AnoHana - Voice Actor Appreciation & Discussion

[Daniel E.]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss, critique and idolize the Voice Actor cast of AnoHana. Please remember that the discussion should center on their performances as professional voice actors and not on the show content (which can be discussed in the various Episode threads). Please remember this simple rule when critiquing a VA's performance or reading another forum member's critique:

• Don't take it personally.
  In other words, you’re free to disagree with another person’s opinion, but don’t flame them if they offer a well written and well thought out analysis that differs from your own opinion. Keep it civil.
  
  
• Voice Actors are human.
  Yes, it’s true. They’re human. Therefore, don’t just indiscriminately rip them and their work apart as if they’re inorganic objects. You don’t have to praise them non-stop, but be thoughtful in your criticism.

This thread might duplicate some discussion in the Episode threads, but it can also serve to demystify various VA roles, disseminate VA information (VA Bios, VA photos, etc) and provide cast information of various types as well as discussion about performances.

[FireChick]

I think all the seiyuus do a great job in bringing their characters to life and giving them all personalities and voices. But I think Menma's is the best, even if she sounds a teensy weensy bit moe (which I don't think Menma is at all).

[Guardian Enzo]

I love hearing all the "Cross Game" seiyuu together again - they're all excellent seiyuu, but even better together. I can't imagine anyone but Irinu Miyu bring the depth of emotion to Jinta, and anyone but Haruka Tomatsu bringing the combination of snark and fragility to Anaru.

And anyone but Sakurai-san bringing the...cross-dressing, dress-sniffing weirdness? To Yukiatsu...

[Kaoru Chujo]

To me, Irino and Tomatsu are doing well, but Kayano Ai isn't doing much for me as Menma. Boringly "by the book," for me. On the other hand, I think Hayami Saori is outstanding as Tsuruko.

Hayamin is doing a radio show right now with Yuuki Aoi. The fact that the radio show is not connected with any particular anime demonstrates that these two 19-year-olds are hitting the big time as seiyuu personalities.

The preview episode revealed what a contrast they are: fast-talking ota-kid Ao-chan and elegant lady Hayamin. Two of my favorite seiyuus. Up to now, Hayamin has been a favorite mainly for her singing. But her voice work has really leveled up over the past year. (The audio is at the bottom of the linked page. You can hear their personalities even if you can't understand Japanese.)

[Kaoru Chujo]

An older video of Tomatsu Haruka (Anaru) has just appeared on YouTube, showing her posing and being interviewed when she was 17, and her first starring role (Corticarte in Polyphonica) was about to go on the air.

I've put the video in a blog post.

She certainly did a nice job of Anaru's scene with Jintan in episode 8.

[pisceanreve]

EVERYONE IS PERFECT!!!

I loved watching the video of them performing the audio drama live, too! When Poppo came up, the first word out of his mouth in his enthusiastic Poppo-ish voice just my friend and I smile so much. When he speaks, he cheers us up even though we didn't know what he was saying until we saw a separate translation somewhere XD
And some people say Ai Kayano sort of overdoes Menma, but I think she's perfect, too! She also made me smile when I watched the live video
As for Anaru's voiceover, I think her acting is terrific, but I also just love the sound of her voice. Like, if I were Japanese, that would be the voice I want, it's so pretty and interesting, in my opinion.

[GDiddy]

I thought everyone was really good...though Menma got on my nerves for awhile.