Danica Davidson
January 8, 2025 
There is sad news in the anime world as it’s been revealed that actor Dale Wilson has passed away. Wilson had many roles in anime as well as in other cartoons and live-action projects. In anime, he might be best known for playing Cell in the Ocean dub of Dragon Ball Z.
The news was shared yesterday on Facebook by Wilson’s wife, Gail. She wrote on his page, “It is with an aching heart that I must tell you. Last evening Dale moved on from this Earthly existence. Having lived with metastasized prostate cancer and Parkinson’s disease for many years, he was ready. He was my heart, my soul, my North Star. . . And I know he treasured each one of you; his relatives, friends and fans.”
Besides Cell, Wilson played Kami and King Yemma in Dragon Ball Z, plus miscellaneous other characters. Looking toward other anime he worked on, he was Bunmei Muroto in Jin-Roh – The Wolf Brigade, Soutaifu/Advisor So in The Story of Saiunkoku, and Smokescreen in Transformers: Armada.
His voice talents can additionally be heard in Black Lagoon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – The Laughing Man, Master Keaton, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Second Season, The Vision of Escaflowne, and Zoids: Fuzors, among others.
Outside of anime, he’s been in Krypto the Superdog, Kong: The Animated Series, Sabrina’s Secret Life, X-Men: Evolution, Stargate SG-1, Hellraiser: Hellseeker, Smallville, The Outer Limits, and MacGyver, to give a few examples.
This news comes only a few months after the passing of Doc Harris, who was the narrator for Dragon Ball Z’s Ocean English dub. And Akira Toriyama, the creator of the whole Dragon Ball franchise, passed away unexpectedly last year.
Wilson’s voice talents have touched people around the world.
VIZ Media publishes the original Dragon Ball Z manga and gave this description for the first volume:
Dragon Ball Z Plot
Son Goku is the greatest hero on Earth. Five years after defeating the demon king Piccolo, he’s grown up and had a family–he’s married, and he has a child, Son Gohan. But what is the real reason for Goku’s incredible strength? A visitor from outer space arrives bearing terrible news–Goku is an alien, and the visitor, Raditz, is Goku’s brother! When Raditz turns out to be a ruthless killer, Goku must fight his incredibly strong brother to save his family and the entire human race. A surprising alliance may be Earth’s last hope: Goku will team up with his old enemy Piccolo…archenemies united to save the world!
Source: ANN
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
