Canute, the Danish prince who undergoes one of the most dramatic transformations in Vinland Saga, is voiced by Kensho Ono in the original Japanese version. In the English adaptations, he is voiced by Josh Grelle in the Sentai Filmworks dub and Griffin Burns in the Netflix dub. All three actors received praise for portraying Canute’s evolution from timid royal to commanding king.\
Japanese Voice Actor: Kensho Ono
Date of Birth
October 5, 1989
About Kensho
Kensho Ono is a Japanese voice actor and singer known for portraying emotionally layered protagonists and reserved yet intelligent characters. His performance as Canute in Vinland Saga became one of the most acclaimed roles of his career because of the character’s extraordinary emotional and philosophical transformation.
As Canute, Ono begins with a soft, hesitant vocal performance that reflects the prince’s fear and insecurity. As the story progresses, his voice gradually becomes calmer, firmer, and more authoritative, mirroring Canute’s emergence as a ruthless and determined ruler.
Ono is also widely recognized for major anime and gaming roles across action, sports, and fantasy series.
Hometown
Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Career Highlights
Kensho Ono rose to prominence during the 2010s through major lead performances in anime and games.
Some of his best-known roles include:
- Canute — Vinland Saga
- Tetsuya Kuroko — Kuroko’s Basketball
- Giorno Giovanna — JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
- Mikaela Hyakuya — Seraph of the End
- Floch Forster — Attack on Titan
- Yuri Briar — Spy × Family
- Slaine Troyard — Aldnoah.Zero
- Prince Ginoza-related media appearances — Psycho-Pass
His portrayal of Canute is frequently praised for its subtle emotional progression and psychological depth.
Full Current Filmography
The following list reflects documented credits from publicly available sources and may not be exhaustive.
Anime Television
- Vinland Saga — Canute (2019–2023)
- Kuroko’s Basketball — Tetsuya Kuroko (2012–2015)
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind — Giorno Giovanna (2018–2019)
- Seraph of the End — Mikaela Hyakuya (2015)
- Spy × Family — Yuri Briar (2022–present)
- Aldnoah.Zero — Slaine Troyard (2014–2015)
- Attack on Titan — Floch Forster (2018–2023)
- Bungo Stray Dogs — Additional Voices
Anime Films
- Kuroko’s Basketball: Last Game — Tetsuya Kuroko
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure related media — Giorno Giovanna
- Vinland Saga promotional projects — Canute
Video Games
- Genshin Impact — Additional Japanese voice work
- Granblue Fantasy — Various characters
- Fire Emblem Heroes — Voice appearances
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure games — Giorno Giovanna
Critical Reception
Kensho Ono’s portrayal of Canute received widespread acclaim for its emotional subtlety and gradual transformation. Critics frequently highlighted how effectively he changed the character’s tone and vocal confidence over time without making the evolution feel sudden or unnatural.
Fans especially praised Ono’s performance during Canute’s philosophical awakening scenes, where fear and insecurity slowly give way to determination and authority.
His work helped establish Canute as one of the most compelling character arcs in modern anime.
Our Sources
Behind The Voice Actors – Canute cast listing (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Vinland-Saga/Canute/)
Wikipedia – Kensho Ono biography and filmography (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensho_Ono)
Vinland Saga official anime website (https://vinlandsaga.jp/)
Anime News Network encyclopedia entry for Vinland Saga (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=21248)
Social Media
Official Website: https://www.kensho-ono.com/
Official Agency Profile: https://www.atomicmonkey.jp/talent/onokensho
English Voice Actor: Josh Grelle / Griffin Burns
Date of Birth
Josh Grelle — November 2, 1985
Griffin Burns — October 26, 1989
About Josh
Josh Grelle voiced Canute in the Sentai Filmworks English dub of Vinland Saga. Known for emotionally nuanced performances and soft-spoken character work, Grelle brought tremendous depth to Canute’s transformation from timid prince to calculating ruler.
As Canute, Grelle begins with a fragile and hesitant vocal delivery that gradually evolves into calm authority and quiet menace as the character matures. Fans frequently praised how naturally the performance reflected Canute’s psychological and philosophical growth throughout the series.
