Seiyu
Encyclopedia
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
produces 60% of the animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.
Besides acting as narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
s and actors in radio plays, as well as performing voice-over
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
s for non-Japanese movies and television programs, the voice actors are extensively employed as character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
s in anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and video games. Popular voice actors — especially voice actresses — often have devoted international fanclubs. Some fans may watch a show merely to hear a particular voice actor. Some Japanese voice actors have capitalized on their fame to become singers, and many others have become live movie or television actors.
There are around 130 voice-acting schools in Japan. Broadcast companies and talent agencies often have their own troupes of vocal actors. Magazines focusing specifically on voice acting are published in Japan, with Voice Animage being the best known and longest running.
The English term character voice (or CV), has been commonly used since the 1980s by such Japanese anime magazines as Animec and Newtype
Newtype (magazine)
is a monthly magazine publication originating from Japan, covering anime and manga . It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985 with its April issue, and has since seen regular release on the 10th of every month in its home country...
, for a voice actor associated with a particular anime or game character. Conversely, the Japanese term seiyū is commonly used among English-speaking anime and game fans
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
for Japanese voice actors.
Actors and seiyū
Initially, dubbing and doing voice-overs was a performance of an actor who used only his voice. When doing this job, they were called . For convenience, the term was shortened to a new compound consisting of the first and last kanji to make . It was only after the voice acting booms, however, that this word became widespread. For this reason, elderly voice actors resent being called seiyū, because, during their time, the term had a different (and minimizing) connotation. The renowned Chikao Ōtsuka, who dubbed Charles BronsonCharles Bronson
Charles Bronson , born Charles Dennis Buchinsky was an American actor, best-known for such films as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, Rider on the Rain, The Mechanic, and the popular Death Wish series...
among others, was quoted in a special issue of Animage saying "We are actors. Even if a performance only requires the use of our voice, we still remain actors, and it is therefore incorrect to refer to us as just voice actors, isn't it?". He was opposed to the new trend of separating actors and voice actors, even in the face of emerging voice actors like Genzō Wakayama
Genzo Wakayama
is a Japanese seiyū and disc jockey from Ōdomari, Karafuto Prefecture. He moved to Sapporo, Hokkaido as a youth and graduated from Sapporo South High School. He is currently freelance....
, who learned how to act using their voice and never set foot in a theater.
There are three main factors that set voice actors and actors apart.
- Their professional upbringing by the , formed by NHKNHKNHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
and other private networks during the golden age of radio dramas. - The increasing popularity of the television: due to the lack of Japan-made movies and dramas, TV networks were forced to air foreign shows, and that raised demand for voice actors.
- The boom in the anime world market, which produced a wave of young talents who wanted to become voice actors rather than actors.
History
Voice acting has existed in Japan since the advent of radio. It was only in the 1970s that the term seiyū entered popular usage because of the anime Space Battleship YamatoSpace Battleship Yamato
is a Japanese science fiction anime series featuring an eponymous spacecraft. It is also known to English-speaking audiences as Space Cruiser Yamato; an English-dubbed and heavily edited version of the series was broadcast on North American and Australian television as Star Blazers...
. According to a newspaper interview with a voice talent manager, "Since the Yamato boom, the word 'seiyū' has become instantly recognized, before that actors and actresses who introduced themselves as seiyū were often asked, 'You mean you work for Seiyu supermarket
Seiyu Group
or is a Japanese group of supermarkets, shopping centers, and department stores owned by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Its head office is in Akabane, Kita, Tokyo.-History:...
?'"
The radio drama era
In 1925, the Tokyo Broadcasting Company (predecessor to the NHKNHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
, Japan's public broadcasting system) started radio broadcasts. In that same year, twelve students who were specializing in voice-only performances became the first voice actors in Japan when a performance of a radio drama was broadcast. They referred to themselves as "seiyū", but in those days the term was used by newspapers to refer to the profession.
In 1941, NHK opened a training program to the public to prepare actors to specialize in radio dramas.This was called the . Then in 1942, the Tokyo Broadcasting Drama Troupe debuted its first performance. This was the second time that the term "seiyū" was used to refer to voice actors.
There are several theories as to how the term "seiyū" was coined. One theory is that Oyhashi Tokusaburo, a reporter for the Yoimuri Newspaper, coined the term. Another theory is that Tatsu Ooka, an entertainment programming managing producer for the NHK came up with the term.
At first, voice actors, like those at the Tokyo Radio Drama Troupe and similar companies specialized in radio dramas; with the advent of television, the term took on the additional meaning of one who does dubbing for animation. Television broadcasting aside, when radio was the leading mass medium, actors who played in radio dramas were not without their fans; for example, actors in the Nagoya Radio Drama troupe who played the lead love interest roles often received many fan letters.
1960s: first voice acting boom
In 1961, during the early days of commercial television broadcasting, the Five-Company AgreementFive-Company Agreement
The was an agreement signed 1953 September 10 between five major Japanese entertainment companies .Although nominally it prohibited hiring away a cosignatory company's actors and directors, in reality intention of the agreement was to prevent actors being hired away by Nikkatsu, which had recently...
(Gosha Agreement) caused the supply of Japanese movies that were available to Japanese television stations to dry up. As a result, in the 1960s many foreign dramas and other foreign programming was imported and dubbed into Japanese language for television broadcast.
