Seiyuu admiration
Fellow readers may have noticed thanks to the article about Drama CD that I’m quite interested in other anime related goods, not only figures. And especially all stuff concerning people who voice our favorite characters : seiyuus.
On my previous blog (french text, not updated anymore), I used to write few lines about works of my favorite actors, and make review of events freaturing great seiyuus. I’m really fond of this kind of show, and I’d love to attend one of them for real, but as the poor European I am, I have to rely on DVDs hehe.
To the trivial “who-is-your-favorite?” question, I definitely don’t have a single answer. I can name girls like Ayako Kawasumi, or Yui Horie, Noto Mamiko, Yukari Tamura and Rie Kugimiya who do influence a lot the animes I watch. For instance, I’m into series like Moetan and iDOLM@STER, only because of the casting (and maybe fanservice hehe). I also look after everything Tomokazu Seki is doing since I realised who he is in Full Metal Panic!.
I guess it’s like movies for some others people : I really enjoy series where actors I appreciate play together. And now you know an other reason why I count Nodame Cantabile, GENSHIKEN and Fruits Basket in my favorite animes.
Why such an infatuation? Hard to explain. It’s like figures, a passion which came and magnified day after day by watching a lot of animes.
Mmmh starting to be a bit long. So here a picture of who/what I’m going to talk about, after the jump!
I guess every single person a bit aware of what happen in the anime environment knows there is a very particular seiyuu who’s becoming more an more popular : Aya Hirano (the poll at the end of the previous article wasn’t that innocent hehe).
So then, I was charmed by her voice and talent through Haruhi Suzumiya first, like lot of fans. Nothing really special hehe, and singles like God Knows… or First-Good-Bye are the kind of song I listen every day while I’m working.
And that’s how I came to watch Magipoka, in which her interpretation of Pachira is really funny, as the way she played Misa in Death Note. I have never seen Nana, but it seems she was also awesome as Reira.
When Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! was annonced, seeing both Yui Horie and Aya Hirano casted-in – with moreover an opening single sung by Megumi Hayashibara – makes me very happy since it is the best I could have expected. And on the back of this, the serie was a pure happiness. I was even moved to tears in some episodes.
And now with Lucky Star… well, can’t find any word to describe what I feel about Konota. This is just perfect!
Therefore, it can be said that Haruhi-ism got me, but also Aya’s voice-actress-aptitude. And I have to admit that she has a terrific cuteness. So what was bound to happen, happened. I bought this nice 96-full-colored-page photo book of her.
Apparently, this book has made waves among otaku community. That’s quite funny, just because of some lovely, gorgeous, sometimes provocative and after all great looking pictures.
Just google “aya hirano photo book” or something like that to read lots of blogs and articles on the subject, or for more and better quality pictures. For instance, see hashihime, jay-han or anime.miao.us.
A really sweet reading. This is the first time I’ve bought a photobook, and I’m quite impressed by the quality of the paper and the pictures. Maybe I’ll loke after more and more seiyuu promotional goods haha.
And now I’m just waiting for something I’m looking forward since the first time I’ve heard God Knows… : the legendary Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekisou DVD. Be sure I’ll write few words about it when it will be between my little hands hehe.
version Française
I’m not too big an Aya fanboy, but I do admit her voice abilities are rather diverse. Personally, I’m all for Nana Mizuki, Noto Mamiko, Tomokazu Sugita, Tomokazu Seki, and a bunch of other seiyuu, not that I really follow them and their work though.
Erf how dare I forget mentionning Noto “mami-mami” Mamiko T_T (post updated)
I also love listening Nana Mizuki songs (Eternal Blaze & Super Generation are stunning), and Tomokazu Sugita has great talent too (loved him in SHUFFLE!, Kanon and of course SHnY).
Ala ala… Too much people I like in this anime world ^^;
If I had a last.fm account, the song on top would be God Knows. It’s the best!
I didn’t really pay attention to seiyuu’s until Haruhi Suzumiya. She’s got a great voice and one that I didn’t hear too often in other anime that I’ve watched. I like that Aya’s got a wide spectrum of voices from Suzumiya to Konata.
That book looks pretty awesome. I’ll check it out if I see it.
Its not that I pay attention to the voices, since I used to play the piano years ago I have a keen sense to sounds, so lately every time I watch an anime I manage to recognize the actors voices like Clare in Claymore, her voice also appears in Ayakashi Classic Japanese Horror second arc, Kiba’s (Naruto) voice also appears in Pumpkin Scissors as one of the main characters and Yakumo from School Rumble shes the easiest to notice ^^ (my favorite after Mikuru voice)
David : haha I remembered I have a last.fm account. I’ve just checked it an saw that “God Knows” only comes in 12th place, draw with… “Koi no Mikuru Densetsu” hahaha ^^;
Top is Yui Horie’s Scramble and second MELL’s Red Fraction hehe :)
But I don’t activate the last.fm plugin for iTunes often, so it’s not very accurate. Here my page for curious folk.
Otaku Surf : yeap that really impressive to see how she switch from Haruhi to Konota (ep. 16 of Lucky Star is wonderful for that).
Belela-san : Yuko Goto (Mikuru) is also incredible. I first discovered her in SHUFFLE!, then Lamune, and it was awesome to hear her with Aya Hirano in SHnY :D
This is Noto Mamiko who voices Yakumo, and she playing more and more lead characters. A fantastic seiyuu with a sweet voice ;)
I like how she voices characters like Masane (WitchBlade) or Sayoko (Aa Megami-sama), but she’s more impressive wich characters like Yakumo, Hecate (Shakugan no Shana) or Nodaka (Negima).
About Clare, I was very surprised in a good way to see that it is Houko Kuwashima who voices her, because she used to play little girls like Wendy (GUNXSWORD) or Kirika (Noir). She’s making a great job with Clare btw :)
Oh my… stop me, I could talk about that during hours ^^;