Dora the Explorer and Clifford the Big Red Dog. If you have ever owned a television, there is a statistically significant chance Paul Castro Jr. has shouted at you from it.
A Filmmaking Interlude: Cats and Madonna
It should be noted that Paul is not merely a mouth for hire; he is also a brain for hire. Alongside his wife, he ventured into the perilous world of independent filmmaking. They wrote and produced Aeris, a film about their cat. It is a bold move to base one’s cinematic debut on a creature that sleeps 16 hours a day and views humans as warm furniture, but it was the start of a flourishing partnership. Later, he produced the docudrama Madonna and the Breakfast Club, proving that his range extends from feline pathos to 1980s pop iconography.
The Great Migration and the Shibuya Breakthrough
Deciding that New York simply didn’t have enough traffic, Paul moved to Los Angeles. The goal? To take animation and video games seriously. The result? A breakthrough that can only be described as “Square Enix-sized.”
Paul was cast as Rindo Kanade, the protagonist of NEO: The World Ends with You. For the uninitiated, landing a lead role in a Square Enix RPG is the voice actor equivalent of being knighted, but with cooler hair. Rindo, a phone-obsessed high schooler in a stylized Shibuya, was a role Paul was born to play. He admitted in interviews to being a massive fan of the original game, meaning he had to suppress the urge to fanboy over his own script. His performance was lauded for its nuance, capturing the anxiety and growth of a modern teen leader without slipping into the abyss of generic anime protagonist tropes.
Notable Roles: A Cavalcade of Characters
Since his breakthrough, Paul’s resume has expanded faster than a expanding universe theory, encompassing everything from brooding anime boys to energetic penguins.
Genshin Impact: The Boy and the Penguin
In the world of Teyvat, Paul voices Freminet, the introverted, diving-helmet-wearing diver from Fontaine. Freminet is a character of few words but deep emotions, often preferring the company of his mechanical penguin, Pers, to actual humans. Paul’s performance is a masterclass in “quiet intensity,” a stark contrast to the shouting matches typical of shonen anime. It requires a delicate touch to make a character sound shy but not boring, and Paul nails it, making Freminet a beloved “must-protect” character for the Genshin community.
Dragon Ball Daima: The Prince of All Saiyans (Mini Edition)
If you were to ask a young Paul Castro Jr. what his dream role would be, he would likely scream “VEGETA!” before passing out from excitement. In a twist of fate that proves the universe has a sense of humor, Paul was cast as Vegeta (Mini) in Dragon Ball Daima. Yes, the Prince of all Saiyans, but smaller. This role is a monumental honor, allowing him to step into the boots of one of anime’s most iconic anti-heroes, channeling that legendary Saiyan pride through a slightly more compact vessel.
The First Slam Dunk: Point Guard Prodigy
Paul voices Ryota Miyagi in The First Slam Dunk, the cinematic return of the legendary basketball manga. Ryota is the speedster point guard of Shohoku High, a character defined by tragedy, grit, and incredible dribbling skills. The film focuses heavily on Ryota’s backstory, requiring a performance that balances high-octane sports shouting with crushing emotional weight. Paul delivers in spades, proving he can handle drama just as well as he handles a virtual basketball.
Disney’s Twisted-Wonderland: Off With Their Heads!
In a delightful detour into villainy, Paul voices Riddle Rosehearts in the anime adaptation of Disney’s Twisted-Wonderland. Riddle is the strict, rule-obsessed housewarden of Heartslabyul, inspired by the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. The role demands a rapid-fire delivery of tyrannical rules and an explosive temper, which Paul executes with frightening efficiency. It is a role that allows him to be unhinged, authoritative, and oddly sympathetic all at once.
Belle: The Beast Within
In Mamoru Hosoda’s visually stunning Belle, Paul voices “The Dragon” (or Kei), the beastly avatar who is misunderstood by the digital world of “U.” It is a role of profound anger and hidden pain, requiring a voice that can roar like a monster and whimper like a wounded child. It sits comfortably on his shelf of “Critical Darlings,” right next to his “Commercial Successes” and “Things My Mom Is Proud Of.”
A Gamer at Heart: The Nerd Credibility
One cannot discuss Paul Castro Jr. without acknowledging his genuine, unadulterated nerdiness. He is not a Hollywood type pretending to know what a “mana bar” is. He is a man who cites Lunar: Silver Star Story as a formative text. He plays Magic: The Gathering. He has reached “Masters” rank in Overwatch. He understands the pain of RNG.
This authenticity bleeds into his work. When he talks about games in interviews, he speaks the language of the players because he is a player. He understands the gravity of voicing a character in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (where he plays Chocobo Billy) because he knows what Final Fantasy VII means to the world. He isn’t just reading lines; he’s contributing to the canon of his own childhood obsession.
The Philosophy of Paul
Despite his success, Paul remains grounded, largely thanks to his philosophy of “converting impatience into persistence.” In a revealing interview, he noted that his younger self was desperate for immediate success, a common affliction among the artistic class. However, he learned that the only difference between a failed actor and a successful one is often just the stubborn refusal to quit. He champions the idea of finding a “tribe”—a community of fellow creatives who lift each other up. It is a wholesome worldview that clashes wonderfully with the villains he sometimes portrays.
He is also an advocate for ocean conservation, a passion that aligns suspiciously well with his role as the diver Freminet. One starts to wonder if he chooses roles based on his charitable interests, or if the universe is simply conspiring to make him thematically consistent.
Current Projects and Future Endeavors
The train of Paul Castro Jr. shows no signs of slowing, stopping, or even pausing for a light snack. His recent roster includes:
Honkai: Star Rail: Voicing Opal, one of the Ten Stonehearts.
Go! Go! Loser Ranger!: Playing Hibiki Sakurama, a role that deconstructs the Super Sentai genre.
Persona 3 Reload: Voicing the “Gourmet King” Nozomi Suemitsu, a character that fans of the series remember with… let’s say, complex emotions.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Voicing Shuji Ito, adding “Giant Robot Pilot” to his bingo card.
Invincible Fight Girl: Voicing Craig in the Cartoon Network series.
The Summer Hikaru Died: Voicing Hikaru Indou, a role in a story that is haunting, beautiful, and slightly terrifying.
He continues to direct and produce with his wife, proving that one can indeed mix business with pleasure, provided the business is “making cool stuff” and the pleasure is “seeing cool stuff get made.”
And so, we leave Paul Castro Jr. in his natural habitat: a recording booth in Los Angeles, likely screaming about power levels, magical spells, or the specific dietary requirements of a Chocobo. He is a testament to the power of persistence, the utility of a misspent youth playing video games, and the enduring appeal of a kid from Jersey who just really, really likes anime. If you wish to stalk his professional achievements with more precision, you may gaze upon his IMDb profile, a digital scroll of his many deeds. He has found his voice, quite literally, and he intends to use it until someone politely asks him to stop. Which, given his current trajectory, won’t be anytime soon.