At first, the NHK subtitled most foreign shows; however, shows dubbed in the Japanese language soon became the standard. This increased the popularity of voice actors. At the center of the first voice acting boom were actors like Nachi Nozawa
Nachi Nozawa
was a Japanese seiyū, actor, and theatre director from Tokyo. He was affiliated with Office PAC at the time of his death. His real name was...
, who gained fame by dubbing the same foreign actors, in Nozawa's case Alain Delon
Alain Delon
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon is a French actor. He rose quickly to stardom, and by the age of 23 was already being compared to French actors such as Gérard Philipe and Jean Marais, as well as American actor James Dean. He was even called the male Brigitte Bardot...
, Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford, Jr. , better known as Robert Redford, is an American actor, film director, producer, businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He has received two Oscars: one in 1981 for directing Ordinary People, and one for Lifetime...
, and Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
. Because of problems with pay guarantees arising from the Gosha Agreement, cinema actors were prevented from dubbing foreign movies for television. Television actors were also prevented from dubbing because of a similar agreement. This caused studios to turn to actors from the radio age and actors from the Shingeki style of acting. Around this time dubbing of foreign animation was done by Rakugo
Rakugo
is a Japanese verbal entertainment. The lone sits on the stage, called the . Using only a paper fan and a small cloth as props, and without standing up from the seiza sitting position, the rakugo artist depicts a long and complicated comical story...
story tellers, Asakusa
Asakusa
is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...
comedians, and the like, and voice actors were called "dubbing talents" if they specialized in dubbing, while those giving voice to a character went under the name of "ateshi". It is during this golden age for dubbing that the Tokyo Actors Cooperative Haikyo was founded. Later, Haikyo voice acting managers left and opened their own management agencies.
The first dubbed show broadcast in Japan was an episode of the American cartoon Superman
Superman (1940s cartoons)
The Fleischer & Famous Superman cartoons are a series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films released by Paramount Pictures and based upon the comic book character Superman....
, on October 9, 1955, on KRT (today TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
), and the first non-animated dubbed show broadcast was Cowboy G-Men, again by KRT, in 1956. Both were dubbed live; the first show to be broadcast with pre-recorded dubbing was on April 8, 1956.
1970s: second voice acting boom
During the late 1970s, the boom in the animation world allowed voice actors of attractive male anime characters to become popular. Akira KamiyaAkira Kamiya
is a Japanese voice actor. He has been represented by Theater Echo, Aoni Production, and others. He is currently represented by Saeba Shoji.-Career:Kamiya made his debut on Mahou no Mako-chan in 1970 while working for Theater Echo...
, Tōru Furuya
Toru Furuya
is a veteran narrator and seiyū born on July 31, 1953 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As a child, he was a member of Gekidan Himawari, a children's acting troupe...
and Toshio Furukawa
Toshio Furukawa
is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production and is married to fellow voice actress Shino Kakinuma. His height is 164cm. Hobbies are Fishing, diorama, reading and movies.In July 2011, Furukawa appeared at Anime Expo as a guest.-Career/Personal:...
were the first to unite into a band, Slapstick
Slapstick (band)
Slapstick was a punk-ska fusion band formed in Chicago by a group of friends from the Elgin area. The group took some cues from the seminal ska/punk outfit Operation Ivy and the guttural punk vocals of Crimpshrine, but developed their own unique style. The group was active from 1993 to 1996 on...
, and perform live. Many other voice actors released their own albums. In 1979, radio programs featuring seiyū as DJs such as Animetopia became widely popular, and at around the same time the first anime magazines began to be published. The then editor-in-chief of Animage
Animage
is a Japanese anime and entertainment magazine which Tokuma Shoten began publishing in July 1978. Hayao Miyazaki's internationally renowned manga, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, was serialized in Animage from 1982 through 1994...
, Hideo Ogata
Hideo Ogata
is a producer and planner in Japan. He was also the founding editor of Animage magazine, the second largest anime and manga magazine in Japan, and the editor of the Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind manga series. Ogata assisted in the founding of Studio Ghibli. Ogata died of stomach cancer on 25...
, was the first to publish editorials on the ongoing transformation of voice actors into idols
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
. Following his lead, the other magazines created "seiyū corners" with information and gossip about voice actors; this was one of the main causes of young anime fans yearning to become seiyū. This led to a sudden increase in the number of students in voice acting schools. For the first time, anime voice actors were young people who grew up dreaming to become that, as opposed to being members of drama troupes or theatre actors who performed as a hobby. This boom lasted until the first half of the 1980s.
1980s: an interim period
In 1989, the voice actors of the five main stars of the animated television show Ronin WarriorsRonin Warriors
Ronin Warriors, known in Japan as , is a Japanese anime series and manga adaptation created by Hajime Yatate. The anime was produced and animated by Sunrise, and aired across Japan on Nagoya Television from April 30, 1988 to March 4, 1989 and has a total of 39 episodes.Ronin Warriors was produced...
(Nozomu Sasaki
Nozomu Sasaki
is a Japanese voice actor. He is a client of the voice actor management firm, 81 Produce. In 1988, he voiced the well known character, Tetsuo Shima, in the movie, Akira, which was adapted from the manga of the same name. He also performed the role of Yusuke Urameshi in the popular anime adaptation...
, Takeshi Kusao
Takeshi Kusao
is a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production.Among his many roles, he is best known as the voices of Future Trunks , Hanamichi Sakuragi , Lamune , Ryo Sanada , Cless Alvein , Yukimura Sanada , and Dororo is a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production.Among his many roles, he is...
