Seiyuu (voice actor) Discussion

[mistress_kisara]

Originally Posted by sa547

http://yaraon.blog109.fc2.com/blog-e...3848.html#more

KOICHI -- YOU LUCKY BASTARD CONGRATULATIONS!

Congrats to both of them! I'm really hoping it doesn't end in divorce..

[Traece]

Originally Posted by Vicious108

Well yeah, I haven't read anyone state they chose a certain seiyuu because of their popularity, but I'm sure it is a factor to some extent. Trendy idol seiyuu like Kana Hanazawa are sure to bring their loyal fanbase along with them just by being in a series, so why not cast them and automatically increase the audiences? Same reason Hollywood directors like having the likes of Will Smith or Brad Pitt in their movies - they put more butts in seats.

My favorite word to use for the entertainment industry: Typecast.

Also, my favorite typecast seiyuu: KugiRie.

I suspect that it can be a bit simpler than attempting to gain a fanbase with picking certain seiyuus. A lot of voice actors (and real actors even more so) get typecast into certain roles. KugiRie is my favorite example because she's synonymous with the tsundere character. People know her for those characters, and she is often cast in those roles. So when a big anime comes along and they have a tsundere heroine, the first person that may end up on the list of people to call for would likely be KugiRie.

My knowledge of the voice acting industry in Japan is negligible though, unfortunately. It certainly ends up working that way in the states.

[judasmartel]

But KugiRie isn't getting any younger at this rate (she's 33 right now), and more and more seiyuu are taking up tsundere roles. One such example is Kanae Itou, who has gotten a lot of tsundere roles since her role as Elsee in The World God Only Knows.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by GDiddy

I guess it also depends on who's hot right now: Kana Hanazawa seems to be popping up in a lot of series, along with Mor from Magi's VA(forgot her name)...

Her name is Haruka Tomatsu. She's indeed been in a lot of shows lately... not that I'm complaining. Thankfully, she's not really getting typecast. She has too much range for that.

[judasmartel]

Hmm.. So are modern Japanese VAs focusing on improving their vocal range by accepting a wide range of roles instead of specializing in specific roles like KugiRie's generation and before that?

[Kanon]

I don't think they can afford to be picky. They take whatever role they can get.

Being a seiyuu doesn't pay as much as you might think.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by judasmartel

Hmm.. So are modern Japanese VAs focusing on improving their vocal range by accepting a wide range of roles instead of specializing in specific roles like KugiRie's generation and before that?

There have always been seiyuu who have voiced a wide variety of roles;. I'd put Romi Paku, Kuwashima Houko, and Sawashiro Miyuki all in that category. Aoi Yuuki's voice still needs a bit of maturation for her to enter that group, but she, too, shows a lot of range. Compare her voicings for Mina Tepes and Madoka for instance.

[judasmartel]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

There have always been seiyuu who have voiced a wide variety of roles;. I'd put Romi Paku, Kuwashima Houko, and Sawashiro Miyuki all in that category. Aoi Yuuki's voice still needs a bit of maturation for her to enter that group, but she, too, shows a lot of range. Compare her voicings for Mina Tepes and Madoka for instance.

I think I never heard Romi Paku voice a young girl before, it's usually boys or older women. But I do agree that most popular seiyuu have wide vocal range and can play a wide range of roles well.

One thing I noticed is that sometimes, some seiyuu sound the same to me. Other times, some seiyuu shock me by playing roles far different from the ones I recognize the most. A good example of the latter case is Ayako Kawasumi. I best know her as Saber, but she does a wide range of roles very well. Her role as a perverted fox demon in Kanokon really drove me nuts at first, more so when I heard Mamiko Noto (a seiyuu known for soft-spoken female roles) voice a young boy in the same anime.

[SeijiSensei]

In Higepiyo Paku gives a tour-de-force performance as the voice of a chick (of the poultry variety) with samurai aspirations. She has voiced older women as well, in shows like Claymore (Teresa) and Oh! Edo Rocket (O-Ise-San).

[GDiddy]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Her name is Haruka Tomatsu. She's indeed been in a lot of shows lately... not that I'm complaining. Thankfully, she's not really getting typecast. She has too much range for that.

Thanks. I knew it was Haruka something...

She was Shizuku in My Little Monster too. She's good...I like her.

I don't think they can afford to be picky. They take whatever role they can get.

Being a seiyuu doesn't pay as much as you might think.

