Best Voice Actor of the Year

[Aristophanes]

Now for something completely different.....
Suprised no one had already put this up....maybe it got taken down by the hackers....anyway my best voice actor is Misato Fukuen who plays Eve in Black cat.
Such a cute and complex voice

[Furudanuki]

Good choice for a topic!

I have been extremely impressed with the voice actress for Karin Maaka in the anime Karin. The actress' name is Yahagi Sayuri, and Karin is her debut role. I expect to be hearing a lot more from her in the future.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Yeah, good topic.

My vote goes to Orikasa Fumiko, for her hilarious work as Miu in Ichigo Mashimaro. The script and animation are great, but she just seizes hold of the weird, aggressive, selfish, lovable character and brings her to life.

There were lots of other memorable performances:
Arai Satomi as Kozue (and Saki, Natsumi, Chiyuri and Nanako) in Mahoraba.
Kawasumi Ayako as Tazusa in Ginban Kaleidoscope. She makes an ordinary story something special.
Chiba Saeko as Dokuro-chan. Her acting helps make the weird premise work.
Ueda Kana as Petoko in PetoPeto-san. The vividness of her portrayal of Yumi in Marimite was no accident.
Mitsuhashi Kanako as Miki in Zettai Shounen. I don't know exactly why, but I just find her voice hypnotic. It's almost as good when she plays Suzuka.
Yahagi Sayuri as Karin. Can't say whether she has any range or not, but she makes her first role one to remember. Her voice really has pop!
Gotou Yuuko as Nanami in Lamune. The quietest, limpest, most romantic character in a quiet, limp, romantic anime. Not too shabby as Kaede in Shuffle!, either.
And as token males, Seki Tomokazu, for the angsty part of his performance in Futakoi Alternative; and Fujiwara Keiji for the frustrating Shuu-chan in Honey & Clover.

To tell the truth, I could go on and on. I really believe that seiyuu are as important to anime as the animation itself. And the amount of talent in Japan's voice-acting community is as amazing as it is in the other anime crafts.

[kinniku_man]

"Chiwa Saitou" as becky in PPD!!!!

[Proto]

Ueda Kana as Petoko in Petopeto and Yagami Hayate in Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's.
Tamura Yukari as Randou Rindo in Gokujou Seitokai, Michiru in Air and Takamichi Nanoha in Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's
Yui Horie as Shirakawa Kotori in DCSS

And my three favorite female VA's will be acting together in Kasimasi next year... yay... it's almost like a dream come true ^_^;

[evil-samurai]

Funny thing about me is that while everone loves Karin's VA, It's the reason I stoped watching the show

Takahashi who voices Chrono in Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's Does it nicely but I dont hear him very often, since he doesn't really play a main role.
hitomi who plays Primula does a Great! job easily one of the Stand out Voices this Year, Though I guess some people might just look at my avatar and go yea.... but really hitomi played the role way better then I was expecting.

Yuto Nakano as Ginko in Mushishi plays the role well from the few epidoes I've seen, couldn't of matched the voice with the Character any better.
Daisuke Ono as Yukito Kunisaki in Air, while I didn't really like the show, and the other Vocies were ok, he really did stand out among the others.

I could pick quite a few from both Zettai Shonen & Canvas 2, But I think both Shows dont really have stand out Voices, mabye because the whole Cast does a good job and fit's there role perfectly.

Originally Posted by Mushishi

I really believe that seiyuu are as important to anime as the animation itself

I agree with that, even if the animation and story is Great, I find it hard to really enjoy the show without good VA.

[bluemist]

I can say that the best voice work of 2005 belongs to the anime Ichigo Mashimaro. All 5 main characters were brought to life by those 5 excellent VAs. I believe their work for this anime is their best work for this year.

Kawasumi Ayako (Matsuri)
Orikasa Fumiko (Miu)
Nabatame Hitomi (Nobue)
Noto Mamiko (Ana) - (I was one who initially thought this is a miscast but it turned out more than fine afterwards)
Chiba Saeko (Chika)

[Dark Lord Zenigame]

Hoshi Souichirou. :>

As for all he's done this year... it's too much to count. ^_^;;

[Pellissier]

Good topic, I love seiyuus' work a lot, and when I watch a new series I always try to understand if there's someone out there I already know

My first choice goes absolutely to: Mitsuhashi Kanako for her role in Suzuka (Asahina Suzuka) . You know, that girl has a sort of unique style, but the dubbing is that plus conferring her just the perfection depicting.

Then my mind goes to Karin, where the protagonist (Maaka Karin) is dubbed by a new voice actress: Yahagi Sayuri

Noto Mamiko is a name who became quite famous recently, especially for her well known role as Tsukamoto Yakumo in School Rumble. For 2005 anyway, I'd like to prize her for her voice acting in Jigoku Shoujo (Emma Ai, the Jigoku Shoujo), which gives a creepy and yet fascinating appearence to the character.

Then it's always a pleasure to mention one of my overall favourite, Tamura Yukari, this year featuring in Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A's (Nanoha)

Not prizable, since those series started in 2004 (and most of them ended in 2005), but really worthy of a mention:

Maybe my preferred voice-actress, Nakahara Mai, for Mai Hime (Mai) and Midori no Hibi (Midori)

Saiki Miho , Maho (Beck).

Hara Fumina, Kokoro (Aishiteruze Baby) for the same reasons stated above for Suzuka: a unique character, thus an unique voice. Very great work.

Last, Horie Yui, another of my favs, for being Eri in School Rumble and Kaoruko in Futakoi.

[kj1980]

Noto Mamiko - Tsukamoto Yakumo (School Rumble), Ana Coppola (Ichigo Mashmaro)
It's also because I am a huge fan of Noto. I am in deeply in love with her.