, Hiroshi Takemura
Hiroshi Takemura
is a Japanese voice actor. He is an alumnus of the theatrical troupe Gekidan Baraza, which is directed by Nachi Nozawa. His hobbies include billiards, skiing, fishing and tennis. Takemura is employed by the talent management firm Office Kaoru.-TV:...
, Tomohiro Nishimura
Tomohiro Nishimura
Tomohiro Nishimura is a seiyū, actor, and singer-songwriter born on February 2, 1961 in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan. He used to be employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce...
and Daiki Nakamura
Daiki Nakamura
is a Japanese voice actor and member of 81 Produce.-Anime:* The Brave Express Might Gaine * Colorful * Cromartie High School * Grandpa Danger...
) formed an all-male singing group called "NG5". The group became popular, to the extent that it was featured as the subject of a special documentary program on MBS
Mainichi Broadcasting System
is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...
. The popularity of NG5, however, did not spread to other voice acting groups.
During this period, voice acting production companies also began to provide specialized courses at on-site training schools specifically for training in animation dubbing.
1990s: third voice acting boom
The 1960s and 1970s booms were centered around media, such as the TV. In the 1990s, a new boom centered around more personal ways of communication, such as radio shows, Original Video AnimationOriginal video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
, television quizzes, public events and the Internet, gave way to the publication of the first dedicated voice acting magazines, Seiyū Grand Prix and Voice Animage. Voice actors acquired many new fans thanks to the radio, and their CD sale figures increased. Concerts began to be held in the bigger halls. While the second boom also saw the voice actors become popular as DJs, this time the recording houses backed the voice actor radio shows as sponsors, and large sums of money began to circulate. Megumi Hayashibara
Megumi Hayashibara
is a Japanese voice actress, singer, radio personality, and lyricist from Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with Aksent. Her nicknames include: Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, and Daijin...
, Hekiru Shiina
Hekiru Shiina
Hekiru Shiina is a professional seiyū and J-pop singer who was born in Higashi-kurume, Tokyo. Shiina is 152 cm tall....
and Mariko Kōda
Mariko Koda
is a seiyū, J-Pop singer and radio personality born on September 5, 1969 in Miyashiro, Minami Saitama, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. She graduated from Kasukabe Kyōei High School and went on to major in Communications at Tamagawa University in Machida City, Tokyo, graduating in 1990...
are the first examples of this new trend. Recording companies and voice acting schools began to devise new ways to raise young voice actors to nation-wide popularity.
When voice acting was introduced in television games, the existence of voice actors became known throughout the entire country. As a consequence, the same voice actors would perform in a series of events related to the television game world, making appearances and participating in radio programs based on the television games to attract the fanbase.
In the second half of the 1990s, the boom in the animation world led to the increase of anime shown in the Tokyo area. With the Internet, gathering information on their favourite voice actors became easy for fans, and voice actors began to appear in Internet-based radio shows.
Five ways to become a voice actor
By looking at the career of today's most popular voice actors, the majority of them became famous treading one of the following five paths.From broadcasting drama troupe member
Trained by broadcasting drama troupes, they specialized in roles requiring voice acting other than announcing, particularly radio drama acting.Former members of the Tokyo Broadcasting Drama Troupe include Ryō Kurusawa, Kazue Takahashi
Kazue Takahashi
was a female voice actress who was born in Tochigi, Japan. Kazue was best known as the voice of Shoutarou Kaneda in Tetsujin 28-go...
, Masato Yamanouchi
Masato Yamanouchi
Masato Yamanouchi was a seiyū who died on April 7, 2003 due to complications from lung cancer just four days after his 74th birthday.-Notable voice roles:...
, Hisashi Katsuta, Akira Nagoya and Kiyoshi Kawakubo
Kiyoshi Kawakubo
is a male Japanese voice actor. He is from Yokohama, Japan.Kiyoshi is part of 81 Produce.-TV anime:*3000 Leagues in Search of Mother *Cyborg 009 *D.Gray-man *Detective Conan is a male Japanese voice actor. He is from Yokohama, Japan.Kiyoshi is part of 81 Produce.-TV anime:*3000 Leagues in Search...
.
Examples of voice actors coming from privately funded drama troupes are Tōru Ōhira
Toru Ohira
is a male Japanese narrator and voice actor from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. He is a representative of Ōhira Production.One of his most known roles is the dub voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars...
and Tadashi Nakamura from the ), Junpei Takiguchi
Junpei Takiguchi
, better known by the stage name , was a Japanese voice actor and narrator from Chiba Prefecture.Besides his many narration and dubbing roles, he was also known for his roles in Time Bokan , Yatterman , Mazinger Z , Tekkaman: The Space Knight and for his narration roles in Burari Tochūgesha no...
, Nobuo Tanaka, Mariko Mukai.
Local broadcasting stations also helped many voice actors in the early stages of their careers, before the television age and the advent of foreign drama series concentrated most of the voice acting business in the Tokyo area. Some examples include the aforementioned Genzō Wakayama from NHK's , Kenji Utsumi
Kenji Utsumi
is a Japanese voice actor and actor from Kitakyūshū, affiliated with the self-founded Ken Production. He is married to fellow voice actress Michiko Nomura....
from NHK's ) and Jōji Yanami
Joji Yanami
is a Japanese voice actor currently represented by Aoni Production.- Television :* Ookami Shōnen Ken , Boss* Hustle Punch , Professor Garigari/Garigari Hagase* Osomatsu-kun , Tou-san...
from RKB's ).
