If I recall, I started writing for this blog about four years ago.  In that time, there’s been a lot of ups and downs.  I wrote, got burned our, wrote again, and then blew up in the hanger.  Nevertheless, I’ve made a lot of memories and several good friends through this blog.  But with lvlln and Raph officially moving on, I think it’s high time I do the same.  It’s time to let go.

I’m starting from scratch and writing for myself.  I know at the very least, Space Brothers has ignited a spark that’s made me think about writing again.  Hanging out over at Metanorn has given me motivation as well.  I will hopefully continue writing under my new WordPress blog, Derivative Paradise.  Or I could be completely talking out my ass again.  Who knows?

To all of you, past, present, and future, who have read this blog, thank you for your time and participation.  Special thanks to those of you who still have this blog on your reader after all these years.  I wish you all the best.  I have no intention to allow any more posts here.  However, this blog will continue to exist as a testament to both successes and failures.  I think anything less would be a disservice to myself, my compatriots, and the readers who still continue to stumble into this space.

Until we meet again,
~Rakuen

I haven’t exactly posted here in six months, but hey! I’ve started up a seiyuu blog at Maji Gachinko, where I’ll be posting my seiyuu season previews (and hopefully other things) from now on. Thanks very much to everyone here who read my posts and/or commented so kindly on them, and to CJ and Rakuen for allowing me to write for them. Hope to catch you on the flip side.

 

- Raph

The last season of anime in 2011 is about to begin, and in this post you’ll find a list of which seiyuu are appearing in what shows and also some notes on various seiyuu. In the notes, I use Western name order (i.e. given name before family name), whereas the list is organised alphabetically and is formatted like this:

[romanised family name], [romanised given name] / [name in Japanese] ([list of shows seiyuu is appearing in])

Macrons are used in names but not elsewhere, for ease of alphabetical ordering. The list will be updated until the beginning of October. Also, this time I tried to write about a few male seiyuu as well instead of just sticking to the women. Finally, as always, I hope you enjoy and please let me know if I’ve made any mistakes or there are roles that should be added (though I’ll try my hardest to stay on top of this).

Update 9/9: More Guilty Crown cast members added (Aya Endō, Takehito Koyasu, others), and it looks like Ai Kayano will be singing in that show. Edit: Apparently Ai Kayano‘s character’s singing voice will be provided by Chelly, a 17-year-old who was handpicked to do just that. Information from Washi’s Blog; this was his source for that information. Update 11/9: More Horizon, Shana III cast members added; Sengoku Paradise cast added. Update 12/9: Additional Phi Brain cast members added. Notably, a fourth role for Chiwa Saitō (bringing her to the top of the pack) and a third role for Takehito Koyasu. Update 16/9: Romi Park‘s presence in Persona 4 confirmed. Thanks to lvlln for the tip in advance (and also for mentioning Rie Kugimiya‘s role in that show). Update 1/10: Bakuman 2, Cross Fight B-Daman casts added; additional cast members for Majikoi and Ben-To added. Yūichi Nakamura now has six roles; Takehito Koyasu has four roles; Ayako Kawasumi has four roles, all of which she is reprising from prior works. This should be one of my last updates. All I’m waiting on is official confirmation of the Gundam Age cast, which I’m being particularly cautious about because of the prevalence of fake cast lists for it. Update 4/10: Chibi Devi! cast added. A fourth role for Yuka Iguchi, a third role for Ayumi Fujimura.

Top of the pack

I initially found it slightly difficult to enjoy Aoi Yūki (悠木碧)’s work because it lacks the polish I tend to value in performances, but I wholeheartedly love the raw, believable emotion she’s able to convey. By now I’ve learned to love the roughness as well. She’s only 19 years old but she’s established herself as a talented and versatile actress with her work in Kure-nai (Murasaki), Shiki (Sunako), Gosick (Victorique), Madoka Magica (Madoka) and more. Her legion of fans should grow in number even more this season when she stars in Last Exile. I’m excited to hear what she has to bring to that and to the rest of the fair few series she’s in this season.

Sayaka Ōhara (大原さやか) has been raking in the minor roles since about 2005, so it’s no surprise to see her at the top of this season’s pack. Probably best known as xxxHolic’s Yūko, Aria’s Alicia and Umineko’s Beatrice, the power in her voice shows through whether she’s playing someone seductive or maternal, elegant or insane. As of late, she seems to be an actress of choice for mothers, though she also acts as a teenager (Erza) in a major part in the long-running Fairy Tail.

A year ago, Ai Kayano (茅野愛衣) had only a few minor roles under her belt and was entirely unknown. Then in January, she claimed the role of Isana in Yumekui Merry and a couple of months later the role of Menma in AnoHana. Since then her career has soared, and this season will only further cement her status as 2011’s foremost breakout star. Her distinct, gentle voice has earned her some admirers but I haven’t been particularly impressed by her work yet. Perhaps that’ll change before the end of the year.

Yūichi Nakamura (中村悠一) has played multiple high profile, well-known characters. He will have been heard by shoujo fans in Shugo Chara! (Ikuto), by shounen fans in Fairy Tail (Gray), by imouto fans in OreImo (Kyousuke), by Key fans in Clannad (Tomoya)… The list goes on. I think he’s an excellent leading male and I really enjoy listening to his voice. This is a banner season for him with five roles, more than any other VA at this stage. Well-deserved, in my opinion.

With four roles is Jun Fukuyama (福山潤), one of the best-known and best-loved male voices of the ’00s. The man behind Lelouch, Lawrence and Watanuki, he’s demonstrated dramatic and comedic chops in equal measure, though I prefer him as a comedy actor (my favourite role of his being Sora Kake Girl’s over-the-top Leopard).

Also with four roles is indomitable veteran Jōji Nakata (中田譲治), who has been acting since the late ’70s and voice acting since the mid-’80s. The 57-year-old’s popularity remains largely undimmed. Type-Moon are apparently particular fans – as he’s appeared in big parts in Fate/, Kara no Kyōkai and Melty Blood – so it’s fitting that his largest role this season is in Fate/zero.

New voices

Unknown Megumi Han (潘めぐみ) has claimed the lead in the reboot of Hunter x Hunter. She’s 22 and has appeared in bit parts in a couple of live-action dramas. Represented by Atomic Monkey (who also have Tomokazu Sugita, Tomokazu Seki and Fumiko Orikasa on their books).

Emi Nitta (新田恵海) takes her first named role in a TV anime this season. Nitta is part of Sunrise’s Love Live “school idol project”, providing the singing voice for one of the girls, and is affiliated with S Inc., who represent singers (including Faylan).  She’s very pretty and her singing voice is great, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they were trying to carve out a solo music career for her. Here’s a video of her performing agency-mate Hiromi Satō’s ‘Angelic Symphony’. … But can she act? She plays Maruga Naruze in Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon.

Manami Honda (本田愛美) is in her second named role after voicing Mihoshi Tachibana in Nichijou (a role I really didn’t enjoy her in). Mirai Nikki fans will have gotten a taste of her as Murumuru in the OVA and will hear her again as that character in the TV series. Represented by GadgetLink, the agency Minoru Shiraishi is in.

