History VocalEvolution / WesternAnimation

** This is especially noticable with Lois' voice actor Creator/AlexBorstein, who nowadays could give even the best Creator/FranDrescher impersonator a run for their money. This was [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in the episode "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS4E6Petarded Petarded]]" when Lois, speaking at a microphone, says, "Sorry folks... Oh my God, [[DoIReallySoundLikeThat is that what my voice sounds like?]] It's all whiny and nasally and... egh."

** Stewie sounds significantly less like a Creator/RexHarrison impression than he did originally, mainly he's less over the top and lost his faux-British accent ''completely'' by the sixth season and now talks like a normal gay guy instead. Interestingly, the opening sequence briefly rerecorded Stewie's lines to match the Vocal Evolution during Season Three (and to fix a misunderstanding with the line "Laugh and Cry!"[[note]]which was mistaken as "Effin' Cry". This is {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in a few episodes.[[/note]]), though reverted back shortly after the [[UnCancelled Uncancellation]], making the difference all the more noticeable.

** This is especially noticable with Lois' voice actor Creator/AlexBorstein, who nowadays could give even the best Creator/FranDrescher impersonator a run for their money. This was [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in the episode "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS4E6Petarded Petarded]]" when Lois, speaking at a microphone, says, "I'm sorry folks, this... Oh God, [[DoIReallySoundLikeThat is that my voice?]] God, it's all whiny and nasally and... egh."

** Similar example with Mickey's 3rd actor, Creator/WayneAllwine. For a while, his Mickey voice sounded high pitched, and had a squeak in to it, similar to earlier actors' portrayals. However, before he died in 2009, his Mickey voice somehow lost its squeak, and sounded slightly lower. It's especially notable in his last performance as Mickey in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOFMemories where the weakness and weariness is apparent. When former Hallmark illustrator Bret Iwan took over, Mickey did get his high pitched-voice back, but lost the squeak almost entirely.

* Listen to Penny Proud from the first season of ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'', and then hear her in the later episodes as Creator/KylaPratt went through puberty. You can easily hear Penny sound more like a SassyBlackWoman than a sassy black 14-year old girl. Her voice has changed even more in the revival ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamilyLouderAndProuder'', due to the two decade gap between the original and revival. Oscar, Trudy and Wizard Kelly's voices have also gotten lower and more gruff in ''Louder and Prouder'', while [=LaCieniga=] now has a more high pitched [[ValleyGirl Valley Girl-ish]] voice.

** In season 2, Sean's voice gets deeper and raspier, likely due to puberty. Which results in everything that comes out of his mouth becoming {{Narm}}.
** Also in season 2, Sydney and Mitchell both got new voice actors. Sydney's new voice is younger than her previous one, while Mitchell's sounds more whinier.

* Gus of ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'', being twelve years old, had a higher pitched voice in the first season, but his VA’s voice changed over the course of recording. By the end of the first season, he was being digitally pitched up to maintain consistency, but this was dropped in between seasons, letting him speak in his natural, lower voice and even [[IGotBigger redesigning the character slightly]] to have had a growth spurt, explaining it away as "witch puberty".

** Finn's voice becomes deeper as he grows older-in universe and his voice actor ages out-of-universe.

** Similar example with Mickey's 3rd actor, Creator/WayneAllwine. For a while, his Mickey voice sounded high pitched, and had a squeak in to it, similar to earlier actors' portrayals. However, before he died in 2009, his Mickey voice somehow lost its squeak, and sounded slightly lower. When former Hallmark illustrator Bret Iwan took over, Mickey did get his high pitched-voice back, but lost the squeak almost entirely.
*** Sadly much of that might be due to Allwine's poor health for his last few years as the character. It's especially notable in his last performance as Mickey in Kingdom Hearts Re Chain of Memories where the weakness and wearyness is apparent.