From child actor
Some voice actors are middle-school children who joined youth theatrical companies (Himawari Company, Komadori Group) and honed their acting skills with them, then took up a career as full-time voice actors after graduating from high school.The first to follow this path include Ryūsei Nakao
Ryusei Nakao
, known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor, singer, and voice actor from Tōkyō Metropolis, Japan. He is attached to 81 Produce. He has also worked under the name of ....
, Tōru Furuya
Toru Furuya
is a veteran narrator and seiyū born on July 31, 1953 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As a child, he was a member of Gekidan Himawari, a children's acting troupe...
, Shūichi Ikeda
Shuichi Ikeda
is a veteran seiyū born on December 2, 1949 in Tokyo, Japan. Ikeda is married to Sakiko Tamagawa, although he was once married to Keiko Toda. He currently works for Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society...
, Yoku Shioya
Yoku Shioya
is a Japanese voice actor debuting in Umi no Triton . Recently he has done some voice directing in such anime as Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls. His real name is Tsubasa Shioya...
, Hiromi Tsuru
Hiromi Tsuru
is a Japanese voice actress from Kanagawa Prefecture. She is currently affiliated with Aoni Production.She is most known for the roles of Bulma , Ukyo Kuonji , Dokin-chan , Madoka Ayukawa , Miyuki Kashima , Reiko Mikami and Naomi Hunter is a Japanese voice actress from Kanagawa Prefecture. She...
, Miina Tominaga
Miina Tominaga
, better known by her stage name of is a Japanese seiyū and tarento from Nishi-ku, Hiroshima. She is currently attached to Mint Avenue....
and Katsumi Toriumi
Katsumi Toriumi
is a Japanese seiyū from Saitama Prefecture. He works at Production Baobab. Toriumi performed with other seiyu on the album Everybody's Christmas.-Voice Roles:*Zack Taylor in the Japanese dub of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...
(the first two debuting while still in middle-school but continuing only after graduating).
More recent voice actors include Daisuke Namikawa
Daisuke Namikawa
is a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Across Entertainment.He started acting in 1984. He is sometimes mistaken for fellow voice actor Daisuke Hirakawa, as their names only differ by one character when written in kanji. Despite his wide range of voice casting, he is usually cast as young,...
, Maaya Sakamoto
Maaya Sakamoto
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actress, and voice actress. She made her debut as a voice actress in 1992 as the voice of Chifuru in the anime series Little Twins, but is more well known for her role as Hitomi Kanzaki in the hit anime series The Vision of Escaflowne...
, Mayumi Iizuka
Mayumi Iizuka
is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who was born in Tokyo and grew up in Taiwan and Yokohama. Iizuka is a member of Gekidan Wakakusa and Tokuma Japan Communications....
, Akeno Watanabe
Akeno Watanabe
is a Japanese voice actor born in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan. She works at Osawa Office and her nickname is Akenon. She currently stars in Pokémon Best Wishes as Ash's newest rival, Shooti and from Episode 17 onwards has begun voicing Ash's Scraggy.-Anime:...
, Saeko Chiba
Saeko Chiba
is a prolific Japanese seiyū and singer, born on August 26, 1977 in Hachinohe, Aomori. She grew up in Tokyo, Japan, and married on her 30th birthday: August 26, 2007. She is contracted to the Space Craft Group...
, Yūka Nanri, Kaori Nazuka
Kaori Nazuka
is a freelance voice actress and singer. She is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music. She also announced that she got married in February 2011.-TV anime:1999:*Ojarumaru...
.
There have been cases of young people who started appearing in voice acting roles while still in middle-school. Miyu Irino
Miyu Irino
is a Japanese voice actor born in Tokyo.He is a good friend of voice actor Mamoru Miyano. He is nicknamed "Miyu-Miyu" by CLAMP members....
, Eri Sendai
Eri Sendai
is a Japanese female voice actress who is represented by Production Baobab.-TV animation:*Atsuko Hongō - Yomigaeru Sora - RESCUE WINGS -*Arika - Medabots*Ayaka - xxxHolic*Ayumu Oume - Best Student Council*Furfur - Umineko no Naku Koro ni...
, Ayaka Saitō
Ayaka Saito
is a Japanese voice actress who voiced Momiji Sohma in Fruits Basket, Tomoka Rana Jude in Girls Bravo, and Mitsukuni Haninozuka in Ouran High School Host Club.-TV anime:*Boogiepop Phantom as Akane Kojima...
, Aya Hirano
Aya Hirano
from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who has had roles in several anime, visual novels, and TV commercials in Japan. She was contracted to Space Craft Produce, a branch of the Space Craft Group, for her voice acting career, and for her singing career,...
, Subaru Kimura and Miyū Tsuzurahara
Miyu Tsuzurahara
' is a seiyū and child actress who is affiliated with Gekidan Himawari.-Notable voice roles:*Aishiteruze Baby - Yuzuyu Sakashita*Final Fantasy VII Advent Children - Marlene Wallace...
are a few examples.