Grelle is widely respected within anime dubbing for portraying intelligent, emotionally layered characters.
About Griffin
Griffin Burns voices Canute in the Netflix English dub of Vinland Saga. His portrayal received strong praise for capturing the emotional vulnerability and later cold determination that define Canute’s arc.
Burns carefully shifts Canute’s voice over time, beginning with uncertainty and fear before gradually developing a composed, kingly confidence. Viewers especially praised his performance during Canute’s pivotal awakening scenes and later political confrontations.
Outside Vinland Saga, Burns has built a major career in anime, gaming, music, and online media.
Hometown
Josh Grelle — Clifton, Texas, United States
Griffin Burns — California, United States
Career Highlights
Josh Grelle
Josh Grelle has voiced many major anime protagonists and emotionally complex characters.
Some of the most recognized roles include:
- Canute — Vinland Saga (Sentai dub)
- Armin Arlert — Attack on Titan
- Fushi — To Your Eternity
- Kenichi Shirahama — Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
- Kousei Tsuburaba — My Hero Academia
- Yuri Katsuki — Yuri!!! on Ice
- Tokoyami-related media appearances — My Hero Academia projects
Their portrayal of Canute became especially praised for its emotional subtlety and gradual character progression.
Griffin Burns
Griffin Burns has become widely recognized for anime, gaming, and streaming-related projects.
Some of his best-known performances include:
- Canute — Vinland Saga (Netflix dub)
- Childe / Tartaglia — Genshin Impact
- Muichiro Tokito — Demon Slayer
- Doppio — JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
- Cyan Hijirikawa — Show By Rock!!
- Additional roles in anime and game localizations
His role as Canute showcased a quieter and more psychologically focused performance style.
Full Current Filmography
The following lists reflect publicly documented credits and may not be exhaustive.
Josh Grelle Filmography
Anime Television
- Vinland Saga — Canute (Sentai Filmworks dub)
- Attack on Titan — Armin Arlert
- To Your Eternity — Fushi
- Yuri!!! on Ice — Yuri Katsuki
- My Hero Academia — Additional Voices
- Black Clover — Supporting Voices
Anime Films
- Attack on Titan related media — Armin Arlert
- Yuri!!! on Ice projects — Yuri Katsuki
- Vinland Saga promotional media — Canute
Video Games
- Fire Emblem Heroes — Voice roles
- SMITE — Voice appearances
- Anime game localizations — Additional Voices
Griffin Burns Filmography
Anime Television
- Vinland Saga — Canute (Netflix dub)
- Demon Slayer — Muichiro Tokito
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind — Vinegar Doppio
- Bungo Stray Dogs — Additional Voices
- Blue Lock — Supporting Voices
Anime Films
- Demon Slayer film appearances — Muichiro Tokito
- Vinland Saga promotional projects — Canute
Video Games
- Genshin Impact — Tartaglia / Childe
- Fire Emblem Heroes — Voice appearances
- Persona-related media projects — Additional Voices
- Anime game localizations — Supporting roles
Critical Reception
Both English portrayals of Canute received widespread praise from viewers, especially because of the character’s dramatic emotional evolution.
Josh Grelle’s performance was often highlighted for its emotional fragility and gradual progression into calm authority. Fans praised how naturally the transformation unfolded across the story.
Griffin Burns’ portrayal earned acclaim for its psychological nuance and controlled intensity, particularly during Canute’s philosophical awakening and later scenes as king.
Together, both performances helped establish Canute as one of the most compelling and emotionally complex characters in Vinland Saga.
Our Sources
Behind The Voice Actors – Canute cast listing (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Vinland-Saga/Canute/)
Wikipedia – Josh Grelle biography and credits (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Grelle)
Wikipedia – Griffin Burns biography and credits (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin_Burns)
Vinland Saga official anime website (https://vinlandsaga.jp/)
Social Media
Josh Grelle
X / Twitter: https://x.com/JoshGrelle
Griffin Burns
X / Twitter: https://x.com/TheGriffinBurns
Official Website: https://www.griffinburns.com/
