Top 10 Seiyuu I Feel Like Talking About

No, I surely did not get inspired by people like these. To be fair, even if I wanted to I don’t really want to rack my brain and post pictures of my favorite anime characters, who they are voiced by, and all that pretty waste of time. Let’s, however, do talk about them. Fun stuff.

As with anyone in the know knows, there’s that makura talk with Arts Vision and how the now-ex-president took advantage of some women and girls exchange to help their careers. That’s just downright bad stuff. A lot of dirt, as a result, has been airing the past weeks. Zepy posted some interesting Yui Horie related news.

<Momotato> hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

We even had this. I LOL’d. It really is fans doing what fans do best. It’s a dumb thing to do, but it’s so dear.

Not too long ago I talked about Yukana. Yea, she’s also a bit of a controversial figure. But given what’s been said it’s no surprise that she’s on Hashihime’s list. The power of ero compels you? What irony in light of the whole Arts Vision scandal.

To a different topic: How do you feel about Megumi Hayashibara’s return? Since the 90s she has been really the super-star-ish seiyuu that entranced all these semi-ex otaku. I have some friends who don’t really follow anime and this stuff anymore, but would still like to see her live, or something. I’m not sure how wonderful a concert musician she is, but I’m sure being the multi-purpose catgirl that she is, Hayashibara will rise to the challenge. Now if we can just find out the goofs who ruined her visit at her one and only US con visit in 1995. If you’re “new” to the scene, look here.

Anyways, I was looking up Rika Morinaga sometime when Simoun was airing. She played the very excellent role of Mamiina (Good Girl Salute! o/) and I realized she was in this …interesting space anime. But what really stood out to me was how she was in the DVD extra when the voice actresses (lol no guys on this cast) played various games. Looking her up, this chipmunk-faced actress is also a model and involved in some kind of funky indie stuff. WTH is function code? Gothloli music is really, really hit and miss for me. Check their myspace for samples. I pass no judgment at this time; but will probably remember to try to get a listen when their new/first CD comes out.

Music-wise, I haven’t really come across any voice actress who can captivate like Nana Mizuki does. I’m not sure what’s her trick, because when I watch DVDs of her live, it seems sort of meh. But like these guys, it works for me. Not unexpected, Nana Mizuki has also got a lot of range when it comes to voice acting, so I’m still waiting for her to bust open with some real good drama in a fitting show. It seems too often that’s the catch–with so many crap anime out there, it’s hard to find a good role in the first place; even harder to get that role. I’d be the first to say that a lot of anime she’s in are kind of crappy :(

Five more to go?

Speaking of voice actresses [ORLY], I think some people probably already said that the somewhat famous Mamiko Noto is doing one of her more entertaining roles since Mitsuki Ikuta, in Sola. Sola is the sort of show that nails me in terms of “WOW GOTTA WATCH” but “this is actually pretty meh” because of the TEROGE-ness of it all. Still I think Noto’s Matsuri has been wonderfully delightful, along with the somewhat explosive Mai Nakahara playing as her counterpart in the last few episodes. Do all Nakahara characters explode? I mean, sure, that’s part of the schtik in Higurashi, but… I still think Nakahara’s best performance was Mai in Mai-Hime, even if that’s sort of a crap show (in a good way). It really shows her range. Funnily enough, so does Matsuri and Noto. Is it possible to predict plot elements through the voice acting cast? I think it’s doable in Sola.

Speaking of range, I’m still a big fan (and I would put her in my top 3 in a heartbeat) of Houko Kuwashima. And for me it began from her debut role, Yurika Misumaru. Her radio-no-nonsense voice is sort of soothing, and it’s one great thing in Saiunkoku Monogatari. Those Claymore fans should note that Houko plays Clare. There’s just something to her voice. I don’t know. But thankfully that’s where it stops…her songs are so-so and she’s not the cosplay puppy that this grasshopper is. Keeps the import spending budget down.

Range is a subjective and somewhat illusive concept, if you ask me. Nor does it really matter. Satsuki Yukino visited the US few weeks ago (and I couldn’t go >_<) but even as masterful and huge-ranged as she is, someone like Shizuka Itou (who isn’t at all terrible, but not as good) can really, really hit the spot and get a lot more attention. I know there are a ton of people who watched Pumpkin Scissors probably just to unconsciously duplicate the same effect as listening to this CD. That said, Yukino is, from the reports, a very charming person in reality as well–overbearingly cute maybe. There’s something about the older-school seiyuu who don’t do it for the image-career track, but just because they like it. But, hey, Shinon is plain geek-sexy!

That’s 10. Let’s stop before I get out of hand and actually start to insult people who can insult back!