From theatre actor
Sometimes theatre actors, whether they be in high school, specialized schools, university or having just graduated, are scouted by people in the anime industry to become voice actors. This happens to actors affiliated with the major Shingeki theatre companies, which include the Bungaku Company, the Seinen Company, the Troupe Pleiades, the Theatrical Group EN and Theatre Echo. Actors performing in minor theatres may sometimes be spotted by the theatre's sound production staff or by managers affiliated with voice acting management agencies. It is also common for actors affiliated with voice acting-led theatre companies, such as Nachi NozawaNachi Nozawa
was a Japanese seiyū, actor, and theatre director from Tokyo. He was affiliated with Office PAC at the time of his death. His real name was...
's Rose Company or Kaneta Kimotsuki
Kaneta Kimotsuki
is a Japanese voice actor who was born in Kagoshima.He is most known for the roles of Suneo Honekawa , Dracula , Pāyan , Iyami , Tom , Benzou Karino , Horrorman , Conductor and Jiminy Cricket is a Japanese voice actor who was born in Kagoshima.He is most known for the roles of Suneo Honekawa...
's 21st Century Fox Company, to become voice actors themselves.
To name a few, Romi Park, spotted by animation creator Yoshiyuki Tomino
Yoshiyuki Tomino
is a Japanese mecha anime creator, director, screenwriter and novelist. He was born in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and studied at Nihon University's College of Art...
, Fumiko Orikasa
Fumiko Orikasa
is a Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Atomic Monkey. Her record label is Geneon Entertainment. Shopping is one of her hobbies. She is a skilled dancer, and is referred to as "Oririn" by fellow voice actors and fans. She also performed a fair number of anime insert and character image...
, graduated from the Super Eccentric Theatre, and talents discovered in local college theatre groups by Kazuya Tatekabe
Kazuya Tatekabe
is a Japanese voice actor. He is currently represented by Kenyu Horiuchi's Kenyu Office.He is most known for the roles of Jaian , Walsa , and Tonzura .-Notable voice work:...
: Sanae Kobayashi
Sanae Kobayashi
is a voice actress who was born in Shizuoka Prefecture. She is affiliated with Production Baobab.-Television Animation:*.hack//Liminality as Mai Minase*.hack//Roots as Ender*.hack//Roots as Pi...
, Gō Aoba, Tetsu Shiratori
Tetsu Shiratori
is a Japanese voice actor.-Anime:*Blue Dragon *Boogiepop Phantom *Brain Powerd *Code Geass *Fairy Tail *Fullmetal Alchemist *Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood...
, Akino Murata and Rieko Takahashi.
Worthy of note is Hitomi Nabatame
Hitomi Nabatame
is a Japanese voice actress. She is affiliated with Ken Production. When voicing adult games, she is known as , , , or . She also sings opening themes for Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu under the name Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers.-Anime:...
's career. Shortly after entering the Dorikan Club, a group of voice actors in the making, part of the aniradio program on radio station Nippon Cultural Broadcasting
Nippon Cultural Broadcasting
is a Japanese radio station in Tokyo which broadcasts to the Kanto area. It is one of the two flagship radio stations of National Radio Network and also has a relationship with JOLF and Fuji Television....
, she showed so much potential that she earned herself a role in Maburaho
Maburaho
is a romantic school comedy light novel series written by Toshihiko Tsukiji, illustrated by Eeji Komatsu and serialized in Gekkan Dragon Magazine...
right after graduating from the voice acting school she was attending, while also performing as a theatre actress.
From voice acting school student
Many voice actors debuted after attending voice acting schools for several years after graduating from high school, specialized schools or university, or even just between school terms, and learned the trade by observation. This is the path most young people who watch anime and want to become a voice actors take. This is probably the easiest path at its beginning, but breakthrough chances are very slim. For example, each school affiliated with the Yoyogi Animation Academy has a voice acting talent department with hundreds of new students each year, but only a very small minority of them manage to become a voice actor after graduating. Many who do not make it enter a different voice acting school and try again.People who made it in the past include Megumi Hayashibara
Megumi Hayashibara
is a Japanese voice actress, singer, radio personality, and lyricist from Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with Aksent. Her nicknames include: Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, and Daijin...
, Kaneto Shiozawa
Kaneto Shiozawa
Kaneto Shiozawa , real name was a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo affiliated with Aoni Production. He had a distinctive cold, calm voice which usually typecast him in roles as villains or anti-heroes....
, Kōichi Yamadera
Koichi Yamadera
is a Japanese voice actor, actor, tarento, narrator, master of ceremonies and impressionist from Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. He graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University's economics school, and is currently affiliated with Across Entertainment. Before that, he was affiliated with the Tokyo Actor's...
, Kikuko Inoue
Kikuko Inoue
is a popular Japanese voice actress and singer. She has been part of the singing groups DoCo and Goddess Family Club, among others, and is the manager of her voice-acting company, Office Anemone. Inoue tends to play the "perfect girlfriend" or "motherly" role in many series, but she has also played...
, Kotono Mitsuishi
Kotono Mitsuishi
is a prolific Japanese voice actor from Tokyo. As a young girl, Mitsuishi lived in Nagareyama, Chiba. Mitsuishi graduated from high school in 1986, and entered the Katsuta Voice Actor's Academy. While attending the academy, she began working part time as an elevator girl in the Sunshine 60 building...
and Toshiyuki Morikawa
Toshiyuki Morikawa
is a prolific Japanese male voice actor from Yokohama, Kanagawa, was affiliated with Arts Vision. Lately, however, he has become the head of that a voice actor company he founded in Apr 2011. His name is also sometimes mistranslated as Tomoyuki...