Is that why a lot of them have side careers as singers? Because in that magazine I was reading, it seemed like just about every voice actor/actress had a CD/Single coming out.

[Coldlight]

Originally Posted by GDiddy

Is that why a lot of them have side careers as singers? Because in that magazine I was reading, it seemed like just about every voice actor/actress had a CD/Single coming out.

My thoughts as well. Seiyuu are not known for being well paid compared to regular celebrities and personalities. Hence the need to do occasional sideline work, like singing.

I think a lot of them likely stay on as seiyuu because they really love doing voice acting. That and the support from some of their fans (for those with dedicated fanbases) keeps them going. Nevermind the more obsessed variety of fan, though.

[Scarletknive]

Originally Posted by totoum

Random Sawashiro Miyuki thought I had a little while ago.
She started out her career doing this , it's funny how she's now more known for voicing boys are badass ladies.

Makes me wonder if 10 years from now we'll go "remember back when Ogura Yui voiced loli imoutos"

I don't get the words in bold...

I think I will remember that... For you know..


P.S: It took me quite a while to read through this thread and found that post. Thus my late reply.

[seiftis]

Sometimes I missed old seiyuu that doesn't seem to get any roles anymore...

ie. Neya Michiko

[Vicious108]

Originally Posted by seiftis

Sometimes I missed old seiyuu that doesn't seem to get any roles anymore...

ie. Neya Michiko

Sometimes? How about all the time? Most of my favorite female seiyuu fall under that description: Houko Kuwashima, Noriko Hidaka, Minami Takayama, Junko Noda, etc. They rarely show up these days and even when they do it's mostly episodic/bit roles. Houko Kuwashima in particular used to be so prominent in the 2000s, but it seems that, save for some exceptions, once you get past 30 your desirability really starts to wane.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Coldlight

My thoughts as well. Seiyuu are not known for being well paid compared to regular celebrities and personalities. Hence the need to do occasional sideline work, like singing.

I think a lot of them likely stay on as seiyuu because they really love doing voice acting. That and the support from some of their fans (for those with dedicated fanbases) keeps them going. Nevermind the more obsessed variety of fan, though.

not just singing. Lots of VA work in games, especially ero-games which paids more then normal Seiyuu work.

[Kirarakim]

Originally Posted by Vicious108

Sometimes? How about all the time? Most of my favorite female seiyuu fall under that description: Houko Kuwashima, Noriko Hidaka, Minami Takayama, Junko Noda, etc. They rarely show up these days and even when they do it's mostly episodic/bit roles. Houko Kuwashima in particular used to be so prominent in the 2000s, but it seems that, save for some exceptions, once you get past 30 your desirability really starts to wane.

Yeah I noticed this too, while I still have a lot of favorite male seiyuu who are still active, a lot of my most favorite female seiyuu are barely acting anymore.

I wonder if I am just watching the wrong series but it doesn't seem that way.

Well at least Tanaka Mayumi is still going strong as Luffy.

[Coldlight]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

not just singing. Lots of VA work in games, especially ero-games which paids more then normal Seiyuu work.

Yep. That's why I said "like singing" which is only one example out of an implied several other kinds of work.

Well, at least you mentioned one more example of seiyuu sideline work.

[Kirarakim]

A lot of seiyuu host radio shows and do live readings too. So yeah they definitely do more than voice work.

Not to mention as a seiyuu you often have to do live shows promoting the series you are in. So I think an active seiyuu keeps very busy.

[erneiz_hyde]

A few seiyuu like Ogura Yui and Mohoroshi Sumire started out really young it's doubtful they went to a seiyuu or acting school. Did they went through some kind of audition or were they scouted out? I'm wondering how the other seiyuu who got in "the hard way" perceive them.

[Vicious108]

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Yeah I noticed this too, while I still have a lot of favorite male seiyuu who are still active, a lot of my most favorite female seiyuu are barely acting anymore.

I wonder if I am just watching the wrong series but it doesn't seem that way.

Yep, it's pretty annoying to me. You look at the most prominent/popular male seiyuu of prior generations like Akira Ishida, Hikaru Midorikawa, Keiji Fujiwara, Shinichiro Miki, Takehito Koyasu, etc. and they still get work relatively often these days. But with female seiyuu, most of the big names from the 90s and whatnot seem conspicuously absent.

I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that female seiyuu are often "idols" as well, where the younger you are the better. Either way, it's pretty lame. I'd kill for new roles for certain female seiyuu I haven't heard in ages.