Meowth in Pokémon is voiced by Inuko Inuyama in Japanese and was originally voiced by Maddie Blaustein before later being voiced by Michele Knotz in the English dub. As one of the franchise’s most iconic and recognizable characters, Team Rocket’s talking Meowth became beloved for his sarcastic humor, emotional backstory, and unforgettable chemistry with Jessie and James. All three actors played major roles in making Meowth one of Pokémon’s most enduring fan-favorite characters. (behindthevoiceactors.com)

Japanese Voice Actor: Inuko Inuyama

Date of Birth

December 16, 1963. (en.wikipedia.org)

About Inuko

Inuko Inuyama is a veteran Japanese voice actress known for energetic comedic performances and distinctive character voices. Her portrayal of Meowth in Pokémon became one of the most recognizable voices in anime history. Inuyama perfectly captured Meowth’s mischievous personality, emotional vulnerability, street-smart attitude, and comedic timing throughout decades of Pokémon anime, movies, and games. (en.wikipedia.org)

Hometown

Tokyo, Japan. (en.wikipedia.org)

Career Highlights

Inuko Inuyama has voiced many memorable anime characters across comedy and fantasy series. Beyond Pokémon, she is known for roles in Sgt. Frog, Naruto, and Yatterman. Her performance as Meowth became especially iconic because of the character’s unusual ability to speak human language and serve as Team Rocket’s comedic spokesperson.

Full Current Filmography

The following list reflects publicly documented major credits from available sources and may not be exhaustive.

Television Anime

  • Pokémon — Meowth
  • Sgt. Frog — Momoka’s Mother / Additional Roles
  • Naruto — Additional Voices
  • Yatterman — Additional Roles
  • Anpanman — Various Characters
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō — Additional Voices

Video Games

  • Pokémon Masters EX — Meowth
  • Pokémon Stadium series — Meowth
  • Super Smash Bros. series — Pokémon Voices
  • Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series — Meowth
  • Pokémon Anime CDs and Specials — Meowth

Critical Reception

Inuko Inuyama’s portrayal of Meowth received widespread praise for balancing sharp comedy with surprising emotional depth. Fans especially appreciated her performances during Meowth-focused episodes that explored the character’s loneliness, dreams, and loyalty to Team Rocket. Many viewers consider her voice inseparable from Meowth’s identity within the Pokémon franchise.

Our Sources

Social Media

English Voice Actor: Maddie Blaustein / Michele Knotz

Date of Birth

  • Maddie Blaustein — October 9, 1960 – December 11, 2008.
  • Michele Knotz — October 27, 1976.

About Maddie

Maddie Blaustein was the original English voice of Meowth and delivered one of the most iconic performances in Pokémon history. Her portrayal gave Meowth his unforgettable Brooklyn-style accent, sarcastic humor, emotional vulnerability, and theatrical personality. Blaustein’s performance helped transform Meowth from a recurring villain sidekick into one of the franchise’s most beloved and emotionally memorable characters. (behindthevoiceactors.com)

About Michele

Following Blaustein’s passing, Michele Knotz inherited the role of Meowth in later Pokémon productions. Knotz carefully preserved many aspects of Meowth’s established personality while gradually bringing her own energy and comedic timing to the character. Fans praised her respectful continuation of one of the most recognizable voices in anime dubbing. (behindthevoiceactors.com)

Hometown

  • Maddie Blaustein — Long Island, New York, United States.
  • Michele Knotz — New Jersey, United States.

Career Highlights

Maddie Blaustein

Maddie Blaustein became legendary among anime fans through her role as Meowth during the original Pokémon dub era. Beyond Pokémon, she also voiced characters in Yu-Gi-Oh!, Slayers, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Her portrayal of Meowth remains one of the most recognizable English anime performances of all time.

Michele Knotz

Michele Knotz became one of the key voices of the later Pokémon dub era, portraying numerous Pokémon characters across anime, movies, and games. Her continuation of Meowth helped maintain the character’s popularity with newer generations of fans.

Full Current Filmography

The following list reflects publicly documented major credits from available sources and may not be exhaustive.

Maddie Blaustein — Television Anime

  • Pokémon — Meowth
  • Yu-Gi-Oh! — Solomon Muto
  • Slayers — Additional Voices
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — Additional Voices
  • Kirby: Right Back at Ya! — Additional Voices

Michele Knotz — Television Anime

  • Pokémon — Meowth
  • Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s — Carly Carmine
  • Pokémon Journeys — Meowth
  • Kirby: Right Back at Ya! — Additional Voices
  • Chaotic — Additional Voices

Video Games

  • Pokémon Masters EX — Meowth
  • Pokémon Games and Promotional Media — Meowth
  • Super Smash Bros. series — Pokémon Voices
  • Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series — Meowth

Critical Reception

Both Maddie Blaustein and Michele Knotz received strong praise from Pokémon fans for portraying Meowth’s unique blend of comedy and emotional sincerity. Blaustein’s original performance became especially iconic for its distinctive accent and sharp comedic timing, while Knotz earned praise for respectfully preserving Meowth’s personality and charm in later Pokémon productions. Many fans consider Meowth one of the most memorable dubbed anime characters ever created largely because of these performances.

Our Sources

Social Media

Michele Knotz

Published by Limarc Ambalina

Limarc Ambalina is the founder of Japan Bound, a website covering all things Japan — from travel and culture to anime, manga, and pop culture. He is also the Director of Content at ISNation and the former VP of Editorial at HackerNoon. Based in Japan, he has been writing about Japanese life and entertainment since 2019, growing the site to over 2.4 million views.

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