Also in Mirai Nikki is Tomosa Murata (村田知沙), who had her first named role last year as Iris Eris in Legend of the Legendary Heroes and hasn’t worked since. Starring as Yuno, she has a difficult task ahead of her in that she’s inexperienced and has to act as a character who is both a fan favourite and insane. Represented by Media Force (Daisuke Hirakawa).

Nozomi Yamamoto (山本希望) will get the opportunity to make a splash this season, with large roles in Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai and Un-Go. We’ll hear her as an apparent parody of BakaTest’s Hideyoshi in the former and as an ojou in the latter. She has next to no experience outside of voicing a character in the game Galgun, and is with VIMS, the agency who represent Yui Horie and Shōtarō Morikubo.

Elsewhere

Pleasantly, Yū Shimamura (嶋村侑) has a named role in Guilty Crown after years of competent work mostly in the background. I love the timbre of her voice, so I’m hoping she impresses with some good acting here.

Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon (from here on referred to as Horizon because I’m lazy) and Last Exile have big casts, with the former’s being nothing short of massive. There are some big names involved in both, including a few of my personal favourites – namely Ami Koshimizu (小清水亜美), Mai Nakahara (中原麻衣) and Daisuke Ono (小野大輔) in Horizon, and Natsuko Kuwatani (桑谷夏子), Yukana (ゆかな) and Nobuhiko Okamoto (岡本信彦) in Last Exile. Teenagers Nao Tōyama (東山奈央) and Aoi Yūki – who starred in Ikoku Meiro no Croisee together – are in both, as is the awesome Miyuki Sawashiro (沢城みゆき).

Aki Toyosaki (豊崎愛生) has been in plenty of lead roles (K-on!’s Yui being the best known). This season she’ll act as the lead in Last Exile and she’ll also do something a bit different, playing one of the male leads in Un-Go. This is her third role in a Noitamina series this year, after Momoko in Hourou Musuko and young Poppo in AnoHana.

Also in those two series was 18-year-old Asami Seto (瀬戸麻沙美), as Yoshino Takatsuki in the former and young Yukiatsu in the latter. This season she’ll play the lead in and sing the ED for Chihayafuru. I feel like her work has an honesty to it, and I enjoy that. She already has a main role lined up for 2012, too, so it seems like she has a bright future.

A good year for Mariya Ise (伊瀬茉莉也) will be capped off by two lead roles, and she’ll get to continue to show off her versatility. If the trailer is any indication, for Ben-To she’s made her voice simultaneously more nasal and more rich, and in Hunter x Hunter she’s playing a boy.

Misuzu Togashi (富樫美鈴) debuted in 2009 playing Minatsu in Seitokai no Ichizon, and then didn’t get another major role until six months ago; as Mai in Nichijou, she sounded very different to how she did as Minatsu. She’ll finish this year with two large parts: the male lead in Mirai Nikki and Azuki in Maken-ki!. For the latter show, she’s reportedly also singing the OP, though this hasn’t been officially confirmed just yet [edit 9/9: confirmed]. She’s previously sung as part of the group Veil and as her characters in Seitokai no Ichizon and Nichijou (and the Nichijou character song is really something). She’s definitely on the rise.

The voices of Lucky Star‘s Hiiragi twins, Kaori Fukuhara (福原香織) and Emiri Katō (加藤英美里), are reuniting to star in and ad lib the dialogue for Ad Lib Anime Kenkyūsho. I have no idea what their ad libbing skills are like but the show sounds like it could be a hilarious disaster. At the moment, Katō is perhaps better known as the girl who voiced Kyubey in Madoka, while Fukuhara was Run in A Channel.

The list

Female seiyuu

Four roles

• Iguchi, Yuka / 井口裕香 (Tamayura, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, C Cube, Chibi Devi!)
• Kawasumi, Ayako / 川澄綾子 (Fate/zero, Shakugan no Shana III, Squid Girl 2, Bakuman 2)
• Kayano, Ai / 茅野愛衣 (Last Exile, Ben-To, Guilty Crown, Chihayafuru)
• Ōhara, Sayaka / 大原さやか (Fate/zero, C Cube, Tamayura, Shakugan no Shana III)
• Saitō, Chiwa / 斎藤千和 (Horizon, C Cube, Last Exile, Phi Brain)

Three roles

• Asumi, Kana / 阿澄佳奈 (Tamayura, Working’!!, C Cube)
• Fujimura, Ayumi / 藤村歩 (Squid Girl 2, Bakuman 2, Chibi Devi!)
• Itō, Kanae / 伊藤かな恵 (Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Squid Girl 2, Last Exile)
• Itō, Shizuka / 伊藤静 (Majikoi, Working’!!, Shakugan no Shana III)
• Kotobuki, Minako / 寿美菜子 (Guilty Crown, Horizon, Tamayura)
• Kitamura, Eri / 喜多村英梨 (C Cube, Last Exile, Working’!!)
• Sawashiro, Miyuki / 沢城みゆき (Horizon, Last Exile, Hunter x Hunter)
• Taketatsu, Ayana / 竹達彩奈 (Tamayura, Guilty Crown, Ben-To)
• Yūki, Aoi / 悠木碧 (Horizon, Last Exile, Ben-To)

Two roles

• Aizawa, Mai / 相沢舞 (Mirai Nikki, Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Chihara, Minori / 茅原実里 (Horizon, C Cube)
• Gotō, Mai / 後藤麻衣 (Mashiro-iro Symphony, Phi Brain)
• Hanazawa, Kana / 花澤香菜 (Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Guilty Crown)
• Hirohashi, Ryō / 広橋涼 (Working’!!, Chibi Devi!)
• Honda, Takako / 本田貴子 (Last Exile, Un-Go)
• Horie, Yui / 堀江由衣 (Persona 4, Ben-To)
• Inoue, Marina / 井上麻里奈 (Horizon, Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai)
• Ise, Mariya / 伊瀬茉莉也 (Ben-To, Hunter x Hunter)
• Katō, Emiri / 加藤英美里 (Ben-To, Ad Lib Anime Kenkyūsho)
• Koshimizu, Ami / 小清水亜美 (Persona 4, Horizon)
• Kugimiya, Rie / 釘宮理恵 (Shakugan no Shana III, Persona 4)
• Kuwatani, Natsuko / 桑谷夏子 (Last Exile, Mirai Nikki)
• Nabatame, Hitomi / 生天目仁美 (Squid Girl 2, Shakugan no Shana III)
• Ogata, Megumi / 緒方恵美 (Tamayura, Majikoi)
• Shiraishi, Ryōko / 白石涼子 (Working’!!, Horizon)
• Shitaya, Noriko / 下屋則子 (Maken-ki!, Chibi Devi!)
• Tamura, Yukari / 田村ゆかり (C Cube, Ben-To)
• Togashi, Misuzu / 富樫美鈴 (Mirai Nikki, Maken-ki!)
• Tōyama, Nao / 東山奈央 (Horizon, Last Exile)
• Toyosaki, Aki / 豊崎愛生 (Last Exile, Un-Go)
• Yahagi, Sayuri / 矢作紗友里 (Maken-ki!, Bakuman 2)
• Yamamoto, Nozomi / 山本希望 (Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Un-Go)
• Yukana / ゆかな (Last Exile, Mirai Nikki)