. More recent examples are Ai Shimizu
Ai Shimizu
is a Japanese voice actress who is employed by Haikyou. She also has a career as a singer an signed to Lantis. She has released 14 singles and four albums. She covered Yumi Matsutoya's "Toki o Kakeru Shōjo" as the B-side of her first single "Angel Fish" in 2003...
, Rie Tanaka
Rie Tanaka
is a singer and voice actress . Notable among her numerous roles are Lacus Clyne in Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny, Chii and Freya in Chobits, Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke in Strike Witches and Suigintou in the anime adaptation of Rozen Maiden.-Personal life:As a child, Tanaka took singing classes...
, Yukari Tamura
Yukari Tamura
, is a popular Japanese singer-songwriter and voice actress, affiliated with the talent agency I'm Enterprise. Affectionately called Yukarin by her fans, she is also known for her high-pitched voice and interest in Lolita fashion...
, Mai Nakahara
Mai Nakahara
is a voice actress. She is employed by I'm Enterprise. Some of her hobbies include cooking and watching movies, and she is skilled at kendo. She worked with voice actor Ai Shimizu in eight anime where most of the characters they voiced in together had close connections: DearS, Kage Kara Mamoru!,...
and Kenichi Suzumura
Kenichi Suzumura
is a Japanese voice actor who was born in Niigata Prefecture, but raised in Osaka Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Arts Vision. He made his television animation debut on Macross 7 in 1994...
.
Some young talents became voice actors after winning nation-wide contests held by magazines or production companies (although they still usually had to attend voice acting schools after winning the contest to learn the trade). Winners include Asami Sanada
Asami Sanada
is a Japanese voice actress, best known as the voices of Vita in the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha series, Jun Sakurada in Rozen Maiden, and her debut role as Dejiko in Di Gi Charat.-Notable voice roles:Lead roles are in bold....
, Masumi Asano
Masumi Asano
is a Japanese voice actress from Noshiro, Akita who works for Aoni Production. She is also known by her nickname, Masumin.- Notable voice roles :Anime* Saga in A Little Snow Fairy Sugar...
, Yui Horie
Yui Horie
is a popular Japanese singer and voice actress. She is sometimes affectionately nicknamed by her Japanese fans.She hosts a radio show called and is the founding member of the singing group, Aice5. She is also a member of the band Kurobara Hozonkai, with the name YUIEL...
, Miyuki Sawashiro
Miyuki Sawashiro
is a female Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Mausu Promotion.She voiced Puchiko in the English dubbed releases of Di Gi Charat the Movie and Leave it to Piyoko, making her one of the few Japanese voice actors to have reprised a role in English in addition to the original Japanese...
and Sakura Nogawa
Sakura Nogawa
' is a voice actress born in Toyohashi, Aichi on March 1, 1978. Her height is 153 cm and her weight is 54 kg.-Notable voice roles:*Ryunmei Ranka in Arad Senki: Slap Up Party*Tsubasa in Angel Tales*Misha Arsellec Lune in Ar tonelico...
.
From different roles in the entertainment world
Junko IwaoJunko Iwao
is a Japanese voice actress who has also released several CD albums as a J-pop singer. Her most notable role is in Cardcaptor Sakura providing the voice to Sakura's best friend, Tomoyo.-TV Anime:*.hack *.hack//Roots...
and Noriko Hidaka
Noriko Hidaka
, real name , maiden name is a seiyū, or voice actor. Hidaka is most known for the roles of Mikage Matsunaga , Minami Asakura , Akane Tendo , Satsuki Kusakabe , Near , Seta Sōjirō , Jean , Kikyo , and Noriko Takaya .Hidaka...
are examples of idols
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
who later took up voice acting roles (the latter having some experience as a child actress). Former "gravure idols" (bikini models) who made a breakthrough as voice actresses include Marina Ōno
Marina Ono
Marina Ōno , is a Japanese voice actress. Her hobbies are the Internet and making clothes. She was born under the name Hiromi Katayama...
, Ryōka Yuzuki
Ryoka Yuzuki
Ryōka Yuzuki is a voice actress who was born in Anjo, Aichi, Japan. Her younger sister is an adult comic strip artist Sayumi Sakuragi ....
and Chiemi Chiba
Chiemi Chiba
Chiemi Chiba is a Japanese voice actress, J-Pop singer, and former gravure model. She was born in Saitama prefecture, Japan, and made her singing debut on 7 April 1993 as a member of the J-Pop group Aurora Gonin Musume...
. Yumi Kakazu
Yumi Kakazu
is a female seiyū from Kamifukuoka, Saitama . She is currently affiliated with Genki Project...
and Yuki Matsuoka
Yuki Matsuoka
is a voice actress from the Hirano-ku ward of Osaka. She graduated from Otemae Women's University in Nishinomiya. She is affiliated with Production Baobab.- 2001 :*Mo~tto! Ojamajo Doremi *Cosmic Baton Girl Comet-san...
are two former reporters turned voice actor. Retired owarai
Owarai
is a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word owarai is the honorific form of the word warai, meaning "a laugh" or "a smile". Owarai is most common on Japanese variety shows and the comedians are referred to as owarai geinin or owarai tarento...
comedians sometimes made a comeback as voice actors, like Yūko Saitō. Yūichi Nagashima
Yuichi Nagashima
is a Japanese voice actor and actor from Kōnosu, Saitama. His former stage name was . He is a graduate of the Nishogakusha University Department of Literature and received training at Bungakuza's research establishment and the Seinenza Theater Company before attaching himself to Production Baobab...
was very popular as an actor in the role of "Chō", the main character in NHK Educational TV
NHK Educational TV
is the second television service of NHK . It is a sister service of NHK General TV, showing programs of a more educational, cultural or intellectual nature, periodically also showing anime...
