Lecture by Brigitte Lecordier

Brigitte Lecordier, the iconic voice of several generations, is the guest of the Université des Savoirs Partagés at the UPHF for a talk on dubbing, artistic creation and comic books, as part of the university’s Year of Japan.

Goku in Dragon Ball, Oui-Oui and Nobita in Doraemon: these are just some of the characters to whom Brigitte Lecordier has lent her voice, thanks to her unique and instantly recognisable tone. For over forty years, the actress has entertained several generations of viewers and holds a special place in the history of French dubbing, particularly since the broadcast of Dragon Ball on French television in the late 1980s.

But what goes on behind a familiar voice? How does an actor manage to convey emotion, give a character a personality and make a script written in another language their own?

As part of the UPHF’s Year of Japan, this event will provide an opportunity to explore the behind-the-scenes world of dubbing and the differences between French and Japanese practices, particularly the work of French dubbing actors and that of seiyū, the actors specialising in dubbing in Japan. Drawing on her professional experience and her time spent in Japan, Brigitte Lecordier will share her insights into the challenges of adaptation, the freedom of interpretation and the specificities of studio work.

How can an emotion be conveyed through the voice? To what extent does the actor’s creativity play a part in the portrayal of a character? How can one strike the right tone whilst remaining faithful to the original work? The event will also explore the role of artistic direction, which is essential to ensuring consistency in the voices and to building the world of a work.

Brigitte Lecordier’s popularity is a testament to the public’s attachment to these characters and their French voices. Since the 2000s, her regular appearances at pop culture conventions and festivals have enabled her to meet fans of all ages, from those nostalgic for *Club Dorothée* to the new generations of manga and animation enthusiasts. In 2019, she also took to YouTube, followed by other platforms such as Twitch, Instagram and TikTok, to share behind-the-scenes insights into her profession, her anecdotes and her passion for voice acting. This direct connection with the public helps to shed light on the realities of a profession that is often little understood.

The talk will also provide an opportunity to discuss another facet of her career: writing and comic books. With La Réalité est Énorme, published by Dupuis on 24 April 2026, Brigitte Lecordier explores new creative territory. She will be able to reflect on this experience as an author and on the links between voice acting and the creation of a graphic work.

An event to take a behind-the-scenes look at a profession, understand how a voice becomes inseparable from a character, and engage with an artist whose career bridges animation, Japanese culture and contemporary creation.

Date and time: to be confirmed

Venue: to be confirmed

Audience: all ages

Registration: link to be added

Brigitte Lecordier is a French actress, particularly well-known for her work in dubbing. She has lent her voice to numerous characters from Dragon Ball, including Goku, Gohan, Goten, C-18 and Zeno, as well as other iconic characters such as Oui-Oui, Petite Mort, Peepoodo and Nobita in Doraemon.

Since the 1980s, she has also worked as an artistic director. She has notably worked on Conan, Son of the Future by Hayao Miyazaki, Touch (known in France as Théo or the Bat of Victory) by Mitsuru Adachi, and Grave of the Fireflies by Isao Takahata. More recently, she has been involved in the art direction of animated series such as Frieren for Crunchyroll, Blue Box for Netflix and Ishura for Disney+.

Her career has also taken her into theatre, film and television. She has recorded numerous albums, including Les Chansons de Oui-Oui and recordings of Le Petit Nicolas for Gallimard.

On the radio, she has taken part in numerous radio dramas for Radio France, the Comédie-Française and France Musique. She now lends her voice to the podcast Les Bestioles, broadcast on France Inter.

For Canal+, she also produced Allô, c’est Ninou, an animated series inspired by the prank calls she made using her child’s voice. The series is now available on her social media channels.

Since 2019, Brigitte Lecordier has been active on social media, notably YouTube, where she has nearly 290,000 subscribers, as well as on Twitch, Instagram and TikTok. There, she shares content relating to her career as an actress and her artistic world.

Since the 2000s, she has been a regular guest at numerous conventions and festivals dedicated to pop culture, where she meets her audience and shares her passion for voice-over work and animation.

Finally, she is publishing her comic book La Réalité est énorme, published by Dupuis, on 24 April 2026.

En complément de la conférence, Brigitte Lecordier sera présente l’après-midi à L’Intermède pour animer des ateliers de doublage. Une occasion privilégiée de découvrir les coulisses de cette discipline, de s’essayer au travail d’interprétation et d’expérimenter concrètement le métier de comédien de voix.

Participation aux ateliers sur inscription : S’inscrire