One role

• Abe, Sachie / 阿部幸恵 (Fate/zero)
• Akesaka, Satomi / 明坂聡美 (gdgd Fairies)
• Asakawa, Yū / 浅川悠 (Majikoi)
• Ashiro, Megu / 亜城めぐ (Majikoi)
• Endō, Aya / 遠藤綾 (Guilty Crown)
• Fujita, Saki / 藤田咲 (Working’!!)
• Fukuen, Misato / 福圓美里 (Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai)
• Fukuhara, Kaori / 福原香織 (Ad Lib Anime Kenkyūsho)
• Fukui, Yukari / 福井裕佳梨 (Tamayura)
• Gibu, Yūko / 儀武ゆう子 (Tamayura)
• Gotō, Yūko / 後藤邑子 (Majikoi)
• Han, Megumi / 潘めぐみ (Hunter x Hunter)
• Harada, Hitomi / 原田ひとみ (Maken-ki!)
• Hayami, Saori / 早見沙織 (Bakuman 2)
• Hazuki, Erino / 葉月絵理乃 (Tamayura)
• Hikasa, Yōko / 日笠陽子 (Working’!!)
• Hitomi / ひと美 (Majikoi)
• Honda, Manami / 本田愛美 (Mirai Nikki)
• Hyo-sei / 氷青 (Majikoi)
• Ichimura, Oma / 壱智村小真 (Mashiro-iro Symphony)
• Imai, Asami / 今井麻美 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Kanda, Akemi / 神田朱未 (Persona 4)
• Kanemoto, Hisako / 金元寿子 (Squid Girl 2)
• Kataoka, Azusa / 片岡あづさ (Squid Girl 2)
• Kawase, Akiko / 川瀬晶子 (Working’!!)
• Kikuchi, Kokoro / 菊池こころ (Squid Girl 2)
• Kobayashi, Yū / 小林ゆう (Horizon)
• Kobayashi, Yumiko / 小林由美子 (Shakugan no Shana III)
• Kokuryū, Sachi / 國立幸 (Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Konno, Hiromi / 今野宏美 (Mirai Nikki)
• MAKO (C Cube)
• Matayoshi, Ai / 又吉愛 (Horizon)
• Matsui, Naoko / 松井菜桜子 (Majikoi)
• Matsuki, Miyu / 松来未祐 (Tamayura)
• Matsuo, Yoshiko / 松尾佳子 (Tamayura)
• Matsuoka, Yuki / 松岡由貴 (Mirai Nikki)
• Mimori, Suzuko / 三森すずこ (gdgd Fairies)
• Mina / 美名 (Maken-ki!)
• Miyamoto, Kanako / 宮本佳奈子 (Last Exile)
• Miyamoto, Kanako / 宮本佳那子 (Tamayura)
• Mizuhara, Kaoru / 水原薫 (gdgd Fairies)
• Mizuhashi, Kaori / 水橋かおり (Majikoi)
• Mizusawa, Kei / 瑞沢渓 (Majikoi)
• Mochizuki, Rei / 持月玲依 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Morinaga, Rika / 森永理科 (Horizon)
• Murata, Tomosa / 村田知沙 (Mirai Nikki)
• Nakajima, Megumi / 中島愛 (Last Exile)
• Nakajima, Saki / 中島沙樹 (Kimi to Boku)
• Nakahara, Mai / 中原麻衣 (Horizon)
• Nazuka, Kaori / 名塚佳織 (Horizon)
• Nishi, Asuka / 西明日香 (Chibi Devi!)
• Nishizawa, Hiroka / 西沢広香 (Majikoi)
• Nitta, Emi / 新田恵海 (Horizon)
• Noda, Junko / 野田順子 (Last Exile)
• Nomizu, Iori / 野水伊織 (Maken-ki!)
• Noto, Mamiko / 能登麻美子 (Shakugan no Shana III)
• Ogura, Yui / 小倉唯 (C Cube)
• Ōhara, Momoko / 大原桃子 (Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Ōhashi, Ayuru / 大橋歩夕 (Horizon)
• Ōno, Ryōko / 小野涼子 (Mashiro-iro Symphony)
• Orikasa, Fumiko / 折笠富美子 (Last Exile)
• Ōtani, Miki / 大谷美貴 (Squid Girl 2)
• Park, Romi / 朴ロ美 [also written as Paku, Romi; 朴ろ美] (Persona 4)
• Rikimaru, Noriko / 力丸乃りこ (Mashiro-iro Symphony)
• Saitō, Momoko / 斎藤桃子 (Working’!!)
• Sakata, Kayo / 阪田佳代 (Majikoi)
• Sanada, Asami / 真田アサミ (Mirai Nikki)
• Satō, Miyuki / 佐藤美由希 (Kimi to Boku)
• Satō, Rina / 佐藤利奈 (Phi Brain)
• Sendai, Eri / 仙台エリ (Mirai Nikki)
• Seto, Asami / 瀬戸麻沙美 (Chihayafuru)
• Shimamura, Yū / 嶋村侑 (Guilty Crown)
• Shimizu, Ai / 清水愛 (Horizon)
• Shimizu, Kaori / 清水香里 (Phi Brain)
• Shindō, Kei / 真堂圭 (Horizon)
• Shintani, Ryōko / 新谷良子 (Horizon)
• Takahashi, Meguru / 高橋めぐる (Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Takahashi, Mikako / 高橋美佳子 (Chibi Devi!)
• Tamura, Mutsumi / 田村睦心 (Horizon)
• Tanaka, Rie / 田中理恵 (Squid Girl 2)
• Tomatsu, Haruka / 戸松遥 (Working’!!)
• Tomonaga, Akane / 友永朱音 (Majikoi)
• Watanabe, Akeno / 渡辺明乃 (Shakugan no Shana III)
• Watanabe, Kumiko / 渡辺久美子 (Working’!!)
• Yamada, Miho / 山田みほ (Horizon)
• Yamaguchi, Rie / 山口理恵 (Chibi Devi!)
• Yoshida, Mayumi / 吉田真弓 (Mashiro-iro Symphony)
• Yukino, Satsuki / 雪野五月 (Phi Brain)

Male seiyuu

Six roles

• Nakamura, Yūichi / 中村悠一 (Last Exile, Working’!!, Squid Girl 2, Guilty Crown, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2, Majikoi)

Four roles

• Fukuyama, Jun / 福山潤 (Horizon, Last Exile, Working’!!, Phi Brain)
• Koyasu, Takehito / 子安武人 (Horizon, Guilty Crown, Phi Brain, Bakuman 2)
• Nakata, Jōji / 中田譲治 (Fate/zero, Working’!!, Tamayura, Horizon)
• Namikawa, Daisuke / 浪川大輔 (Fate/zero, Persona 4, Hunter x Hunter, Sengoku Paradise)

