UlasanAnime.com – The annual Seiyu Awards are underway, marking a significant event for voice actors in Japan. The submission process, which has been available in English for the past few years, now claims to incorporate international votes alongside Japanese ones. This year’s awards ceremony is scheduled for early next year.
The voting form is accessible online. While the eligibility requirements for newcomers are not explicitly detailed, it is generally understood to be around three to four years of experience in the industry.
This article presents a personal selection of nominees for various Seiyu Awards categories, rather than a comprehensive speculation of the award outcomes.
Best Actor: Junichi Suwabe for his role in Space Dandy. The author also noted a positive personal impression from meeting Suwabe this year, citing a superficial resemblance and his Dandy cosplay as contributing factors.
Best Actress: Eriko Nakamura for her performance in IM@S the movie. Nakamura is recognized as an above-average seiyuu with considerable experience. Her “seibuta” qualities, her appearance on the cover of the author’s favorite anime thing this year, and her well-rounded entertainment personality were highlighted. Seeing her in person was also a memorable experience.
Best Supporting Actor: Hiroshi Tsuchida for his role as Samonji in Argevollen. This performance was described as great and tremendously enjoyable.
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Best Supporting Actress: Saori Hayami for her role as Hatoko in Inou Battle. Beyond her notable performance in a recent episode, Hayami is consistently praised for her strong voice acting contributions each year. The author believes she possesses the skill to shine when given roles that allow her to showcase her talent. A personal encounter with her this year also left a strong impression.
Best Rookie Actor: Hanae Natsuki for his role as Slain in Aldnoah.Zero. Although the author does not closely track male seiyuu roles, Natsuki stood out in the few shows the author watched him in, regardless of the show’s quality.
Best Rookie Actress: Ibuki Kido for her role as Kana in IM@S the movie. The author also gives a nod to KN33S0XXX for their lyrical skills. Kido’s roles thus far have been solid, and her ability to transform from a teenage girl into an entertainer is remarkable, even if not on the level of Fancy Lala.
Best Song: Juri Takita for “Kimi ga Erabu Machi” from IM@S the movie. The author felt there wasn’t a clear standout song this year, despite many good soundtracks. While strong performers like Minorin and Sphere remain consistent, nothing was particularly outstanding. Other potential nominations include “Spica” from StylipS, noted for its sweet harmony, and WUG-chan’s “Tachiagare,” another noteworthy track from Kousaki Satoru.
Best Personality: Momo Asakura for her work on TryAngle Harmony (Torahamo). While firmly in the idol seiyuu category, the second generation of Muray idols are considered fun. Although Asakura may not be perfect, she possesses a special quality. Other radio shows considered for this category include Hayami Saori no Freestyle and Yumi Hara’s solo radio, Hara Yumi no Maru Maru (HaraMaru) Radio.
A concluding remark encourages fans to vote for their favorite seiyuu.
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The author revisits a previous blog post about voice actor appreciation, prompted by renewed interest from other fans. The reflection leads to the realization that community detachment plays a key role in how one perceives and ranks voice actors. Without direct engagement in forums like 2ch, the author has developed a personal theory on voice acting, acknowledging that modern otaku culture often involves voice actors in various extracurricular activities, which the Seiyu Awards recognize through categories like “best song” and “best personality.”
Maintaining some distance can make it easier to remain in the “jitsuryoku camp” (talent-focused group). If one’s appreciation is solely based on voice acting work like character songs, anime, and games, it can be challenging to avoid forming attachments. The author also recalls the impact of first encountering certain seiyuu, suggesting that while distance might be helpful, an absence of excessive promotion can prevent the development of a critical “immune system” against potentially oversaturated content, as previously discussed by another blogger.
This leads to the conclusion that the author’s appreciation is not a balance between different aspects but a full commitment to all facets of a seiyuu’s career. This explains the ability to rank seiyuu based on performance while also expressing strong enthusiasm for others, such as Mocho or the WUG-chans, even to the point of considering travel. These interests are not mutually exclusive. Consequently, some fans might adopt a balanced approach (e.g., 60/40) for practical reasons like creating a “bucket list” or prioritizing vacation time, which makes their personal rankings difficult for others to predict. Ultimately, there is no single correct way to appreciate a seiyuu, and multiple valid approaches exist.
This multifaceted appreciation is likened to seiyuu who excel in acting, singing, dancing, possess good looks, and have engaging personalities. The author acknowledges that life isn’t always fair.