** Leonardo's vocal change is easily the most noticeable. Once deep and concentrated, ''Creator/CamClarke'' had his voice higher and more superhero-esque as the series became more child accessible in tone.
** Michelangelo's voice had become deeper and more mellow as the series went on. Originally, he was given a higher and less raspy voice, as ''Creator/TownsendColeman'' had based it off of Sean Penn's character in ''Film/FastTimesAtRidgemontHigh''. However, it soon became more recognizable and raspier while still retaining the same energy.
** ''Creator/BarryGordon'''s Donatello was originally his natural voice, but became slightly exaggerated as the series went on.
** Voice acting giant ''Creator/RobPaulsen'''s breakout role was Raphael, maintaining his natural voice through his entire run as the turtle. However, his demeanor evolved with the character, once calmer with his cynicism and later becoming more loud and brash.

** Roger's voice was originally a loose Creator/PaulLynde impression, but over time, got a bit lower, more nasal and hoarse.

** Aelita's voice is lower and matronly near the beginning of the series, but after she leaves the supercomputer, her voice slowly becomes higher-pitched and girlish. Thankfully, [[TalkingToHimself she and Jeremie]] never start sounding like each other.

** Applejack started off with a higher pitched voice similar to Rainbow Dash. Ashleigh Ball, who voices both characters, intentionally lowered Applejack's voice later in the series to differentiate the two and make it easier when TalkingToHerself.

** Roger's voice was originally a loose Creator/PaulLynde impression, but over time, got a bit lower and more hoarse.

** Steve's voice was got higher-pitched and louder as the series went on.

** Leonardo's vocal change is easily the most noticeable. Once deep and concentrated, Cam Clarke had his voice higher and more superhero-esque as the series became more child accessible in tone.
** Michelangelo's voice had become deeper and more mellow as the series went on. Originally, he was given a higher and less raspy voice, as Townsend Coleman had based it off of Sean Penn's character in ''Film/FastTimesAtRidgemontHigh''. However, it soon became more recognizable and raspier while still retaining the same energy.
** Barry Gordon's Donatello was originally his natural voice, but became slightly exaggerated as the series went on.
** Voice acting giant Rob Paulsen's breakout role was Raphael, maintaining his natural voice through his entire run as the turtle. However, his demeanor evolved with the character, once calmer with his cynicism and later becoming more loud and brash.

** While Creator/TomKenny has always been the voice of [=SpongeBob=], starting in the movie, Kenny has made him ridiculously more high-pitched and effeminate, adding to that ever-present "[=SpongeBob=] is gay" notion. Then in the later seasons such as after the transition to HD, [=SpongeBob=]'s voice has gotten slightly deeper in pitch.

* In the second season of ''WesternAnimation/PetAlien'', Creator/CharlieSchlatter's voice for Tommy got a bit higher and whinier, making Tommy sound younger compared to the teenage-sounding voice he had in the first season.

* In the second season of ''WesternAnimation/PetAlien'', Creator/CharlieSchlatter's voice for Tommy got a bit higher and whinier, making Tommy sound younger and less like a teenager.

* Gus of ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'', being twelve years old, had a higher pitched voice in the first season, but his VA’s voice changed over the course of recording. By the end of the first season, he was being digitally pitched up to maintain consistency, but this was dropped in between seasons, letting him speak in his natural, lower voice and even [[IGotBigger redesigning the character slightly]] to have had a growth spurt, explaining it away as “witch puberty”.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'': Paul Winchell's Gargamel sounded more like [[WesternAnimation/WackyRaces Dick Dastardly]] early on but started to show some wear as the series went on. Even his Dick Dastardly on ''Yogi's Treasure Hunt'' (1985-88) started sounding like late Gargamel.

* Listen to Penny Proud from the first season of ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'', and then hear her in the later episodes as Creator/KylaPratt went through puberty. You can easily hear Penny sound more like a SassyBlackWoman than a sassy black 14-year old girl. Her voice has changed even more in the revival ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamilyLouderAndProuder'', due to the two decade gap between the original and revival. Oscar, Trudy and Wizard Kelly's voices have also gotten lower and more gruff in ''Louder and Prouder''.