Three roles

• Ishida, Akira / 石田彰 (Fate/zero, Phi Brain, Mirai Nikki)
• Kaji, Yūki / 梶裕貴 (C Cube, Guilty Crown, Kimi to Boku)
• Kamiya, Hiroshi / 神谷浩史 (Majikoi, Working’!!, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2)
• Konishi, Katsuyuki / 小西克幸 (Majikoi, Last Exile, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2)
• Miyano, Mamoru / 宮野真守 (Phi Brain, Chihayafuru, Ben-To)
• Okamoto, Nobuhiko / 岡本信彦 (Last Exile, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2, Bakuman 2)
• Ono, Daisuke / 小野大輔 (Horizon, Working’!!, Majikoi)
• Seki, Tomokazu / 関智一 (Fate/zero, Persona 4, Mirai Nikki)

Two roles

• Abe, Atsushi / 阿部敦 (Last Exile, Bakuman 2)
• Fujiwara, Keiji / 藤原啓治 (Phi Brain, Hunter x Hunter)
• Hashi, Takaya / 土師孝也 (Last Exile, Mirai Nikki)
• Hayami, Shō / 速水奨 (Fate/zero, Horizon)
• Hino, Satoshi / 日野聡 (Shakugan no Shana III, Bakuman 2)
• Horiuchi, Kenyū / 堀内賢雄 (Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2, Bakuman 2)
• Irino, Miyu / 入野自由 (Kimi to Boku, Un-Go)
• Katsu, Anri / 勝杏里 (Squid Girl 2, Guilty Crown)
• Kawahara, Yoshihisa / 川原慶久 (Mirai Nikki, Sengoku Paradise)
• Kimura, Ryōhei / 木村良平 (Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, Kimi to Boku)
• Koyama, Rikiya / 小山力也 (Fate/zero, Squid Girl 2)
• Madono, Mitsuaki / 真殿光昭 (Persona 4, Horizon)
• Maeno, Tomoaki / 前野智昭 (Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2, Maken-ki!)
• Midorikawa, Hikaru / 緑川光 (Fate/zero, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2)
• Miyake, Kenta / 三宅健太 (Shakugan no Shana III, Phi Brain)
• Mizushima, Takahiro / 水島大宙 (Mashiro-iro Symphony, Guilty Crown)
• Nojima, Hirofumi / 野島裕史 (Shakugan no Shana III, Bakuman 2)
• Shiraishi, Minoru / 白石稔 (Horizon, Mirai Nikki)
• Shimura, Tomoyuki / 志村知幸 (Bakuman 2)
• Sugita, Tomokazu / 杉田智和 (Horizon, Majikoi)
• Suwabe, Junichi / 諏訪部順一 (Majikoi, Bakuman 2)
• Tsuruoka, Satoshi / 鶴岡聡 (Fate/zero, Maken-ki!)
• Uchiyama, Kōki / 内山昴輝 (Kimi to Boku, Guilty Crown)
• Yamaguchi, Kappei / 山口勝平 (Persona 4, Majikoi)

One role

• Asanuma, Shintarō / 浅沼晋太郎 (Phi Brain)
• Bandō, Kōichi / 坂東孝一 (Chibi Devi!)
• Domon, Jin / 土門仁 (Mirai Nikki)
• Ebara, Masashi / 江原正士 (Shakugan no Shana III)
• Eguchi, Takuya / 江口拓也 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Fujita, Yoshinori / 藤田圭宣 (Majikoi)
• Gotō, Tetsuo / 後藤哲夫 (Squid Girl 2)
• Hamada, Kenji / 浜田賢二 (Bakuman 2)
• Hatano, Wataru / 羽多野渉 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Hirakawa, Daisuke / 平川大輔 (Horizon)
• Hiramatsu, Hirokazu / 平松広和 (Mirai Nikki)
• Hori, Taiki / 堀大希 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Hoshi, Sōichirō / 保志総一朗 (Chibi Devi!)
• Hosoya, Yoshimasa / 細谷佳正 (Chihayafuru)
• Inada, Tetsu / 稲田徹 (Last Exile)
• Ishizuka, Unshō / 石塚運昇 (Persona 4)
• Itō, Kentarō / 伊藤健太郎 (Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Iwata, Mitsuo / 岩田光央 (Shakugan no Shana III)
• Kajikawa, Shōhei / 梶川翔平 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Kakihara, Tetsuya / 柿原徹也 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Kanbara, Daichi / 神原大地 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Katsuji, Ryō / 勝地涼 (Un-Go)
• Kawada, Shinji / 川田紳司 (Bakuman 2)
• Kazama, Yūto / 風間勇刀 (Bakuman 2)
• KENN (Last Exile)
• Kirii, Daisuke / 桐井大介 (Bakuman 2)
• Kishio, Daisuke / 岸尾だいすけ (Phi Brain)
• Kobushi, Nobuyuki / こぶしのぶゆき (Horizon)
• Kondō, Takashi / 近藤隆 (Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2)
• Kondō, Takayuki / 近藤孝行 (Shakugan no Shana III)
• Koyama, Tsuyoshi / 小山剛志 (Horizon)
• Kuroda, Takashi / 黒田崇矢 (Horizon)
• Kusao, Takeshi / 草尾毅 (Majikoi)
• Kusumi, Naomi / 楠見尚己 (Horizon)
• Kusunoki, Taiten / 楠大典 (Horizon)
• Matsukaze, Masaya / 松風雅也 (Last Exile)
• Miki, Shinichirō / 三木眞一郎 (Un-Go)
• Miyashita, Eiji / 宮下栄治 (Horizon)
• Miyata, Kōki / 宮田幸季 (Phi Brain)
• Morikawa, Toshiyuki / 森川智之 (Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi 2)
• Morikubo, Shōtarō / 森久保祥太郎 (Persona 4)
• Morita, Masakazu / 森田成一 (Bakuman 2)
• Murata, Daishi /  村田大志 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Nara, Tooru / 奈良徹 (Chihayafuru)
• Nojima, Kenji / 野島健児 (Shakugan no Shana III)
• Okamoto, Hiroshi / 岡本寛志 (Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Okiayu, Ryōtarō / 置鮎龍太郎 (Fate/zero)
• Okitsu, Kazuyuki / 興津和幸 (Last Exile)
• Ono, Yūki / 小野友樹 (Kimi to Boku)
• Ōsaka, Ryōta / 逢坂良太 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Ōtsuka, Akio / 大塚明夫 (Fate/zero)
• Saitō, Sōma / 斉藤壮馬 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Sakaguchi, Daisuke / 阪口大助 (Guilty Crown)
• Sakurai, Takahiro / 櫻井孝宏 (Phi Brain)
• Sasaki, Seiji / 佐々木誠二 (Squid Girl 2)
• Sagawa, Naoki / 狭川尚紀 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Shimono, Hiro / 下野紘 (Ben-To)
• Shingaki, Tarusuke / 新垣樽助 (Fate/zero)
• Suyama, Akio / 陶山章央 (Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Suzumura, Kenichi / 鈴村健一 (Majikoi)
• Tachibana, Shinnosuke / 立花慎之介 (Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi)
• Takada, Yūji / 高田裕司 (Horizon)
• Takaguchi, Kōsuke / 高口公介 (Guilty Crown)
• Takaoka, Binbin / 高岡瓶々 (Majikoi)
• Takeuchi, Ryōta / 竹内良太 (Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Tanaka, Masahiko / 田中正彦 (Mirai Nikki)
• Taniyama, Kishō / 谷山紀章 (Phi Brain)
• Terashima, Takuma / 寺島拓篤 (C Cube)
• Tobita, Nobuo / 飛田展男 (Majikoi)
• Toriumi, Kōsuke / 鳥海浩輔 (Kimi to Boku)
• Tone, Kentarō / 利根健太朗 (Bakuman 2)
• Toyonaga, Toshiyuki / 豊永利行 (Kimi to Boku)
• Wakamoto, Norio / 若本規夫 (Mirai Nikki)
• Yabe, Masashi / 矢部雅史 (Phi Brain)
• Yamamoto, Kanehira / 山本兼平 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Yamazaki, Takumi / 山崎たくみ (Fate/zero)
• Yanagida, Junichi / 柳田淳一 (Sengoku Paradise)
• Yanai, Hitoshi / 箭内仁 (Cross Fight B-Daman)
• Yonaga, Tsubasa / 代永翼 (Chihayafuru)
• Yoshino, Hiroyuki / 吉野裕行 (Chibi Devi!)
• Yusa, Kōji / 遊佐浩二 (Majikoi)