[paTKany]

Ueda Kana - but not for the previously mentioned roles. She's got my vote for being Anna Kurauchi in He is My Master.

I also liked Tamura Yukari in Gokujou Seitokai for being Rando Rino and Pucchan in the same time. And Kobayashi Sanae in the role of Maya Kitajima in Glass Mask.

[Aristophanes]

Yea the guy who plays ginko deserves serious props.

[jedinat]

I like Shana's voice in Shakugan no Shana. Well... I think I really just have a thing for her "Urusai Urusai Urusai!!!" The voice actress is.... Kugimiya Rie.

[providence]

Mamori from Eyeshield 21 has a really sexy voice

[Korb]

Yui Makino. First of all, think of those shoes she had to fill as Sakura in Tsubasa. And she has to do it for 3 seasons no less! She really helps inject the moe factor into the role, plus she can sing wonderfully. I'm still hoping that song she did towards the end of the first season will pop up on an OST in the future. she's my favorite new seiyuu this year.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by bluemist

I can say that the best voice work of 2005 belongs to the anime Ichigo Mashimaro. All 5 main characters were brought to life by those 5 excellent VAs. I believe their work for this anime is their best work for this year.

I just have to agree.

& now its time for my 'Watch Ichigo Mashimaro on Christmas Eve' day. ^^

[MakotoFatora]

Hrmm....I'd have to say Ami Koshimizu. Tenma in School Rumble, Nina in My-Otome, and Anemone in Eureka 7. Talk about 3 really different ends of a spectrum for roles to play I was surprised to find out she did all of those roles.

others mentioned her, and Yukari Tamura would also be on my list, for Midori in Mai-HiME and My Otome, and Miki in Final Approach (I think that just barely squeaked into 2005, I forget when the last few eps aired ) I also liked her as Rui in Jinki:Extend, even if that anime was....well, a bit oddly-paced.

[AKOL]

Hah, i'm another Mamiko Noto fan.

Except instead of school rumble, i really liked her as Narue in Narue no sekai, Nodoka in Negima, Yukino in My Hime/Otome, Chizuru in Ai Yori Aoshi~Enishi.

I also like Yui Horie and Yukari Tamura for their many voices in many dating sim based anime's...

[Burner of Anime]

Originally Posted by bluemist

I can say that the best voice work of 2005 belongs to the anime Ichigo Mashimaro. All 5 main characters were brought to life by those 5 excellent VAs. I believe their work for this anime is their best work for this year.

Kawasumi Ayako (Matsuri)
Orikasa Fumiko (Miu)
Nabatame Hitomi (Nobue)
Noto Mamiko (Ana) - (I was one who initially thought this is a miscast but it turned out more than fine afterwards)
Chiba Saeko (Chika)

This set wins on so many levels But I think it should come under best Ensemble cast instead. Out of that list, there was a point in the year [from july to september] when Ori-Fumi, the Mamiko and Kawasumi Ayako is each credited for appearing in 1 show PER DAY . Phenominal output from these 3 and probably unmatched by any other seiyuu.

But there are quite a number of VA's who have been truly outstanding this year.

Mizuki Nana for Fate in Nanoha, Basilisk and the guncrazy Cisqua in Erementar Gerad. Truth be told, her performance next to Mikako Takahashi in EG was the only thing to look forward to.

Mikako Takahashi: Karin, EG, and as Ayu: the owner of a superior pair of iron pillars in Honey and Clover.

Rie Kugimiya: What can I say but Shana owns Fierce little girls always seem to bring out the big brother instinct.

Saito Chiwa: Like Rie Kugimiya, they lend their voice to the same type of character. Think barking puppy, cute but still likely to bite Oh yes, Becky Omega Kawaii.

Ami Koshimizu. As Tsukamoto Tenma she is the Dojiko of the year . Bring that over to Mai-Otome and Eureka7 and you see someone with both tremendous range and speed of change. Better watch out for this one in 2006.

Yukari Tamura: Her stint in the Onegai series was the launch point. Mai-hime solidified her career. The devastator Mahou Shoujo Nanoha beats all other magical girls in terms of raw power. Strongest character role thus far and fully hers. Though my fav. is Ori-Fumi, Yukari Tamura is perhaps the most improved seiyuu for 2005.

There is another ensemble cast that is pretty strong this year. The one in Rozen Maiden. Tanaka Rie, Natsuko Kuwatani and Miyuki Sawashiro for bringing to life the sadistic Suigintou, the selfish Suisuiseki and the snobbish cane smacking Shinku for another round of the Alice game.

Edit: Forgot Yumi Touma for Emma :P Yuji Ueda as well for Hakim the playboy prince.

[TnAdct1]

IMO, 2005 is definitely Mamiko Noto's year. If you need proof of why I say that, just look at her resume for this season:

CHARACTERS THAT SHE WAS ALREADY VOICING WHEN THE YEAR STARTED:
-Yakumo (School Rumble)
-Yukino (Mai-Hime)
-Angol Moa (Sgt. Keroro)

CHARACTERS THAT SHE ADDED TO HER RESUME THIS YEAR (SOME OF THE BETTER ONES IMO):
-Nodoka (Negima)
-Ana (Ichigo Mashimaro)
-Ai (Jigoku Shoujo)

As for other actresses who had a good year in 2005:

Fumiko Orikasa - played Tomo-esque roles in Ichigo Mashimaro and Pani Poni Dash (not to mention her role as Rukia in Bleach).

Ai Nonaka - Her role as the bizarre Ichijou-san from Pani Poni Dash is definitely different from her role as Konoka in Negima.