@mandarb916 -- Thanks for mentioning Atogatari. Hadn't checked it out yet.
And thanks for mentioning
Sawashiro Miyuki's Tsugumi in Kannagi. I thought that was a great performance, but I haven't seen a lot of people talk about it.
I was never a fan of Rozen Maiden, and I couldn't actually get into Shinku. I wasn't paying as much attention to seiyuu then, either. As for Kanbaru, I loved the hint of fresh teenage feel in the voice, but thought she was acting slightly false. Since I expect Kanbaru and the bloody monster to be one and the same, that seemed perfect to me. It's a bit like her Cal in Phantom. I expect Cal to end up as an enemy of the hero, so I think it is appropriate that her tone of voice always makes me a bit uneasy.
You may have seen it, but I did a big
blog post on Miyukicchi last fall.
As for top five, before this show I would never in a million years have included Chiwa. I loved her as Hazuki and Becky, but in part lost track of and in part was not struck by her performances in more recent years. And those earlier two were "just" comic performances, rather than real acting.
Top five? I find recently that I have a lot of trouble picking five top seiyuus, since I like too many, and there are too many ways of being great. What is a seiyuu's job? To not sound artificial? To have a voice that suits the character? To have a voice that makes a strong impression? To have a voice you like listening to?
I come down on having a voice that brings a character alive. That can include all those things, but requires something that makes you feel the character is real in some way, and also makes an impression on you. That "snags" you, as you say.
The names I consider when I think of a short list of the "best" are people like Paku Romi, Kuwashima Houko, Kawasumi Ayako, Kobayashi Sanae, Yajima Akiko, Sawashiro Miyuki, Yukino Satsuki, Takahashi Rieko, Koshimizu Ami, Sanpei Yuuko. Now Hirohashi Ryou may be joining that group, for me. They all have something of the actress about them, although they are also very professional voices. But once I really think about it, the list becomes immensely long, so I have temporarily given up on establishing a "best" list, until I know and understand more.
Lots of voices do wonderfully well in certain comic roles, or have a tone that is great to listen to and makes a strong impression, but I respect the dramatic roles more. I love hearing distinctive voices like Sasaki Nozomi or Toyosaki Aki, but they are far from the "best." I love Hirano Aya, too, but her great roles -- Haruhi, Layla, Mei, Konata -- are outnumbered by undistinguished ones, and she is concentrating on singing these days. I hope she can give us something interesting in this show.
I have a big beef with the preferences of many 2channel otaku, since I think they prefer professional voices over actual acting. All the people I mentioned first are both skilled "announcer" seiyuu, and strong actresses. It's a matter of skill versus talent, in my opinion.
The voice I most like listening to is Hayami Saori's. She is just learning her trade, but she is already fairly skilled and a decent actress within a certain range, but the sound of her voice is just such a pleasure to hear.
There are a number of young seiyuu who are rapidly rising in my estimation: Hayamin, Endou Aya, Takagaki Ayahi, Tomatsu Haruka, Itou Kanae. And I am coming to realize that Katou Emiri has talent, too.
Sorry to blather on. You hit the switch, lol.