Another season of anime is near, and again I’ve tried to put together a resource for people who want to know how their favourite voice actors are doing. There are notes about casts and actors at the beginning of this post, and there is a list at the end. The list and this post will be updated until the season begins.

Couple of notes: firstly, I’ve used macrons for the names of the seiyuu but nowhere else. (I’m only using macrons in the first place because I needed to romanise names consistently so I’d be able to order them alphabetically.) Show names have been romanised however I’ve see them romanised most. Secondly, the list has men this time! I didn’t really write notes on the male actors, though, because I don’t follow them as much and also because this post was already very long.

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy. Let me know if I’ve missed anything. Liberal use of control-F is advised.

All of the images except the one of Iori Nomizu are from Koebooru.

Edit 5 June: Nurarihyon no Mago 2 cast added. Notably, everyone’s favourite Satomi Arai is back to work, and Jun Fukuyama and Yui Horie join the group of actors with three roles or more this season. Edit 7 June: Baka Test 2 and more of the Nekogami Yaoyorozu cast added. Ayana Taketatsu, Yoshino Nanjō (lead vocalist of fripSide, Kanako in Hourou Musuko, Kokoro in Milky Holmes) and Takuma Terashima join the 3+ roles group. (2nd) Edit 7 June: No. 6 additional cast details have been out for a few days but I forgot to add them. Notables: Rei Sakuma (Ranma 1/2‘s Shampoo, To aru Majutsu no Index‘s Lidvia), Shinichiro Miki (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood‘s Roy Mustang, Gundam 00‘s Lockon) and Sumire Morohoshi (the 12-year-old who won many hearts last year as Kuragehime‘s Clara). Edit 8 June: Couple more R-15 cast members. Iori Nomizu now has 3 roles. Edit 10 June: Couple more Ro-Kyu-Bu! cast members. Kanae Itō and Mamiko Noto both now have 3 roles. In other Ro-Kyu-Bu! news, here is a video of the lead voice actresses dancing to the opening theme. Yui Ogura (in the number 8 singlet) is the professional dancer. Kana Hanazawa is wearing number 4, Yuka Iguchi is number 5, Yōko Hikasa is number 6, and Rina Hidaka is number 7. Edit 22 June: New Mawaru PenguinDrum and Mayo Chiki! cast members. The popular Minori Chihara (Haruhi‘s Yuki) gets her first role of the season, while another role raises Miyuki Sawashiro to the very top of the pack. To the men, Ryōhei Kimura is the newest member of the 3+ roles group; he’ll take on a lead role in Mawaru PenguinDrum. Edit 25 June: Added more Kamisama Dolls and Morita-san wa Mukuchi cast members. Ayahi Takagaki now has three roles, on par with Sphere co-member Aki Toyosaki. I’m also adding two roles for Rie Yamaguchi, an up-and-comer who debuted in 2009. She sung the ED for Kore wa Zombie desu ka? and has done a little bit of work in a good deal of shows this year. Edit 29 June: Added Double J cast. Chiaki Omigawa (perhaps the most polarising voice actress in Western fandom; I’m in the ‘not a fan’ camp) and Ayuru Ōhashi (whose work I dislike with a passion) are in major roles. Ayana Taketatsu ascends to the top of the pack with a fourth role, Emiri Katō gets a third role; roles for Kaori Ishihara (part of duo YuiKaori with Yui Ogura, Reki in Hidan no Aria), Miyu Matsuki, Ryō Hirohashi.

Individuals

Among those leading the female seiyuu pack this season are Ai Kayano (茅野愛衣), Miyuki Sawashiro (沢城みゆき), Aki Toyosaki (豊崎愛生), Kana Hanazawa (花澤香菜) and Misato Fukuen (福圓美里). Ai Kayano made her anime debut just last year. She generally uses a high, mellow voice with an almost maternal quality to it, but showed off a saccharine drawl and some emoting in AnoHana as Menma. It appears J.C. Staff in particular has taken notice of her; she’s had roles in To aru Majutsu no Index II (Itsuwa, a small role which will become bigger in the inevitable future season/s), Dream Eater Merry (Isana), and now Kamisama no Memochou. I don’t think her work sounds particularly accomplished, but I do feel she is improving steadily. 2011 has been undoubtedly her breakout year, and this season will help her continue to make a name for herself.

Miyuki Sawashiro, on the other hand, has been voice acting since 1999, despite being just 26 years old this year. She does great things with her voice: she can sound mature or childish or in between, and can vary the power and emotion in her voice nicely. She showed off her well-known velvety voice recently as Celty in Durarara!! and as Saeko in High School of The Dead, and was also the dorm mistress (a.k.a. God) in Maria Holic, Shinku in Rozen Maiden and Shinkuro in Kurenai. She’s a fan favourite (even winning the Overseas Fans’ Choice Award at the most recent Seiyuu Awards), and deservedly so.

Aki Toyosaki is best known as K-on!’s Yui Hirasawa, and 2011 is shaping up as one of the best years of her career to date. As Yui I felt she was overly sweet, but she’s proven she can sound very different with Beelzebub’s Aoi and Hourou Musuko’s Momoko. And as far as moe archetypes go, she’s (almost) done it all. She’s been genki girls, shy girls, ditzes, ojous, lolis, shotas, cat-eared aliens… She also sings, both as a solo artist – her debut album came out on June 1 – and as a member of idol group Sphere.

