Voice Actor Appreciation & Discussion

[andromeda0201]

Thanks Kaoru for posting that, is there a male seiyuu list as well?

I've recently come to appreciate Jun Fukuyama, as mentioned in one of the earlier posts, his voice as Watanuki and Lelouch were so different that I couldn't even believe they were from the same person. His voice as cool characters is really deep and alluring, as if theres something up his sleeve, whereas as a wuss...it can be as whiny and irritating as it can be.
Apart from that my all time favourites would be Tomokazu Seki, Aya Hisakawa, Kappei Yamaguchi, Maaya Sakamoto, Kenichi Suzumura, Romi Paku, Akira Ishida, Ayako Kawasumi, Midorikawa Hikaru

[Pellissier]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

The Japanese anime magazine Anican has put out rankings of the top anime and seiyuu of 2006, as chosen by its readers. Here's the list of female seiyuu, from 2channel.

2006年日本アニカン大賞　「女性声優部門」
01位 田村ゆかり(2489票) Tamura Yukari
02位 堀江由衣(2412票) Horie Yui
03位 水樹奈々(2057票) Mizuki Nana
04位 平野綾(1451票) Hirano Aya
05位 能登麻美子(918票) Noto Mamiko
06位 釘宮理恵(570票) Kugimiya Rie
07位 朴ロミ(526票) Paku Romi
08位 川澄綾子(484票) Kawasumi Ayako
09位 野中藍(447票) Nonaka Ai
10位 野川さくら(432票) Nogawa Sakura
11位 後藤邑子 Gotou Yuuko
12位 小清水亜美 Koshimizu Ami
13位 神田朱未 Kanda Akemi
14位 新谷良子 Shintani Ryouko
15位 大原さやか Ohara Sayaka
16位 中原麻衣 Nakahara Mai
17位 生天目仁美 Nabatame Hitomi
18位 皆川純子 Minagawa Junko
19位 斉藤桃子Saitou Momoko
20位 茅原実里 Chihara Minori
21位 浅野真澄 Asano Masumi
22位 林原めぐみ Hayashibara Megumi
23位 植田佳奈 Ueda Kana
24位 白石涼子 Shiraishi Ryouko
25位 喜多村英梨 Kitamura Eri
26位 柚木涼香 Yuzuki Ryouka
27位 伊藤静 Itou Shizuka
28位 斉藤千和 Saitou Chiwa
29位 佐藤利奈 Satou Rina
30位 名塚佳織 Nazuka Kaori

I'm quoting the entire list otherwise it would remain stuck on the last post of previous page and since it is interesting, it'd be a waste. Thanks for posting this, Kaoru.

Said this, well: the ranking is quite close to my personal. Of the first 5, I'd keep 4 in rank, though I'd change their order:
I'd put:

#1 Horie Yui (versatile and great everywhere. To think that Amamiya Manami "Manabi des!", Mizuho-oneesama and Ayu Ayu are all sharing her voice is just beyond belief)
#2 Hirano Aya (the year of Haruhi, her year. Good in various other roles, though she still needs to make experience)
#3 Tamura Yukari (same as Horie Yui, though she didn't dub a boy :P)
#4 Mamiko Noto (one of the most present and recognizable voices. Give her a role, she'll do it. Confident with moeness).
#5 Sasaki Nozomi (just one role, but what a role. Bokura ga Ita's Nana-chan has a great future incoming).

2006 marked also some interesting debuts: the most important is the already mentioned of Sasaki Nozomi (I'm looking forward to Lucky Star to hear her again in an important role). I could mention Yahagi Sayuri (Karin - Karin), that series started on 2005, but aired a lot on 2006 too. By the way, I haven't heard much of Sayuri since then, if not in minor roles.
Without Sasaki Nozomi, I'd have prized as best debut of the year Sakai Kanako (Onda Aka - REC), not only she demonstrated all of her potentialities by making a massive number of voice ranges on that anime, she also brilliantly sang the Opening for the show. But, after that role and that of Chiaki in Magikano, she vanished. I'm kinda worried, because her voice is very peculiar and I'm missing it

