Steve Blum is a ubiquitous presence in the world of voice acting, having lent his voice in everything from feature films to video games. At the moment, Blum's most recognizable role is Tom, the hip robot host of Cartoon Network's Toonami block.

Having been in pieces stretching as far back as "Wings of Honnemise," do you feel that your role as the Toonami robot punctuates your anime career?

SB: Definitely one of the highlights. For so many years I had voiced hundreds of shows, very few of which hit any other market than video. Besides the pay finally being comparatively compensatory with the work, it's nice to be able to see it on the tube. I've never even seen the bulk of my work.

In other pieces, you had a story that shaped your character. What process did you engage in developing the character of Tom?

SB: The creators definitely had a vision for Tom. Very clever folks, that Toonami team. My voice just happened to fit into the pattern they heard in their head. My job is simply to keep Tom as true to their vision as possible.

How much anime do you watch?

SB: I'm embarrassed to admit, very little. Between voicing an average of 3 (different) shows per day, auditions and my writing (ADR scripts - "Digimon," among others), there's very little time in my schedule to watch much of anything. I don't even have cable.

Could you explain the conceit behind the robot and how he "hosts" Toonami?

SB: Tom's an arrogant little snot sometimes, which I love. When we were first honing Tom's demeanor, I remember the directors suggesting that I mentally put "you f***!" at the end of every sentence. As harsh as that may seem, I think it gives Tom the bitter edge that so many of us can identify with. Certainly helped to keep my interest. If you're asking why I'm conceited in saying that Tom "hosts" the show; okay, that's my ego talkin'. This may be the closest I'll ever get to being a show host. Let me wallow just a little bit longer.

Now, the robot also shows up during the Midnight Run (Toonami's late night installment). Do you change how he behaves for the later time slot?

SB: Only if they tell me to. We seem to go a little darker most of the time, but like I said, the gods of Toonami know better than I who they're targeting. In most other characters, I got the part because I had something different to bring to the party. Sometimes things that they hadn't even imagined. In this case, these folks live and breathe this stuff and know exactly what they want to hear. I respect that and honor it as best I can.

How is American cartoon work different than working on Japanese anime pieces?

SB: Well, technically it's a lot easier. I don't have to worry about matching lip flaps and timing along with the dynamics and consistency of the performance. The other big difference is that in most original American animation (with the exception of games), it's usually a group read. I get to play with other actors. The performance becomes an ensemble piece. It almost takes on a life of it's own and can soar to some pretty wild places when you've got a good group of actors in the room. The pay is a lot better too. I cut my teeth on anime, though, and feel at home in that arena. Creating something vocally by myself that other actors can play off of later is exciting for me, especially if it works in the final mix! I know some pretty huge actors (who don't need the money) that still do anime just to keep the dubbing skills sharp.

How do you prepare for the role of Tom?

SB: Prepare? Que es eso? Well the copy comes in on the fax machine and five minutes later I'm recording. Not much preparation time. If we're doing one of the vignette pieces, (i.e. "Intruder"), they usually send me a tape of the animation so I can get a feel for where the scene is going to go visually. I do tend to summon all those unexpressed "you f***s" from that angry place in my brain and let Tom play with it.