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John Burgmeier

John Burgmeier

Voice Actor

John Burgmeier has spent decades voicing English-dubbed anime, most recognized for playing Tien in Dragon Ball and Kurama in YuYu Hakusho, and he also writes ADR scripts for the dubbing industry. In Spy x Family's English dub, he voices Donovan Desmond, chairman of the household Twilight is sent to infiltrate, in the series produced by Wit Studio and CloverWorks.

Role: Voice Actor
Nationality: American
Years Active: 2000-present
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Spy x Family Role

Burgmeier voices Donovan Desmond in the English dub of Spy x Family, the powerful chairman of the National Unity Party and the true target hidden behind Twilight's cover mission to infiltrate Eden Academy through Anya's enrollment. Desmond is a reclusive, high-stakes figure who appears sparingly on screen despite driving the show's central espionage plot. The casting places Burgmeier's veteran voice behind one of the series' most consequential characters, even though his screen time is limited.

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Career and Notable Roles

Burgmeier is widely known for playing Tien in the Dragon Ball franchise, Kurama in YuYu Hakusho, Shigure Sohma in Fruits Basket and Switzerland in Hetalia: Axis Powers, alongside numerous other English-dub roles. He is the son of fellow voice actress Linda Young, placing him within a family already established in the dubbing industry.

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Off-Screen Contributions at Funimation

Beyond his own performances, Burgmeier shaped countless other English dubs from behind the scenes as a longtime ADR script writer and eventual head writer at Funimation. That production role meant adapting Japanese scripts into naturalistic English dialogue for other actors to perform, a job separate from and less visible than his own voice work, a position he held for several years before stepping back in 2018. During that tenure he oversaw the English adaptation of One Piece while also voicing a number of smaller characters himself.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who does John Burgmeier voice?

In the English dub of Spy x Family, John Burgmeier voices Donovan Desmond, the powerful chairman of the National Unity Party and the true target hidden behind Twilight's cover mission. He is also widely known for playing Tien in the Dragon Ball franchise.

Who voices Kurama in English?

John Burgmeier voices Kurama in the English dub of YuYu Hakusho, one of the roles that established him as a veteran of English-dubbed anime. It stands alongside his other long-running English-dub credits.

What is John Burgmeier's connection to Funimation beyond voice acting?

John Burgmeier worked as a longtime ADR script writer and eventual head writer at Funimation, adapting Japanese scripts into naturalistic English dialogue for other actors to perform. He held that position for several years, overseeing the English adaptation of One Piece before stepping back in 2018.

Who is John Burgmeier related to in the voice acting industry?

John Burgmeier is the son of fellow voice actress Linda Young. The family connection places him within an established name in the dubbing industry.

What other major roles has John Burgmeier voiced?

Beyond Donovan Desmond and Tien, John Burgmeier is known for voicing Shigure Sohma in Fruits Basket and Switzerland in Hetalia: Axis Powers. Those credits sit among numerous other English-dub roles across his career.

Sources & Information

This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Spy x Family anime series, manga, and official materials. Spy x Family was created by Tatsuya Endo, published by Shueisha, and animated by Wit Studio and CloverWorks. All rights to Spy x Family and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.

Rights holders

All rights belong to their respective owners.

Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:

  • Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Wit Studio, CloverWorks and Shueisha.
  • Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
  • Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Tatsuya Endo.

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