The Hidden Story Behind Actor Johnny Yong Bosch
With work in nearly all kinds of media, Bosch remains a legend in the industry; but who is the man behind the performance?
From television to anime, to video games and underground rock, as an artist, Johnny Yong Bosch has always put his creative talent into the spotlight. If you’re a fan of Japanese entertainment, chances are you’re familiar with his work, even if you haven’t recognized it yet. His name is familiar to fans of both animated and live-action entertainment, having nearly 30 years in the industry. Bosch has shown his dedication to the craft and skill in every project he commits to. His journey through the realms of voice acting, on-screen performances, martial arts, and musical endeavors has made him a unique player in the entertainment industry. Through the years, his career has continued to paint a portrait of determination, passion and endless creativity.
His roles have taken him from the early days of being a Power Ranger to the commanding voice behind some of anime’s most iconic characters, such as Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach, or Giyu Tomioka from Demon Slayer. While many know him for his versatile acting skills, the story goes way deeper and has propelled Bosch to become an influential and beloved figure in pop culture. Having acquired more than 300 credits to his name, Bosch’s journey serves as an inspiring narrative of perseverance and artistic excellence; one that transcends the boundaries of medium, just as he continues to do in his work.
Bosch was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and spent his formative years growing up in Garland, Texas. His father was a serviceman in the army, and his mother, whom he met during his military posting in South Korea, provided the backdrop for his early upbringing. At a young age he developed a fascination with martial arts, sparked by the world of martial arts cinema. Bosch explained, “We didn’t have a lot of money when I was younger so for a very long time I just copied Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan moves. Then eventually in my teens, I found a great Kung Fu school. I first tried looking at other martial arts schools but they looked very fancy, were expensive, and the students looked sloppy.” He continued, revealing what drew him into the spot he eventually committed to. “When I walked into the Kung Fu school, it was dingy, not all the lights worked, there were holes in the wall, but the students from all belts were awesome, and it was very affordable. That’s when I knew I was at the right place. My biggest motivator to start [training] was because I was being bullied constantly.” Bosch began to truly commit and after joining the school, eventually going on to win several competitions and learn the styles of Muay Thai, Judo, Kickboxing, Shaolin Kung-Fu and Kali amongst many others.
His journey into the world of Power Rangers began when his martial arts instructor informed him about auditions in Dallas. In 1994, he successfully secured the role of Adam Park, stepping into the shoes of the new Black Power Ranger and taking over from Walter Emanuel Jones in the second season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Fellow Power Ranger and lifelong friend of Bosch, Catherine Sutherland, spoke on their initial meeting on set, explaining, “He was very sweet and quiet when I first met him. He was very humble for someone with so much talent. The first time I saw him doing martial arts my jaw dropped!” In the feature film Power Rangers: The Movie, Bosch took on all of his own stunts when his stunt double sustained a leg injury. Sutherland revealed “He was very close to the stunt team and would often hang out with them practicing his skills… He has studied many forms of martial arts from Kung-Fu to Jiu-Jitsu. He is an incredible athlete.” As the series evolved into Power Rangers Zeo, Bosch’s character transitioned into the role of the Green Ranger. His final consistent appearance within the Power Rangers franchise unfolded in Power Rangers Turbo, where he passed on his Green Turbo Ranger powers to a new team member. After Power Rangers, however, Bosch began performing in a different medium altogether.
He made his first official voice acting debut as Vash the Stampede in the anime Trigun, even reprising that role this year in the reboot Trigun Stampede. His performance led him to many voice-acting roles soon after, such as playing main character Kaneda in the cult-classic anime film Akira. Since then, he’s built a legendary career in voice acting, appearing in iconic anime series like Samurai Champloo, Naruto, Pokemon, One Piece, My Hero Academia and many more. To anyone looking to start in the voice acting industry, Johnny gave a few tips. “Start with acting, study, and learn the art. Take classes from a working professional. Build a reel and get an agent. Be open to critique. Keep your eyes open though because after a couple of years doing the grind, you might want to do something else.”
His voice acting talents haven’t stayed limited to just television and film though, as he has also portrayed several iconic roles in video games as well. His first role was that of Kuhn in the action RPG series .hack//G.U., which eventually led him to play characters in many other massive video game franchises such as Final Fantasy, Persona and Street Fighter. One of his most popular performances is that of Nero from the ever-popular Devil May Cry series. Not only does he voice the mainstay character, but he is also credited as performing the motion capture for him as well. When asked if he had any favorite characters or projects, Bosch claimed that there are, “No favorites, all memorable. There’s a piece of me in each one and each one was unique. To choose one would be to give up part of myself.” He laughed and said, “They’re all my babies.”
Outside of acting, he has always had a side interest in music. He initially taught himself how to play the guitar but eventually began singing and writing as well. Taking inspiration from bands like the Beatles, Foo Fighters, Nirvana and Led Zeppelin, he started a band in 2004. Bosch describes the band’s genre as “Edge Rock,” and explained in a separate interview with HalfKorean.com that their music is “somewhere on the edge of sounding like Grunge, Alternative Rock, Punk and Pop.” The band initially gained an audience with its debut EP, How About That?, and also their first full-length album, Red Stripes White Lights. However, it was their later release of the band’s second studio album My Paper Kingdom, that garnered the group nationwide attention in 2009. Since its formation, the band has produced over 13 albums, with their most recent album titled, Gone Tomorrow, released in 2017. In an Instagram post in 2020, the group revealed that Eyeshine is now the band Where Giants Fall. When asked about the release of new music soon from the band, he said “Hopefully, we’ve been scoring and writing music lately for some shows and films but we’ll be back at it next year.”
Even though Bosch is most known for his work on camera, he has experience spending time behind it as well. ARK EXITUS is a film produced and directed by Bosch. It was written by established action writers Kyle Higgins (Marvel, Power Rangers, Nightwing) and Brian Buccellato (DC Comics), along with Johnny himself. His band Where Giants Fall scored the film, along with composer Carol Cabrero. The film is available to watch on Vimeo from Vox Rocket Studio, a production company that Bosch cofounded.
Bosch continues to show his talent through his creative endeavors, constantly pushing himself to create the absolute best. “He has a very strong work ethic and is a perfectionist. He sees his work as a reflection of himself so he always gives 110%,” said Sutherland. “To see the career he has built since leaving Power Rangers is amazing. He is a legend in the Anime and Gaming world. I am so very proud of my friend.” He puts his all into his work, and there’s a distinct passion behind his craft. Bosch wanted readers to remember that, “Whatever you do, do with love and passion or you’ll just grow tired of it when things don’t go as planned, and always keep your eyes open to alternate opportunities.” Regardless of the medium, he always strives to put out the best work he can–and that fact has always made itself evident through the results.