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Pellissier

...2006 marked also some interesting debuts: the most important is the already mentioned of Sasaki Nozomi (I'm looking forward to Lucky Star to hear her again in an important role). I could mention Yahagi Sayuri (Karin - Karin), that series started on 2005, but aired a lot on 2006 too. By the way, I haven't heard much of Sayuri since then, if not in minor roles. Without Sasaki Nozomi, I'd have prized as best debut of the year Sakai Kanako (Onda Aka - REC), not only she demonstrated all of her potentialities by making a massive number of voice ranges on that anime, she also brilliantly sung the Opening for the show. But, after that role and that of Chiaki in Magikano, she vanished. I'm kinda worried, because her voice is very peculiar and I'm missing it

Nice post. Hocchan and Yukarin are really something, aren't they? Yahagi Sayuri is now starring in the new show Kyoushiro to Towa no Sora, as Kuu. She also has an important (latterly) role in Otogijushi Akazukin as Gretel (Yukarin is great to listen to there as well, as Akazukin, and so is Sawashiro Miyuki, as Ibara-hime). And I just heard Sayuri-chan in a guest role as the client in ep3 of Venus versus Virus. In Akazukin, it looks to me as if she is taking a graduate course from Tamura Yukari, etc. She really tones down her vibrant liquid voice to do a number of more normal things with it. But the Karin voice is back as Kuu and in the VVV episode.

I'm looking forward to Lucky Star for Sasaki Nozomi, too. But she does have an important secondary role in the two-ep OVA Winter Garden, which came out in December.

And I'm also disappointed not to see more of Sakai Kanako. But I think Japanese viewers see more of her, since she appears to have become a host on at least one anime interview show.

I also enjoy new voices Kano Yui in Sumomo mo Momo mo and, when I watch it, Matsumoto Kana in Himawari.

[cdtm]

I kind of liked Scott McNeil's work on Piccolo.

And hell, you've gotta love the guy who played Dinobot in Beast Wars.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

Nice post. Hocchan and Yukarin are really something, aren't they? Yahagi Sayuri is now starring in the new show Kyoushiro to Towa no Sora, as Kuu. She also has an important (latterly) role in Otogijushi Akazukin as Gretel (Yukarin is great to listen to there as well, as Akazukin, and so is Sawashiro Miyuki, as Ibara-hime). And I just heard Sayuri-chan in a guest role as the client in ep3 of Venus versus Virus. In Akazukin, it looks to me as if she is taking a graduate course from Tamura Yukari, etc. She really tones down her vibrant liquid voice to do a number of more normal things with it. But the Karin voice is back as Kuu and in the VVV episode.

I'm looking forward to Lucky Star for Sasaki Nozomi, too. But she does have an important secondary role in the two-ep OVA Winter Garden, which came out in December.

And I'm also disappointed not to see more of Sakai Kanako. But I think Japanese viewers see more of her, since she appears to have become a host on at least one anime interview show.

I also enjoy new voices Kano Yui in Sumomo mo Momo mo and, when I watch it, Matsumoto Kana in Himawari.

Can you do the male list please. It seems I'm not the only one who would like to see it. I know you're not a big fan of male voice actors but this is the Voice Actor Appreciation Thread not the Female Seiyuu Appreciation thread and its only fair to the good male voice actors out there. Oh and great list but I would have popped Chiwa Saitou in the top 10 on mine. Now bring on the male contenders.

I have the list, but I lost the name kanji translator website. I've found Babelfish works on the first one. I'll be filling these in with what I can do. I can't vouch for the accuracy of any of these so if anybody you know still gives a damn about men in anime and can translate then I ask for your help.