** As for Dot, her voice is noticeably deeper than her original incarnation, as can be expected from Creator/TressMacNeille aging over two decades between series. This is even lampshaded in the theme song, changing her description from "cute" to "wit[ty]."

* A more unique case for ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends''. Michael Angelis originally narrated the show in a faster, more excited tone. As seasons progressed his storytelling style became slower and more mellow sounding. His voices for some of the engines also changed. This is even more noticable due to stories from earlier seasons he has renarrated for audiobooks and other projects later on. Also, George Carlin sounds noticeably deeper and more soft-sounding in the fourth season compared to the first three.

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': It took Alex Hirsch a few episodes to settle into his Grunkle Stan and Soos voices. They sound a little off and unusually high-pitched in the beginning.

* As Clarence Nash aged his voice for WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck became rougher and raspier, compare the classic shorts to WesternAnimation/MickeysChristmasCarol.

** In Ralph's first voiced appearance in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E18LisasPony Lisa's Pony]]", he speaks in Nelson's voice. However, this could be a mistake, as both Ralph and Nelson are both voiced by Creator/NancyCartwright. In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E22TheOttoShow The Otto Show]]" and "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E1KampKrusty Kamp Krusty]]", Ralph speaks in a lower-pitched voice than usual, and "I Love Lisa" was the first episode to use Ralph's normal voice, which stuck throughout the series.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'': The narrator's voice sounds noticeably deeper since the show switched from cell animation to digital ink.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SilverHawks'', main villain Mon*Star originally had a very deep voice, but as the episodes wore on, it got higher and higher, until voice actor Earl Hammond was using the same screechy voice for Mon*Star as he was for Vultureman on sister show ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats''. It was particularly jarring during his TransformationSequence, since it still used the original voice and was never re-recorded.

* Hamilton Camp's performance as Gizmoduck sounds very different in ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' compared to his later guest appearances in ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck''. It's a lot less booming, and a lot sillier sounding, sounding similar to when Fenton's superhero voice [[OohMeAccentsSlipping broke character]] when he got excited on the former show.

* During his brief appearance as Alfred in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'', Creator/JeffBennett sounds like an older English version of Owen Bennett from ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. When he reprised the role for ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne'', his Alfred sounded similar to Brooklyn from ''Gargoyles'', only with an English accent.

* Dot's voice in ''WesternAnimation/Animaniacs2020'' is noticeably deeper than her original incarnation, as can be expected from Creator/TressMacNeille aging over two decades between series. This is even lampshaded in the theme song, changing her description from "cute" to "wit[ty]."

* Most of the main cast on ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'':
** Wakko (Creator/JessHarnell) more closely resembled Music/RingoStarr earlier on before going higher-pitched.
** Yakko (Creator/RobPaulsen) originally had more of a "tough guy" tone to him.
** Dot (Creator/TressMacNeille) started to lose her cute squeak and started to sound more like Tress's natural voice toward the end of the run.
** Also, in the earliest ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' shorts, Pinky's voice (also Rob Paulsen) was a little deeper and had more of a speech impediment. The Brain (Creator/MauriceLaMarche) sounded more like Creator/OrsonWelles initially before becoming a combination of Welles and Creator/VincentPrice.
** The twenty-two years that have passed between the original series and the [[WesternAnimation/Animaniacs2020 2020 revival]] definitely show this off, especially with Paulsen's performance as Yakko. Paulsen underwent treatment for stage 3 throat cancer in 2016, and coupled with his age, it left the voice much deeper and a little raspy. It should be noted though that the Warners' voices were pitched up in the original series.
** Skippy Squirrel's voice deepened over time, due to his voice actor (Nathan Ruegger, the then-preteen son of writer/producer/director Tom Ruegger) hitting puberty in the later seasons. A couple episodes near the end of the run have him pitch-shifted.