My Take
Maxwell Powers is one of those genuinely fascinating figures who slipped between two worlds and made both his own. Born in Oakland in 1983 and somehow landing in Japan, he carved out a niche that very few Americans manage — not just doing anime dubs or bit parts, but becoming a recognizable presence in Japanese media culture. His voice work spans Pokémon, Ultraman Trigger, and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, which is a pretty eclectic range, and the fact that NHK trusted him to host an English-education show for years says a lot about how he came across on screen: warm, approachable, genuinely fluent in the cultural as well as linguistic sense. The "tarento" label doesn't fully capture it; he's more like a cultural bridge who happened to have a great voice. Quietly impressive career.
Overview
Maxwell Powers (born December 27, 1983) is an American voice actor. Known for his work in Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion, Pokémon, and Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga. Powers is also known for his live action work as the host of the NHK Educational TV program VocabRider (2016–present) and as a host for NHK World-Japan's Catch Japan.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Maxwell Powers
- Name (Japanese)
- マックスウェル・パワーズ
- Reading
- まっくすうぇる・ぱわーず
- Born
- December 27, 1983 (age 42)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Boar
- Origin
- Oakland, California, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- tarento / master of ceremonies / voice actor / actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Pokémon | — | |
| Notable work | The King of Fighters XV | — | |
| Notable work | Tekken Tag Tournament 2 | — | |
| Notable work | The Benza | — |
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.