01 （01）　福山 潤　［1964] (Jun Fukuyama) [Damn Straight]
02 （02）　保志総一朗　［1181］(Souchiro Hoshi) [GRRRRR!]
03 （04）　杉田智和　［880］ (Sugita Tomokazu) [Chalk this one up to popularity and being in that show]
04 （06）　石田 彰　［826］ (Akira Ishida) [I know this name but can't place it too any shows]
05 （05）　櫻井孝宏　［802］(Sakurai Takahiro) [He did Cloud. That's pretty much enough I guess]
06 （03）　岸尾大輔　［576］ (Kishio Daisuke) [Who?]
07 （08）　吉野浩行　［543］ (Yoshino Hiroyuki) [Swear I know this name]
08 （07）　関 智一　［508］ (Seki Tomokazu) [SHIIIIININGU FIIIIINGAAAAAA]
09 （－）　藤原啓治　［380］ (Fujiwara Keiji) [Who?]
10 （18）　若本規夫　［321］ (Norio Wakamoto) [Hell Yes]
11 （14）　森田成一 (Morita Masakazu) [Who?]
12 （09）　諏訪部順一 (Junichi Suwabe) [Who?]
13 （11）　谷山紀章 (Taniyama Kisho) [Who are these people?!]
14 （13）　小西克幸 (Katsuyuki Konishi) [I give up]
15 （12）　高橋直純 (Takahashi Naozumi)
16 （－）　大塚明夫 (Akio Otsuka) [SOLOMON THE WHITE WOLF HAS RETURNED]
17 （15）　高橋広樹 (Takahashi Hiroki)
18 （－）　宮野真守 (Miyano Mamoru)
19 （10）　浪川大輔 (Namikawa Daisuke)
20 （－）　小山力也 (Koyama Rikiya)
21 （－）　緑川光 (Hikaru Midorikawa) [Nemu Kanryou]
22 （19）　鈴村健一 (Suzumura Kenichi) [WAAAAAAAAAAAH! I hate you Kira, you killed my sister!]
23 （－）　山寺宏一 (Koichi Yamadera)
24 （－）　中田譲治 (Nakata George) [Not sure on this one]
25 （16）　森川智之 (Toshiyuki Morikawa)
26 （17）　森久保祥太郎 (Shotaro Morikubo)
27 （－）　山口勝平 (Kappei Yamaguchi) [hehehehe Aniki]
28 （－）　遊佐浩二 (Kouji Yusa)
29 （－）　子安武人 (Takehito Koyasu) [Cool]
30 （－）　野島健児 (Kenji Nojima)

I'll see what I can do if Kaoru can't help. But now the offer for help is rescinded. There's the male list with obiquitous comment's everybody.

[lil-d01]

You want to make this thread fair by listing the male seiyuu ones but you don't know most of them?

I'm happy that my male favourites, Kishio Daisuke (I didn't know he was that popular O.O!), Seki Tomokazu and Sakurai Takahiro are in the list. ^^

[Nightengale]

No surprise about Fukuyama Jun and Sugita, but considering 2006, it is surprising to see Hoshi up there as no.2 especially when 2006 hasn't exactly been a kind year for him in the field of his best vocals. His work in Digimon Savers as the hot-blooded Masaru Daimon is good, but still a far cry from his own Kazuma of s-CRY-ed. His work as Carris was mediocre at best, and while his other works like Alviss/MAR and Keichii/Higurashi was decent, it wasn't exactly his best vocals either. I mean, compared to his slightly feminish, slightly angsty, slightly melancholic, slightly soothing work as Eisen/Harukanaru and Kazuki/GB Drama CD, it just doesn't compare.

Well, considering he works his best when he's voicing a character that is not too young, not too old, not too man, not too girl, not too angsty, not too cool, it isn't really surprising.

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

02 （02）　保志総一朗　［1181］(Souchiro Hoshi) [GRRRRR!]
03 （04）　杉田智和　［880］ (Sugita Tomokazu) [Chalk this one up to popularity and being in that show]
04 （06）　石田 彰　［826］ (Akira Ishida) [I know this name but can't place it too any shows]

Hoshi was surprising, but Akira was okay. 2006 didn't have too many major roles for him, but for most he did, his range of characterization was pretty good from the angsty Athrun monologues in GSD Special to the emotionless android-ish Yasuaki to the arrogant Edo Phoenix to the bratty Nagi. No Aya Hirano's 6 anime major anime roles at a time stint, but good enough. Sugita's work was good for the characters he played for whatever it's worth.

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

06 （03）　岸尾大輔　［576］ (Kishio Daisuke) [Who?]
07 （08）　吉野浩行　［543］ (Yoshino Hiroyuki) [Swear I know this name]

Hiroyuki played the voice of Hibiki in Vandread. He excels at the young kid whiny~ish voice<=>relatively cool, yet not too cool voice range. His most recent work is the Kekkaishi, light shounen manga adaption by Sunrise. Kishio is the voice of Yunoki Azuma in La Corda and...urgh....Imadori of SR. He's quite versatile on a non-loud range of voices.

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

09 （－）　藤原啓治　［380］ (Fujiwara Keiji) [Who?]
11 （14）　森田成一 (Morita Masakazu) [Who?]
12 （09）　諏訪部順一 (Junichi Suwabe) [Who?]
13 （11）　谷山紀章 (Taniyama Kisho) [Who are these people?!]
14 （13）　小西克幸 (Katsuyuki Konishi) [I give up]

FUJIWARA PLAYED HIROSHI FREAKING NOHARA IN SHIN CHAN. That tells you how experienced is he enough. Junichi Suwabe is a recently popular and rising seiyuu who generally plays the cool suave voiced characters. Sting/GSD and Archer/FSN were done by him. Morita played his buddy Auel and Bleach's Ichigo and is also a more recently popular seiyuu. Konishi IS VOLFOGG/Guyver III/Haji and some other roles. I'm not too familiar wth Kisho though.