Kana Hanazawa’s ubiquity is basically such that if you haven’t heard her voice, you probably haven’t watched a lot of anime since 2009. Love it or hate it, her voice is undeniably very cute, and it seems like most love it. I’m not a fan, but I must admit that she’s grown into an actress capable of delivering sound (harr de harr) performances. Last season, she was head and shoulders in front of every other seiyuu in terms of number of roles. She was Yuki in Moshidora, Shiro in Deadman Wonderland, Shiemi in Blue Exorcist, Noir in Dog Days, Mayuri in Steins;Gate, Nanako in Hen Zemi, and Fumika in Seikon no Qwaser 2.

In my mind, nothing really stands out about Misato Fukuen. However, she’s been working for over 10 years – since she was in her late teens – and in that time has played a handful of well-liked characters (Yin in Darker than Black, Yoshika in Strike Witches, Eve in Black Cat, Hime in Yozakura Quartet, to name a few). She’s a solid performer, too, so I expect she’ll do some at least satisfactory work. This year has been alright for her, with a regular spot in the currently airing Pokemon series and a main role in Showa Monogatari.

Iori Nomizu (野水伊織) has a couple of roles this season. She was Haruna in Kore wa Zombie desu ka? and Minatsuki in Deadman Wonderland. Kadokawa seem to be shoving her into whatever they can, maybe because of her willingness to appear at cast events and cosplay as her characters. I felt she was disappointing and very inconsistent as Minatsuki but also that she showed some flashes of talent. I think she has potential, so I’ll keep an ear out for her… but I’m not expecting much.

Starring alongside Ai Kayano – one of the pack-leaders – in Kamisama no Memochou is Yui Ogura (小倉唯), a fifteen-year-old idol and trained dancer. She was Mint in Yumeiro Patissiere, and I’d describe her voice as a cutesy burble. I can sort of see myself enjoying her performance in Kamisama no Memochou if she doesn’t have to pile on the sweetness and if she can actually, you know, act. It’ll at least be fun to hear a character played by an actor about their age.

Cast Notes

• For Ro-Kyu-Bu!, an idol team consisting of Kana Hanazawa, Rina Hidaka (a teenager with a sugary voice; she was Mizuno in Star Driver and Last Order in To Aru Majutsu no Index), Yuka Iguchi (the eponymous Index), Yōko Hikasa (gained most of her fan base as Mio in K-on!, but mostly plays girls with very different personality types), and Yui Ogura has been formed. Also on board are Yūki Kaji and the very good Shizuka Itō.
• Nyanpire’s main cast members were all in Code Geass (Ami Koshimizu was Kallen, Jun Fukuyama was Lelouch, Noriaki Sugiyama was Rivalz, Yūko Gotō was Anya Alstreim). Also in the mix is Nozomi Maeda, a model/idol/actress who turns 18 in the middle of June.
• Yuruyuri stars four young voice actresses who will also sing the OP and ED together. Rumi Ōkubo (Freezing‘s Kaho, Suite Precure‘s Ako) sounds like Ayana Taketatsu-lite a lot of the time and is getting some roles under her belt. Minami Tsuda was Phryne in Fractale, Shiori Mikami was Masumi in Kampfer, and we’ll hear Yuka Ōtsubo here in her debut role about a month after she turns 18.
• Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel’s main six voice actresses are experienced. Mamiko Noto, Yukari Tamura, Ryōka Yuzuki and Ryōko Shintani were together in Mai-Hime and Mai-Otome (as Yukino, Midori, Haruka and Aoi respectively), and Rie Kugimiya and Yui Horie need no introduction.
• Horie will also star opposite Haruka Tomatsu (AnoHana’s Anaru, Hanasaku Iroha’s Yuina) in Nekogami Yaoyorozu, with the two singing the OP together and Tomatsu singing the ED alone. Ai Kayano, Aki Toyosaki, Ayana Taketatsu (K-on!’s Azusa, Dog Days’s Eclair), Yūko Sanpei (Qwaser’s Sasha, Eureka Seven’s Renton), and MAKO (Kamichu!’s Yurie, Sora Kake Girl’s Akiha) join them.
• R-15’s most experienced cast member is Aya Gōda (2009 debutant; was Kiddy Girl-and’s Q-feuille, Kore wa Zombie desu ka?’s Salas) and second most experienced cast member is Midori Tsukimiya (Kore wa Zombie desu ka?’s Hellscythe, her only role to date and she barely spoke). All the other cast members look to be in their first roles.
• Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi’s male cast (Shinnosuke Tachibana, Jun Fukuyama, Yūichi Nakamura) is stronger than its female cast. The women involved are Megumi Takamoto (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s Winry, Sket Dance’s Mimori), Iori Nomizu, Mina (Sora no Otoshimono’s Sohara, the doctor in Deadman Wonderland; playing a childhood friend role again here), Chika Horikawa (Nichijou’s Misato, Deadman Wonderland’s Kyoko; has a lisp) and Aya Gōda.
• Ikoku Meiro no Croisee has an appealing female cast headed by Nao Tōyama (The World God Only Knows’ Kanon, Star Driver’s Jaguar). I think she sounds nice in the trailer, and I usually find super-sweet voices like the one she’s using sickening. Backing her up are the versatile Aoi Yūki (Madoka’s Madoka, Gosick’s Victorique; considered by more than a few fans to be one of the most talented young seiyuu) and Sayuri Yahagi (Seitokai Yakuindomo’s Suzu, Softenni’s Elizabeth).
• No. 6’s two male leads are played by Yūki Kaji (Durarara!!’s Walker, Deadman Wonderland’s Yoh) and Yoshimasa Hosoya (Katanagatari’s Shichika, Level E’s Yukitaka). Both are under 30, and both have young-ish careers. Hosoya started in the mid 2000s but got his first lead roles last year, while Kaji got his first lead in 2006. From what I’ve heard, I think both of them are capable enough.
• The other Noitamina show, Usagi Drop, has Hiroshi Tsuchida – an experienced dubber – starring opposite Ayu Matsuura, a 10-year-old child actress (link to her in a commercial). They’ll be well supported by pros Sayaka Ohara (Aria’s Alicia, xxxHolic’s Yuuko), Kana Ueda (Fate/stay night’s Rin, Saki’s Saki) and Maaya Sakamoto (Kara no Kyoukai’s Shiki, Arakawa Under the Bridge’s Nino).
• Megumi Nakajima (Macross Frontier’s Ranka, Kampfer’s Kaede) sounds unimpressive in Sacred Seven’s trailer. I’ve never been a fan of her voice work, though.
• Shockingly, Nobuhiko Okamoto (Index’s Accelerator, Blue Exorcist’s Rin) is not playing the light-haired psychopath in Kamisama Dolls; Ryōhei Kimura (Eden of the East’s Akira, Natsume Yuujinchou’s Satoru) is doing that. Instead, Okamoto is the protagonist. Ai Kayano is his love interest, Misato Fukuen is his younger sister, and Miyuki Sawashiro is a slightly odd university student.

List

Female seiyuu

Four roles

Hanazawa, Kana / 花澤香菜 (Mayo Chiki!, Ro-Kyu-Bu!, Kamisama Dolls, Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Sawashiro, Miyuki / 沢城みゆき (Dantalian no Shoka, Kamisama Dolls, Uta no Prince-sama, Mayo Chiki!)