's ). Masakazu Morita
Masakazu Morita
is a seiyū and actor born in Tokyo, Japan. He currently works for Aoni Production. He is also the host of the radio show, Bleach B-Station. Morita is perhaps best known for his roles as Ichigo Kurosaki , Tidus , Auel Neider , Pegasus Seiya , Troy Bolton is a seiyū and actor born in Tokyo, Japan....
and Mayuko Aoki
Mayuko Aoki
is a Japanese voice actress who has worked on several anime and video game productions. Mayuko Aoki also sang the FINAL FANTASY X-2 VOCAL COLLECTION / YUNA * 4 tracks* .- Roles :Anime:* Aquarian Age - Sign for Revolution - Yoriko Sannou...
, both debuted as the lead characters of Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square as the tenth title in the Final Fantasy series. It was released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and will be re-released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012...
, are motion actors for video games turned voice actor. Mamoru Miyano
Mamoru Miyano
is a Japanese voice actor, actor, and singer from Saitama. He is best known for his roles on Ouran High School Host Club, Death Note, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, and Kōtetsu Sangokushi. At the 2007 Seiyu Awards he was nominated for two awards for his role as Light Yagami in Death Note, and in 2008, he...
was one of the cast in the Prince of Tennis live musicals who chose to branch out and become a voice actor. Tokusatsu
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
actors/actresses also took seiyu roles before or after their careers in Tokusatsu. Examples are the late Machiko Soga
Machiko Soga
was a Japanese voice actress and actress.- Life and career :Machiko had humble upbringings and was raised to be a singer, though her talents were with acting. She was “discovered” after doing a play in Tokyo Center...
, Naoya Uchida
Naoya Uchida
is a male seiyū, actor, and singer born on May 1, 1953 in Tokyo. He has played several minor roles of authority in various TV dramas. He debuted in 1972 to the NHK and continued acting in theater and TV dramas until the late 90's...
, Tsutomu Isobe
Tsutomu Isobe
is a Japanese actor and seiyū from Tokyo.-Television animation:*Blade *Black Lagoon *Gungrave *Monster -Theater animation:...
, Jouji Nakata
Jouji Nakata
, better known by his screen name , is a Japanese voice actor born in Tokyo, Japan. He is affiliated with Ōsawa Office, and is most well known as the voices of Giroro , better known by his screen name , is a Japanese voice actor born in Tokyo, Japan. He is affiliated with Ōsawa Office, and is most...
, Rikiya Koyama
Rikiya Koyama
' is a Japanese actor and voice actor who is a member of Haiyuza Theatre Company.He has done popular voicing roles in Hajime no Ippo, Utawarerumono and Kamen no Maid Guy.He is also known by the nicknames "Rikki" and "Riki-chan".- Biography :...
, Reiko Chiba
Reiko Chiba
is a Japanese actress, seiyu, gravure idol and occasional J-Pop singer.-Biography:Reiko Chiba was born in Osaka Prefecture, and raised in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. She started her career as a model in 1991 before making her acting debut in the 1992 Super Sentai series Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger as...
, Hiroshi Tsuchida
Hiroshi Tsuchida
is a Japanese voice actor and actor affiliated with 81 Produce. Tsuchida is best known for his role as Saizou/NinjaBlue in Ninja Sentai Kakuranger.-TV Anime:*Naruto *Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo *Honey and Clover...
, Yuji Kishi, Masaya Matsukaze
Masaya Matsukaze
is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and radio personality who is formerly affiliated with Big Apple and now affiliated with Radix Mobanimation's Multicye division...
, Takeru Shibaki
Takeru Shibaki
is a Japanese actor from Tokyo. He is best known for his role as Kai Samezu/GaoBlue in the Super Sentai series Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger.-TV Drama:*Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger *GoGo Sentai Boukenger...
and Mika Kikuchi
Mika Kikuchi
Mika Kikuchi , born on December 16, 1983 in Misato, Saitama, Japan, is a Japanese actress and seiyū. She is affiliated with Production Ogi.-Biography:...
.