Personally, Takehito Koyasu deserves the top spot simply for his stellar performance as Kuroyanagi especially in the Yakitate 9 arc. He used like ALL his voice range performance in that single anime alone. Anyone else as Kuroyan would've just ruined the whole anime. Class.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by lil-d01

You want to make this thread fair by listing the male seiyuu ones but you don't know most of them?

I'm happy that my male favourites, Kishio Daisuke (I didn't know he was that popular O.O!), Seki Tomokazu and Sakurai Takahiro are in the list. ^^

Can't help it. I leaped out of the 80's and 90's in like 2006. I hadn't been following any of the new voice actors or that many series until that year. The one's I know are the older ones.

As much as I hate Souchiro Hoshi's emo voice, he really didn't get the chance to do anything as a more suave character in Carris. Hell the character was inconsequintial in Sokou, though infinetely more important (I'd say pivotal) in A Little Princess. I think they got tired of following A Little Princess and wanted to get on with the loli's so they screwed Carris and hence Hoshi's shot at not playing an emo character.

[Nightengale]

My post above was edited to reply to some of your WHO?

Oh, and George/Jouji Nakata(( I missed him in the reply )) played Alucard of Hellsing and Kotomine ( the priest ) or F/SN. I thought his best work was probably the Count of Monte Cristo.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Hey, it looks like we have other people around who can answer the male voices. Thanks, Nightengale. I didn't leave out that list out of prejudice, but just because the female list was the only one that I had -- and is the one I am most interested in.

However, you can find some of the names with photos and a couple of roles in my character/seiyuu pages for Saiunkoku, Soukou no Strain, and Corda d'Oro.

Fujiwara Keiji has a very identifiable voice. He was Shuuji in Honey & Clover. I love Koyasu Takehito's voice as the devastatingly suave Rin Senya in recent chapters of Saiunkoku, and he was Gym Gyngham in Turn A Gundam. Taniyama Kishou has a freaky appearance and works a lot. I first heard him as Ken in Lamune, and he is in Soukou no Strain as the #2 male pilot. I like Namikawa Daisuke's voice, too. He was Koyuki in BECK and Iks in The Third. Seki Tomokazu is great as Chiaki in Nodame Cantabile and good as the king in Saiunkoku right now. One guy not on the list that I'm liking right now is Kondou Takashi, who was Train in Black Cat, is Ralph in Soukou no Strain, lurks as J.C. in Red Garden, and was the evil Jurgen in Yoake-mae yori.

[wao]

Well, as a girl, I tend to remember male seiyuu that I like... I think on that list the only one which elicits a ? from me is 高橋直純. The rest I've heard somewhere or am already a big fan of, or they're just well-known. Suwabe I will never forget because one of my old friends is a hopeless fangirl of him...

Spoiler for Blah blah blah:

You can never mistake Fujiwara Keiji! How the hell could you not know Fujiwara, he's in like 120930920 anime (well, not really, but...). He's so famous as Shin-chan's dad that on 2ch it's not surprising when fans end up calling characters he voice "Hiroshi" (that's what happened with Kooriyama in Noein, lol).

But I will never forget Sakurai Takahiro for his awesome awesome performance in Bakeneko (and in Princess Tutu because I totally loved Fakir). That might have partly been because of the director's instructions, but he carried it off so perfectly that I always grin every time he does his most dangerous-sounding "Abunai. Desu. Yo." in that show.
He even sings decently, I've got one of those Vie Durant (was that the name?) songs and it's quite nice.

I also love hearing Nakata Jouji (role as Gankutsuou = win. Period.) and Kosugi Juurouta (David in Blood+, iirc?), who was sadly not on that list. They have such wonderfully deep and rich, characteristic voices, and can make a dull anime much more enjoyable simply through their voiceacting.

Koyasu Takehito has also been one of my favourites for quite a long time, I think it started with Utena. Ever since then... Sometimes he sounds a bit dead but in some shows he just really shines. I was so sad when his character in Speed Grapher turned out to be a very temporary one .