Taketatsu, Ayana / 竹達彩奈 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Yuruyuri, Baka Test 2, Double J)

Three roles

Fukuen, Misato / 福圓美里 (Kamisama Dolls, Blood-C, Manyuu Hikenchou)

Horie, Yui / 堀江由衣 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel, Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Itō, Kanae / 伊藤かな恵 (Sacred Seven, Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Ro-Kyu-Bu!)

Katō, Emiri / 加藤英美里 (Yuruyuri, Baka Test 2, Double J)

Kayano, Ai / 茅野愛衣 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Kamisama Dolls, Kamisama no Memochou)

Nanjō, Yoshino / 南條愛乃 (Morita-san wa Mukuchi, Baka Test 2, Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Nomizu, Iori / 野水伊織 (Sacred Seven, Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi, R-15)

Noto, Mamiko / 能登麻美子 (Manyuu Hikenchou, Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel, Ro-Kyu-Bu!)

Takagaki, Ayahi / 高垣彩陽 (Manyuu Hikenchou, Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Kamisama Dolls)

Toyosaki, Aki / 豊崎愛生 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Manyuu Hikenchou, Yuruyuri)

Yamaguchi, Rie / 山口理恵 (Sacred Seven, Kamisama Dolls, Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Two roles

Arai, Satomi / 新井里美 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2, Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Asumi, Kana / 阿澄佳奈 (Mayo Chiki!, Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Gōda, Aya / 合田彩 (Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi, R-15)

Hirata, Mana / 平田真菜 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2, Baka Test 2)

Iguchi, Yuka / 井口裕香 (Mayo Chiki!, Ro-Kyu-Bu!)

Kugimiya, Rie / 釘宮理恵 (The Idolm@ster, Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel)

Ogura, Yui / 小倉唯 (Kamisama no Memochou, Ro-Kyu-Bu!)

Mikami, Shiori / 三上枝織 (Yuruyuri, Sacred Seven)

Mizuhashi, Kaori / 水橋かおり (Baka Test 2, Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Nanase, Ami / 七瀬亜深 (Sacred Seven, Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Sakamoto, Maaya / 坂本真綾 (Usagi Drop, Blade)

Shimoda, Asami / 下田麻美 (The Idolm@ster, Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Tomatsu, Haruka / 戸松遥 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

One role

Akasaki, Chinatsu / 赤﨑千夏 (Sacred Seven)

Arakawa, Miho / 荒川美穂 (Mawaru PenguinDrum)

Ariga, Yui / 有賀由衣 (R-15)

Asakura, Azumi / 浅倉杏美 (The Idolm@ster)

Asano, Masumi / 浅野真澄 (Blood-C)

Chihara, Minori / 茅原実里 (Mayo Chiki!)

Fujita, Saki / 藤田咲 (Yuruyuri)

Fujita, Yumiko / 藤田由美子 (Sacred Seven)

Fukuhara, Yurina / 福原由莉奈 (R-15)

Gotō, Yūko / 後藤邑子 (Nyanpire)

Hara, Yumi / 原由実 (The Idolm@ster)

Harada, Hitomi / 原田ひとみ (Baka Test 2)

Hasegawa, Akiko / 長谷川明子 (The Idolm@ster)

Hayami, Saori / 早見沙織 (Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Hayashi, Saori / 林沙織 (Sacred Seven)

Hidaka, Rina / 日高里菜 (Ro-Kyu-Bu!)

Hikasa, Yōko / 日笠陽子 (Ro-Kyu-Bu!)

Hiraga, Mie / 平賀三恵 (Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Hirano, Aya / 平野綾 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Hirata, Hiromi / 平田宏美 (The Idolm@ster)

Hirohashi, Ryō / 広橋涼 (Double J)

Hirota, Shion / 廣田詩夢 (Nyanpire)

Horikawa, Chika / 堀川千華 (Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi)

Imai, Asami / 今井麻美 (The Idolm@ster)

Imai, Yuka / 今井由香 (Uta no Prince-sama)

Inoue, Kikuko / 井上喜久子 (Baka Test 2)

Ise, Mariya / 伊瀬茉莉也 (Mayo Chiki!)

Ishihara, Kaori / 石原夏織 (Double J)

Isomura, Tomomi / 磯村知美 (Baka Test 2)

Itō, Shizuka / 伊藤静 (Ro-Kyu-Bu!)

Kakazu, Yumi / かかずゆみ (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Kanemoto, Hisako / 金元寿子 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Kashiyama, Nanami / 柏山奈々美 (R-15)

Kitamura, Eri / 喜多村英梨 (Mayo Chiki!)

Kobayashi, Sanae / 小林沙苗 (Natsume Yuujinchou 3)

Kobayashi, Yū / 小林ゆう(Double J)

Kobayashi, Yumiko / 小林由美子 (Kamisama Dolls)

Komatsu, Mana / 小松真奈 (R-15)

Koshimizu, Ami / 小清水亜美 (Nyanpire)

Kotobuki, Minako / 寿美菜子 (Manyuu Hikenchou)

Maeda, Ai / 前田愛 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Maeda, Nozomi / 前田希美 (Nyanpire)

MAKO (Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Matsuki, Miyu / 松来未祐 (Double J)

Matsuura, Ayu / 松浦愛弓 (Usagi Drop)

Mimori, Suzuko / 三森すずこ (Yuruyuri)

Mina / 美名 (Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi)

Miyagawa, Miho / 宮川美保 (Blood-C)

Miyake, Marie / 三宅麻理恵 (Mawaru PenguinDrum)

Mizuhara, Kaoru / 水原薫 (Manyuu Hikenchou)

Mizuki, Nana / 水樹奈々 (Blood-C)

Mizuno, Risa / 水野理紗 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Morohoshi, Sumire / 諸星すみれ (No. 6)

Murai, Risako / 村井理沙子 (R-15)

Murakami, Madoka / 村上まどか (R-15)

Nabatame, Hitomi / 生天目仁美 (Kamisama no Memochou)

Nakajima, Megumi / 中島愛 (Sacred Seven)

Nakamura, Eriko / 中村繪里子 (The Idolm@ster)

Nakano, Miho / なかの美穂 (Sacred Seven)

Nigo, Mayako / 仁後真耶子 (The Idolm@ster)

Numakura, Manami / 沼倉愛美 (The Idolm@ster)

Ōhara, Sayaka / 大原さやか (Usagi Drop)

Ōhashi, Ayuru / 大橋歩夕 (Double J)

Ōkubo, Rumi / 大久保瑠美 (Yuruyuri)

Omigawa, Chiaki / 小見川千明 (Double J)

Ōtsubo, Yuka / 大坪由佳 (Yuruyuri)

Sakuma, Rei / 佐久間レイ(No. 6)

Sanpei, Yūko / 三瓶由布子 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Satō, Amina / 佐藤亜美菜 (Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Satō, Kanami / 佐藤奏美 (Double J)

Shindō, Kei / 真堂圭 (No. 6)

Shintani, Ryōko / 新谷良子 (Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel)

