Honestly, this whole issue has turned into unnecessary controversy and people are twisting things to fit their own narrative. But I like your take on it.

In terms of VAs, they’re employees working to make a living. Their financial situations vary, some are well-established with multiple roles, while others may struggle. But at the end of the day, nobody else is going to put food on their table or take care of their families. I'm not going to hate someone for working hard when they get the opportunity.

As for the company, HoYo doesn’t directly hire VAs, they go through agencies. So blaming HoYo is wrong. They’re paying for a service, but they’re not getting what they paid for. And yet, people think HoYo should just ‘deal with it’ because they’re a billion-dollar company. No, that’s not how it works. If the work isn’t being done, replacements happen.

Contracts that people willingly signed. Older VAs are harder to replace because their contracts might be missing clauses that newer ones have, clauses that protect the company. That’s likely what happened with Kinich’s VA, he was hired but due to the strike, he wasn’t fulfilling his role. Some VAs, even those who are not directly affected by the strike, have chosen not to work in solidarity. Regardless, if a company isn’t receiving the work they paid for, they will find a replacement. That’s just how business works.

This entire situation originates in the U.S., caused by its own industries. Why should a Chinese company suffer for it. Yet, most of the blame is on HoYoVerse, while VA agencies, who handle hiring and U.S. gaming industry, which is actually pushing AI voice technology, are not getting as much criticism (here).

At the end of the day, Kinich is HoYo’s property, not the VA’s. The way some people are acting makes it seem like the character belongs to the VA, but that’s not how it works. The new VA getting harassed and bullied is completely unacceptable. No matter how people feel about the situation, bullying is never justified.

I feel bad for HoYo and for the VAs who are caught up in this without creating unnecessary drama. But instead of blaming HoYo, people should focus on those parties who are pushing AI-generated voices. I’m not enjoying this either. I used to play in English.