I wasn't a big fan of Hiroyuki Yoshino until it came to Kemonozume. That again may ahve been partly because of the director's influence, but god, after that show... The sheer desparation and insanity of Kazuma shone through so well, and I felt that all his yelling and angriness was actually very skilfully done. The first episode had a good example of this.


I'm very surprised that Kouji Yusa made the list though! I think the only show of his I've watched was Ergo Proxy. And I must say that his performance there was good, you really felt the weakness of the character and his progressive strength throughout the show (IMO, anyway). It's only now I realise how many fangirls there are for Vincent and how moe he must have been.

It's a bit sad that Toshihiko Seki and Kazuhiko Inoue aren't there, though... I guess it's because they haven't been very active recently. I guess their heyday was in the late 80s/early 90s? And times must change.

I really love Inoue's voice as Soutetsu in Iroha, though. The way he enunciates his lines are so evil and... dare I say, sexy. I remember someone saying "I could hear Inoue read tax law and I'd still love it to bits" or something like that. I can empathise with that!

I'd go fangirl more but I'm too lazy... although I have to mention that I don't particularly like Hoshi Souichirou's voice, I guess he's the equivalent of certain moe urekko female seiyuu.

I gotta mention though, recently I got completely enamoured with Nobuyuki Hiyama's voice as Hijikata in Iroha. Then I realised I already liked it before as Chenshin in PlanetES, and Ers Blue in Infinite Ryvius. His face and his voice are so completely different... And he's got quite a great range - all those roles I mentioned are quite different yet he's very successful in each of them.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

Hey, it looks like we have other people around who can answer the male voices. Thanks, Nightengale. I didn't leave out that list out of prejudice, but just because the female list was the only one that I had -- and is the one I am most interested in.

However, you can find some of the names with photos and a couple of roles in my character/seiyuu pages for Saiunkoku, Soukou no Strain, and Corda d'Oro.

Fujiwara Keiji has a very identifiable voice. He was Shuuji in Honey & Clover. I love Koyasu Takehito's voice as the devastatingly suave Rin Senya in recent chapters of Saiunkoku, and he was Gym Gyngham in Turn A Gundam. Taniyama Kishou has a freaky appearance and works a lot. I first heard him as Ken in Lamune, and he is in Soukou no Strain as the #2 male pilot. I like Namikawa Daisuke's voice, too. He was Koyuki in BECK and Iks in The Third. Seki Tomokazu is great as Chiaki in Nodame Cantabile and good as the king in Saiunkoku right now. One guy not on the list that I'm liking right now is Kondou Takashi, who was Train in Black Cat, is Ralph in Soukou no Strain, lurks as J.C. in Red Garden, and was the evil Jurgen in Yoake-mae yori.

Don't forget about me. I did the research and translated and Nightengale (Thanks by the way Nightengale, I guess I get to be the Hi-Nu now.)helped me fill in the blanks with some profiles in the spaces I was ignorant (Meaning Many). Also Nightengale wasn't the one that joked about prejudice that was me. I know you aren't interested in the male list though. It was actually right below the other list believe it or not. I believe it must have been added later on.

[Nightengale]

Originally Posted by wao

I'd go fangirl more but I'm too lazy... although I have to mention that I don't particularly like Hoshi Souichirou's voice, I guess he's the equivalent of certain moe urekko female seiyuu.

Who is?

As much I am fond of Hoshi's works (( though my Kira-fanboyism does contribute to it )), generally I can agree to some extent on Hoshi's voice vocals. He's hardly a bad seiyuu as he has shown he can play a wide range of voices (( nowhere near top-formed Koyasu or Tomokazu though )), the one he really excels at is one where he's argubly the male equivalent of ~moe~ Horie Yui, where his voice plays on the mid-range feminish~ly adult, not too man, but not a girl voice which really only works with "male characters that are beautiful enough to look like a girl,but not exactly a girl" roles.

By the way, does anyone know what is Naya Goro doing now (( he's pretty old now )), or has he permanently retired from the industry?

[Sister Princess]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

13 （11）　谷山紀章 (Taniyama Kisho) [Who are these people?!]

OMG, it's Takayuki from KGNE!

17 （15）　高橋広樹 (Takahashi Hiroki)

I think Harima(correct?) from School Rumble should be enough.

19 （10）　浪川大輔 (Namikawa Daisuke)

The main male from Onegai Twins. Is his voice consider as handsome?