Voice-over and dubbing
This is the core of the voice actor's job: speaking a role and recording it.Anime
A voice actor's role in anime consists of reading the lines before the production is finished. In Japan, the most popular method is to perform before the anime has already been completed. The artist then later draw in every expression to the key of the seiyu reading it off. This is the more popular way of prerecording in Japan. Famous and young voice actors are used in both the anime, OVAs'. However, in fan-oriented productions and products they use famous voice actors, famous voice actors are often used as a selling point. In English dubs however, they use young voice actors to keep on budget. It is easier for them to do it this way because hiring famous voice actors are hard and can over blow their budget. Also in engish dubs, they read the lines by matching up their voice with the character talking on screen.Dubbing into Japanese
In the case of foreign dramas, movies, cartoons, news and documentaries, the localization voice-over requires more exact timing in relation to what appears on the screen. In order to perform voice-overs, the volume of the original language voice track is lowered, leaving only a faint sound remaining or, in some cases, no sound at all except for the music-and-effects tracks. Voice-over work is primarily performed for news and original foreign dramas. Auditions are held in order to determine who will take on the roles.Video games
Unlike in anime or dubbing roles, in a video game the voice tracks are often recorded separately due to the way individual voice tracks are selected and played depending on a player's progress. Typically a voice actor uses a script with only a single part's lines and matches it to the timing of the recording. Because of this, many collaborating voice actors in a production may never see each other in person. Popularity rankings may play a role in video game casting, but it is also possible to negotiate fees when a client requests a particular cast.Radio drama or CD drama
With a radio dramaRadio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
or CD drama there is more freedom given in voicing because there is no need to match a dub to the original actors, or to match an animated character. Because of this a voice actor's particular interpretation of an act or acting ability are considered. If the drama is based on an anime or manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
then the voice actor from the anime are used. However, original drama or works based on literature rarely employ typical voice actors or younger voice actors. Auditions are rarely employed, and the cast is directly selected by the production staff.
Puppet and kigurumi shows
In puppet shows, the voice actor must time the voice-over in relation to the puppet movements. While timing is of the essence in kigurumiKigurumi
is the Japanese name for costumed performers who represent cartoon characters, often animals. The name comes from the Japanese verb and noun . These performers appear at shopping malls, theme parks, and anime conventions...
shows as well, in this case the voice actor's voice acting is recorded beforehand, and it is left to the kigurumi entertainer to move and act based on the spoken lines.
Narration
Voice actors are also commonly employed as narratorNarrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
s in radio and television commercials, radio and television programs, press release videos and other kinds of media that require the voice actor to read text that clarifies what the program is about from a script. Even though the narration role falls within a voice actor's area of expertise, it is not uncommon for popular regular actors, young talents or announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
s to be chosen instead. The fee is proportional to the popularity of the person employed, and veterans are usually preferred for this role due to the high acting ability it requires. Candidates are required to send a short sample recording as a demonstration, and these samples play a large part in the selection process.
Theatre acting
It is not uncommon for ShingekiShingeki
Shingeki was the Japanese retelling of Western realist theatre during the late 19th century through to the early 20th century. Retellings included the works of Western writers such as Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, Maxim Gorky, and Eugene O'Neill, and reflected the styles of Russian proscenium theatre...
actors and actors performing in small theatres to take a voice acting course in specialized schools and become voice actors, considering the small difference between actor and voice actor. Those who successfully become voice actors sometimes take stage acting roles of their own choosing, and the voice actor's agency takes no part unless the theatre management requires it.
Singing
Some voice actors branch into music, releasing albums in their own name and becoming full-time singers.However, it has become common for voice actors to sing the opening or closing themes of shows in which their character stars, or participate in non-animated side projects such as audio dramas (involving the same characters in new storylines) or image songs (songs sung in character that are not included in the anime but further develop the character), releasing CDs in the character's name rather than their own. Sometimes the singing style of an anime character is quite different from that of the voice actor, and tracks sung using the style of the character are often included in CDs the voice actors release in their own name. This made singing a central activity for many voice actors, especially those who do voice-overs for anime characters.
The limitations imposed on singer voice actors by their recording companies are also less strict than the ones imposed on regular singers. This allows voice actors to release CDs in their character's name with different companies.
Radio personality
Radio talk shows (aniradio) further extend voice actors' popularity. Initially the vast majority was aired by local broadcast stations only, but after the communication boom of the 1990s the metropolitan radio stations began to also employ them. While such programs last only as long as the anime or game is popular (usually no more than one year), some aired for over ten years due to their popularity among fans, who regard radio talks as a way to get to know the voice actors as human beings rather than just voices for the characters they play.Due to lower costs and the increase in the number of listeners, more and more of these radio talks are hosted on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Other jobs
Apart from other performances related to the characters they play, such as press conferences, anime news programs or interviews, voice actors are also hired for company-internal training videos, supermarketSupermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
announcements, bus route information broadcasts, ring announcers for professional wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
and other fighting disciplines, and even train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
route announcements - tasks usually performed by professional announcers, even though the voice actors' employment or name are not always made public.
Agencies and management
Relations between voice actors and music, movie and anime companies in Japan are regulated by voice acting management agencies, each with its specialization. In exchange for a fee from the voice actor, they take care of the business affairs and sales promotions. These agencies can also act as a bridge between entertainment companies and private agencies the voice actors may be affiliated with. Sometimes the producers leave it to the agencies to recruit voice actors for minor roles, or handle their schedule.Voice actors for child roles are sometimes selected from renowned youth theatrical companies, such as the Troupe Himawari. In most cases, adult female voice actors play child roles.
See also
- Seiyu AwardsSeiyu AwardsThe are award ceremonies for the recognition of voice acting talent for outstanding performance in anime and other media in Japan...
- Voice FoleyVoice FoleyVoice Foley refers to the non-talking Foley, or sound effects, that a voice actor makes to enhance a performance. Such sounds include grunts, groans, breaths, wheezing, humming and many more. Typically, voice Foley is used in reference to anime, but can refer to any type of voice acting....
- Voice actingVoice actingVoice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
Japanese voice actor management companies
- Voice acting in South Korea
External links
- Seiyū (voice actor) database
- Miracle voice actors and magical voice actresses Voice actor database
- Anime News Network Encyclopedia Database of anime staff and cast members.
- Voice actor search