From Newgrounds Animator to Professional Voice Actor: The Complex Career of Chris Niosi
In short: Born in 1988, Chris Niosi transitioned from viral internet animator to a prolific voice actor in major anime and video game franchises. His career, marked by creative projects like TOME, has faced significant turbulence following public admissions of past misconduct, leading to industry recasting and ongoing debates regarding accountability.
Christopher Edwin Niosi, known online as Kirbopher, began his creative journey in 2004 by producing Nintendo-inspired parodies on Newgrounds. His early work, such as the viral Rawest Forest, paved the way for his professional animation career, where he contributed to titles like A Hat in Time and Skullgirls. By 2011, he launched his own web series, Terrain of Magical Expertise (TOME), which drew on his experiences within early 2000s internet forums and featured a cast of veteran voice actors.
Niosi’s professional voice acting career gained momentum in 2009 with a role in Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl: Galactic Battles. After moving to Los Angeles in 2014, he secured prominent roles in series such as Mob Psycho 100, where he voiced Arataka Reigen, and video games like Octopath Traveler. His work on Cartoon Network’s OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes eventually led to his membership in SAG-AFTRA. Throughout this period, he also directed and animated a successful Kickstarter-funded video game adaptation of TOME, which was released on Steam in 2021.
The trajectory of Niosi’s career shifted in July 2019, when he issued a public apology on Tumblr admitting to emotional abuse and sexual coercion. This confession prompted immediate industry consequences; Nintendo recast his roles in Fire Emblem Heroes and Fire Emblem: Three Houses, with Zach Aguilar taking over the character Byleth. The impact of his past actions continued to resonate years later. In July 2024, his casting as Moze in Honkai: Star Rail sparked significant backlash, resulting in Niosi stepping down from the role after fellow voice actors who supported his casting faced professional repercussions.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Chris Niosi
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