20 （－）　小山力也 (Koyama Rikiya)

Jack Bauer from 24 (Japanese dub) is even more attention worthy than Hakuro from Utaware.

26 （17）　森久保祥太郎 (Shotaro Morikubo)

It's X from Rockman X series. I think he also play plenty of Boy Love stuff.

30 （－）　野島健児 (Kenji Nojima)

Yuna from GSD, who actually SAVE this show from disaster.


Anything else, I will let someone do it

[wontaek]

I belive, in Japan, Koyama Rikiya is more known for serious theater acting than voice acting. The following line from wikipedia should be more than enough to demonstrate his quality as a actor. I don't see, as an actor, you can top receiving good reviews of your performance of a Shakespeare play in England.

Since then, he has appeared in many plays, including "The Merchant of Venice" staged last October and November. He played the role of Antonio. The play was performed in the UK, the Netherlands, Romania, and Japan and received a favorable reception.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rikiya_Koyama

Actually, I found the original review

http://www.newburytheatre.co.uk/archive/200110a.htm

[j1m0ne]

I love Konishi Katsuyuki! He was the lead in one of the first few anime I watched (Toya in Ayashi no Ceres) and I've been keeping a close eye (or ear) on him ever since. Was Usui-kun in Karin, Sergay in Mai-Otome, Haji in Blood+ and currently Kyoshiro in Kyoshiro to towa no sora.... He's got this sort of 'manly' voice that I'm quite fond of..... (OK, fangirl mode switched off now).

I guess Takahashi Naozumi (高橋直純) won't be recognised by most, but he's more of a singer and personality rather than a seiyuu - he hosts Anime Tengoku with Nogawa Sakura. His CDs sell pretty well for an anime-related singer, and he does a lot of live shows. His best known role is probably er.... Inori in Harukanaru blablabla.

Takahashi Hiroki is dead funny. Harima Kenji is probably his biggest role to date, but he was also in Prince of Tennis as Eiji (Shusuke's best friend).

Miyano Mamoru is a new young, hip and kinda good-looking (from certain angles, and only if he keeps his mouth shut) seiyuu. I guess his popularity's kinda shot up since his roles as Tamaki in Ouran and Light in Death Note, and he's a pretty good singer (he was in the Prince of Tennis musicals) plus a very lively personality (hosts a radio show with Paku Romi).

Eh, I didn't know Nojima Kenji was actually popular, I prefer his brother Hirofumi. Yamadera Koichi is Spike Siegel. That's all you need to know. Morikubo Shoutaro does a lot of BL drama CDs, plus he looks kinda kakkoii, probably why he's a favourite with girls. Morikawa Toshiyuki is a sort of veteran, though I'm kind of struggling to recall anything noteworthy he's done off the top of my head.... er, Naraku in Inuyasha? Oh, he's Takumi in NANA as well. Yusa Kouji? (Scratches head). I only know him as Gin in Bleach, maybe that's why he's on the list.

It's nice to see some of my favourites on the list - Namikawa Daisuke, Konishi, Nakata Jouji, Koyasu, Wakamoto, Seki Tomokazu etc. Like wao, a bit sad that Seki Toshihiko & Inoue Kazuhiko aren't there, along with people like Onosaka Masaya (Vash the Stampede, Kinnikuman), Okiayu Ryotaro (Mitsui in Slam Dunk, Byakuya in Bleach), and Narita Ken (Sesshomaru).

Having said all that, I still prefer female seiyuu ^^; guess it doesn't help that I'm not into BL stuff at all, and that I just think on general that female seiyuu are more versatile; obviously being able to play certain types of male characters whilst the opposite hardly, if ever, happens.

Oh, and I hate Hoshi Soichiro with a passion. I prefer hearing fingernails scraping a chalkboard.

[Dernhelm]

Originally Posted by wao

But I will never forget Sakurai Takahiro for his awesome awesome performance in Bakeneko. That might have partly been because of the director's instructions, but he carried it off so perfectly that I always grin every time he does his most dangerous-sounding "Abunai. Desu. Yo." in that show.

word.

i can't seem to forget his "otto~!" there 8)

oh i like him deep. very very deep.

