Anime Anime Global

Various animeswere broadcast and released in 2019. It was bountiful year with variety of new series of animes were released, and close to 100 animation movies were released.

Here at Anime!Anime!, we have conducted annual general anime election. First, we looked back and conducted a reader's survey on “the most active voice actor”, who participated in popular anime or played important characters, and on “the most 'favorite' voice actor”, whom the readers became fan of during this year or thought of introducing him to other readers.

During the survey period of Nov. 15 to Dec.15, we have received answers from more than 3,000 people. The male-female ratio was about 25% male and higher ratio of female readers made up about 75% of overall number. Youngsters made up majority of the total votes, with 19 years old or under made up about 47%, and 20's made up about 34%.

We will first announce the final result for “the most 'favorite' male voice actor”.

■1st place: Shimono Hiro: Also active in fields other than anime!
The 1st place was Shimono Hiro. The support rating was approximately 15%, and although he was in 2nd placein the mid-term result, he won from the behind.

A comment said, “The fans could see various acting of Shimo-san, including Agatsuma Zenitsu from “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba”, Nanatsuki Seiji from “Special 7: Special Crime Investigation Unit”, Ohashi from “African Office Worker”, and Kiryuu Keiki from “Are You Really the Only One Who Likes Me?”. By meeting many aspects of Shimono-san, I thought he is my favorite!”. It seems to be many fans thought Shimono as their favorite because he played various characters.

Since the survey was asking for personal “favorite”, there were comments mentioning activities in fields other than anime. For example, there is a comment mentioning him playing the main character in the movie for the first time saying, “He is my favorite because he played in a live-action movie called 'The Legend of Chronos Jaunter'! Since I love the original novel, I was so surprised that the sky and the land are going to reverse!”, and there were comments from fans paying attention to his activeness in TV and videos said, “I saw him taking chair in many scenes including, 'Nightlife with Voice Actors' in Abema TV, and “Anison! Premium!” in NHK BS Premium.”

2nd place: Kaji Yuuki: Became even more popular by being active in new fields
Second place was Kaji Yuuki. The support rating was approximately 10%, and received supports from several fans, although he ranked lower compared to mid-term result announcement.

The comments said that the reason why Kaji is the favorite is, “I like attitude of him trying for new field” and “Ithink he is very active in various fields. He is the voice actor who I want to support the most.”
Taking a part in a musical, “School of Rock”, starting from Aug. 2020, was a great surprise to the fans. There was a person who became a fan of Kaji by watching him being active in a new field, which is “an entertainment presenter in 'Mezamashi TV'”… There were several comments celebrating marriage in Jun. 2019 with a voice actress, Taketatsu Ayana.

3rd place: Kamiya Hiroshi: There were multiple responses to him appearing in TV shows, including “Professional”
Third place was Kamiya Hiroshi. The support rating was about 5%, and kept the same place as the mid-term result.

There was a comment mentioning Kamiya appearing in a documentary called, “The Professionals”, in January, saying, “I liked his serious attitude toward his job.” When he appeared in a variety show called “VS Arashi”, “he compared his job as a voice actor to driving, and I liked how he explained his job nicely to the people who do not know voice actor as job”, commented the reader, and many comments said that he became the favorite because he tried to spread what voice actor is to the world.
Of course, there were comments related to the characters; the comments said, “I love Levi in 'Attack on Titan' being very kind to his fellows, although he has a dirty mouth and speaks with low voice”, and “I was surprised because he talked with high-pitched voice in 'Osomatsu Movie'.” The fans were charmed by his plays. Kamiya as an artist was also popular, and a comment mentioning about it said, “He looks even more handsome with reaching 10th year as a singer!”

In “the most 'favorite' male voice actor” survey, voice actors who were active in various fields got together.
We will announce the result for “the most 'favorite' female voice actress” on the next article! Please read it as well!

■Ranking top 20
[The most “favorite” male voice actor in 2019]
1st: Shimono Hiro
2nd: Kaji Yuuki
3rd: Kamiya Hiroshi
4th: Matsuoka Yoshitsugu
5th: Miyano Mamoru
6th: Hanae Natsuki
7th: Itou Kento
8th: Furukawa Tooru
9th: Saitou Souma
10th: Okamono Nobuhiko
11th: Eguchi Takuya
12th: Uchida Yuuma
13th: Fukuyama Jun
14th: Ishikawa Kaito
15th: Sugita Tomokazu
16th: Nakamura Yuuichi
17th: Sakurai Takahiro
18th: Murase Ayumu
19th: Nomura Kenji
20th: Shimazaki Nobunaga

(Survey conducted from Nov. 15, 2019 to Dec. 15)