Anime-Zing! at Edinburgh Fringe Festival
“You don’t need to know anime to love this joyful show!”
Ever wondered what voice actors actually do?
Anime-Zing! Game Show: where real voice artists go head-to-head in epic voice battles, challenges, and live dubbing of indie anime live onstage!
It’s a sneak peek into the studio —performed live, (un)scripted, and just a little, “OMG! I’m sinking in quicksand!”
Whether you’re an Otaku who’s translated the lyrics to DanDaDan or spent your childhood glued to Saturday Morning Cartoons–you’ll love this!
What happens when anime voice actors dub live on stage?
✅ Family-friendly clean
✅ Bilingual fun (EN/JP)* (in Japan)
✅ New show each day!
The Games
Think you’ve seen voice acting? Think again.
Our cast challeneges through unrehearsed voiceover games, mystery scripts, and silly sound challenges—all live, all unpredictable.
Every show has a unique combo of cast, games, and indie anime.
Even we don’t know what’s coming next!
“The best show of the Fringe — dubbing indie anime live was incredible!”
Theme song sing-along Karaoke.
Lyrics by Soness & Yuji Kitano. Composition by Nubia.
Meet the Voices
-
Creator. Voice actor. Possibly an appliance.
You’ve heard her somewhere...
Soness is a Tokyo-based voice actor, comedian and creator of “Anime-Zing!” Game Show.
🍎 Insists Hello Kitty is a little girl (English voice 1999–2024)
⚠️ That calm voice warning you not to lick industrial machinery
🤖 Accidentally taught AI to do her job—but she still does it better
🍙 Once ruptured her Achilles in a sumo match. Worth it.
🎤 Screamed “Take this!” 237 times in a sound booth
🚃 The voice of your train delay—and your nightmares -
Creator. Voice actor. Possibly an appliance.
You’ve heard her somewhere...
Soness is a Tokyo-based voice actor, comedian and creator of “Anime-Zing!” Game Show.
🍎 Insists Hello Kitty is a little girl (English voice 1999–2024)
⚠️ That calm voice warning you not to lick industrial machinery
🤖 Accidentally taught AI to do her job—but she still does it better
🍙 Once ruptured her Achilles in a sumo match. Worth it.
🎤 Screamed “Take this!” 237 times in a sound booth
🚃 The voice of your train delay—and your nightmares
-
Child star. Grown up. Can still do the voice.
Jesse R. Tendler is a New York based actor, director, and voice artist. Known best for his roles on Law & Order, Are You Afraid of the Dark, and video games such as Grand Theft Auto and Bully (Canis Canem Edit).
-
Who will it be today?
Every day brings a new surprise! From Tokyo's top voice talents to international comedy stars, our Player 3 is voiced by a rotating cast!
Watch a new show daily! Unique combination of voices, games, and indie animations.
“Feels like you’re playing party games with your friends — except your friends are incredibly talented voice actors!”
Cast & Guest Stars
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Anime-Zing! Game Show is an interactive live comedy and voice acting show where professional voice actors, comedians, and audiences create anime-inspired scenes, sound effects, characters, and live dubbing together. Think “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” meets anime dubbing and game night. No anime knowledge required.
-
No! Anime-Zing! Game Show is designed for anime fans, casual viewers, gamers, comedy lovers, and anyone who enjoys interactive live entertainment.
-
Not at all. Participation is always optional. You can simply watch the show, shout ideas from your seat, volunteer on stage, or participate only when you feel comfortable.
-
Yes. Anime-Zing! regularly features professional voice actors, comedians, narrators, and performers from anime, games, TV, radio, commercials, and streaming productions.
-
Audience members and performers help create anime-style character voices, ridiculous battle attacks, dramatic reactions, live dubbed scenes, sound effects, and comedy games inspired by the world of voice acting. Every show is different.
-
Live dubbing is when voice actors perform character voices and dialogue in real time while animation, comics, or scenes appear on screen — similar to how anime and games are recorded in professional studios.
-
Yes. Anime-Zing! Game Show is designed as an all-ages interactive Edinburgh Fringe show suitable for teens, adults, anime fans, gamers, and families.
-
Yes. Anime-Zing! was created by neurodivergent performers and aims to be welcoming, flexible, and low-pressure. Audience members are welcome to stim, wear headphones, move around, leave and return, or participate at their own comfort level.
Indie Anime You Haven’t Seen Yet (But will!)
Supporters & Thank Yous
Special thanks to Cathy Garner and Jacqui Spencer for your support each year.
Thanks to Yuji Kitano of Yokohama Physio for his incredible physiotherapy, support and design. I wouldn’t be on this Sumo Injury Comeback Tour without Yuji.
Thanks to Takasago Beya Sumo Stable and Japan Shine Tours for helping me live my sumo dreams, and without whom I wouldn’t have a sumo injury to come back from.
Partners
Laughing Horse Free Fringe (Alex Petty, Edinburgh Fringe venue partner)
Our community of indie animators and comic creators featured throughout the show
Creative Team
Created and hosted by Soness Stevens
Co-host & Performer, Edinburgh Fringe 2026 Jesse R. Tendler
Original Anime-Zing! Game Show score by Nubia @nubia_cello recorded at Studio Goshu
Original Anime-Zing KIDS score by Akayo Higuchi of Yako’s Music recorded at 8083 Studios Tokyo @8083Studios
Character art by Komaki @jpkomaki
PA Intern Rikki