(hence, i find it hard to adjust to the uke-ish Suzaku.)

you should also see Karas, he's the bad guy there, and the voice is dark and deep, mwahah. X3


speaking of his ranking. i wonder if he's not any higher plainly due to the scandal he was in last year (the plagiarizing controversy with Mitani Kouki). he was really literally everywhere last year, almost next to Fukuyama or even greater. and hah, if rumors are true that there's a little feud between him and Ishida, well Ishida gets the last laugh (sort of) in terms of popularity even with appearing in fewer anime.



for the others...

i'm surprised to see Miyano scoring lower than i expected.
also with Nakata, he was so high up the year before (probably because of Gankutsuou).
and NojiKen! makes the cut!! XD
about Ishida and Hoshi... i wonder if its the Gundam SEED magic still not wearing off, LOL!

[wao]

Yes!! I still cannot get used to him doing Suzaku. It's just...

I don't know if the producers did it to attract attention or whatever but it just seems way too much like they swapped Fukuyama and Sakurai's typecasting for that show. Normally I'd expect Fukuyama to do something like Suzaku, but...

And yeah, I was thinking about that controversy. It would be logical for his management company or whatever to give him a low profile until everyone largely forgets about it. It really saddened me because I do like hearing him and it'd be a damn pity if he drops out soon...

I was also wondering if Namikawa's rank dropped thanks to Musashi (oh god, I can't believe the same guy who's voicing Akizuki did "Uoh! Mabushi!!"...) But evidently he's still popular enough to stay up there!


Koyama Rikiya's role as a professional actor/non-anime voice actor reminds me a bit of Gouda Hozumi (郷田ほづみ) who I think has done some acting before, and went on to become a sound director... In all the shows he's done, I always find the sound effects somewhat lacking, but the acting makes up for it. I think that's where his forte is (doesn't really put so much emphasis on the technical parts of it, it seems).

I suppose Miyano Mamoru's role in Ouran and Death Note must have sealed it for him... That's definitely got to count for some upshoot in popularity.

I wonder what Yamadera's been doing lately though, such that he still is on that list. I guess it's just that his fans must be very dedicated and even his old roles still carry a lot of influence and memory.
(I don't keep up with this sorta thing, all I know is that in Iroha he's been coming in very occasionally as Sakamoto Ryouma, brandishing a Tosa dialect no less)

[Nightengale]

I dunno...as much as I like ebil deep and sexy Sakurai (( voice, not the person )), I don't fully think his voice would really match Lelouch. Though, likewise, I'm not fond of his Suzaku either. Wasn't there some sort of baseless lame 2ch rumour that Fukuyama got the main lead because not only does he voice a fangirl bait character, he is a fangirl bait? (( Heh, Fukuyama is pretty good looking )) :3

Wasn't it said that Sakurai was going to take a temporary "retirement" from certain voicing roles once he's done with the stuff he's signed on to? (( eg. CG )) Knowing Japanese and their long-term sensitivity over these kind of issues, I'm not 100% sure Sakurai can totally bounce back full-force from this controversy. Though at the same time, it doesn't seem totally overblown compared to some previous other controversies.

No offence to the Anti-Hoshi Brigade (( which seemed to double in members following the major growth of the Hate-Kira Brigade )), but the whole negativity towards his voice works seem distorted towards limited roles where he wasn't very good like Kira/Nagi/Caris. On the other hand, I personally loved how he voiced the deep yet melancholic Arlin in Atelier Iris, a total contrast from his standard roles to the raw presentation of the Kira anti-thesis, Canard Pars in the SEED game. Even his feminish, low-key voice as the humble, femine and kind-hearted monk, Eisen was top notch, topping even some of Daisuke Namikawa's good femine voice works. Acceptably, he's not comparable to top-class seiyuus, but still...he doesn't deserve his flack. Maybe if he stops doing "typical teenager" roles though. He doesn't really shine at those, even though his track-record is mainly composed of those.

I'm still anticipating the eventual Getbackers Drama CD of the VOODOO Child and Get the Lost Time Arc. If there is one time where Hoshi needs to give EVERYTHING he's got into voicing a character, it's this.

[fignae]

Does the number in square brackets in the male seiyuu ranking posted by Kaioshin_Sama represent the number of votes? That's a big difference, if so, between the firsts in both categories. As usual, I'm curious about how they tabulated the votes. The number is actually pretty healthy: 1000's, as opposed to 100's.

Not surprised by the female list. I'm now glad that Yukarin and Hocchan are still at the top, and not one of the newer seiyuu; one can't watch anime for 5 years and not like at least one of their characters, as I recently learnt. (It did take that long, though....) I think Kawasumi Ayako's popularity is rising.