Takahashi, Chiaki / たかはし智秋 (The Idolm@ster)

Takamoto, Megumi / 高本めぐみ (Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi)

Tamura, Yukari / 田村ゆかり (Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel)

Tanaka, Manami / 田中真奈美 (Sacred Seven)

Tanaka, Rie / 田中理恵 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Tanaka, Ryōko / 田中涼子 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Tokunaga, Ai / 徳永愛 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Tōyama, Nao / 東山奈央 (Ikoku Meiro no Croisee)

Tozuka, Rie / 戸塚利絵 (Sacred Seven)

Tsuda, Minami / 津田美波 (Yuruyuri)

Tsukimiya, Midori / 月宮みどり (R-15)

Tsumita, Kayoko / 積田かよ子 (R-15)

Ueda, Kana / 植田佳奈 (Usagi Drop)

Wakabayashi, Naomi / 若林直美 (The Idolm@ster)

Yahagi, Sayuri / 矢作紗友里 (Ikoku Meiro no Croisee)

Yasuno, Kiyono / 安野希世乃 (No. 6)

Yūki, Aoi / 悠木碧 (Ikoku Meiro no Croisee)

Yuzuki, Ryōka / 柚木涼香 (Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel)

Male seiyuu

Three roles

Fukuyama, Jun / 福山潤 (Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi, Nyanpire, Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Kaji, Yūki / 梶裕貴 (Uta no Prince-sama, Ro-Kyu-Bu!, No. 6)

Kimura, Ryōhei / 木村良平 (Natsume Yuujinchou 3, Kamisama Dolls, Mawaru PenguinDrum)

Terashima, Takuma / 寺島拓篤 (Sacred Seven, Uta no Prince-sama, Baka Test 2)

Two roles

Fujiwara, Keiji / 藤原啓治 (Blood-C, Mayo Chiki!)

Konishi, Katsuyuki / 小西克幸 (Sacred Seven, Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Miyata, Kōki / 宮田幸季 (Kamisama no Memochou, Baka Test 2)

Nakamura, Yūichi / 中村悠一 (Uta no Prince-sama, Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi)

Okamoto, Nobuhiko / 岡本信彦 (Sacred Seven, Kamisama Dolls)

Ōkawa, Tōru / 大川透 (Sacred Seven, Manyuu Hikenchou)

Ono, Daisuke / 小野大輔 (Dantalian no Shoka, Kamisama no Memochou)

Ōtsuka, Akio / 大塚明夫 (Blade, Baka Test 2)

Sakurai, Takahiro / 櫻井孝宏 (Kamisama no Memochou, Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Shimono, Hiro / 下野紘 (Uta no Prince-sama, Baka Test 2)

Suwabe, Junichi / 諏訪部順一 (Uta no Prince-sama, Natsume Yuujinchou 3)

Suzuki, Tatsuhisa / 鈴木達央 (Blood-C, Baka Test 2)

Tachibana, Shinnosuke / 立花慎之介 (Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi, Nyanpire)

Taniyama, Kishō / 谷山紀章 (Uta no Prince-sama, Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Toriumi, Kōsuke / 鳥海浩輔 (Uta no Prince-sama, Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Yusa, Kōji / 遊佐浩二 (Uta no Prince-sama, Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

One role

Abe, Atsushi / 阿部敦 (Blood-C)

Hamada, Kenji / 浜田賢二 (Manyuu Hikenchou)

Hino, Satoshi / 日野聡 (Mayo Chiki!)

Hiyama, Nobuyuki / 檜山修之 (Double J)

Horie, Kazuma / 堀江一眞 (Natsume Yuujinchou 3)

Hoshi, Sōichiro / 保志総一朗 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Hosoya, Yoshimasa / 細谷佳正 (No. 6)

Inoue, Kazuhiko / 井上和彦 (Natsume Yuujinchou 3)

Irino, Miyu / 入野自由 (Sacred Seven)

Ishida, Akira / 石田彰 (Natsume Yuujinchou 3)

Isobe, Tsutomu / 磯部勉 (Blade)

Kakihara, Tetsuya / 柿原徹也 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Kamiya, Hiroshi / 神谷浩史 (Natsume Yuujinchou 3)

Ki, Masatoshi / 紀昌利 (Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Kimura, Subaru / 木村昴 (Mawaru PenguinDrum)

Kondō, Takashi / 近藤隆 (Ikoku Meiro no Croisee)

Kubota, Ryūichi / 久保田竜一 (Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Majima, Junji / 間島淳司 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Matsukaze, Masaya / 松風雅也 (Kamisama no Memochou)

Matsuoka, Yoshitsugu / 松岡禎丞 (Kamisama no Memochou)

Matsuyama, Takashi / 松山鷹志 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Miki, Shinichiro / 三木眞一郎 (No. 6)

Miyano, Mamoru / 宮野真守 (Uta no Prince-sama)

Mogami, Tsuguo / 最上嗣生 (Mayo Chiki!)

Murase, Katsuki / 村瀬克輝 (Kamisama Dolls)

Naitō, Ryō / 内藤玲 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Nakata, Jōji / 中田譲治 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Nojima, Kenji / 野島健児 (Blood-C)

Okiayu, Ryōtarō / 置鮎龍太郎 (Nekogami Yaoyorozu)

Ono, Atsushi / 斧アツシ (Manyuu Hikenchou)

Onosaka, Masaya / 小野坂昌也 (Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel)

Ōtsuka, Chikao / 大塚周夫 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Ōshita, Kōta / 大下孝太  (Morita-san wa Mukuchi)

Saka, Osamu / 阪脩 (Blade)

Suganuma, Hisayoshi / 菅沼久義 (Natsume Yuujinchou 3)

Sugita, Tomokazu / 杉田智和 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Sugiyama, Noriaki / 杉山紀彰 (Nyanpire)

Suzumura, Kenichi / 鈴村健一 (Uta no Prince-sama)

Tanaka, Hideyuki / 田中秀幸 (Ikoku Meiro no Croisee)

Teraoma, Masaki / てらそままさき (No. 6)

Tsuchida, Hiroshi / 土田大 (Usagi Drop)

Tsuda, Kenjiro / 津田 健次郎 (Baka Test 2)

Tsuji, Shinpachi / 辻親八 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Wakamoto, Norio / 若本規夫 (Uta no Prince-sama)

Yabe, Masashi / 矢部雅史 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Yasumoto, Hiroki / 安元洋貴 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Yoshino, Hiroyuki / 吉野裕行 (Nurarihyon no Mago 2)

Alright, so we’re pretty much on the eve of the start of the Spring 2011 season, which means it’s time for our previews. Below, you’ll read what each of the 4 of us think of the many many shows that are coming up. It seems that noitaminA is creating great anticipation again with its financial thriller [C] The Money of Soul and Possibility Control, and the much hyped urban fantasy/scifi thriller Steins;Gate has caught our attention. We fork in our interests quite a bit from there, which is expected given the huge number of shows next season, but studio Shaft’s works seem to be on all our radars, a sign of the respect it’s earned over the past 2 years.

Rakuen

I would like to start by saying there is entirely too much anime airing this season. This is both good and bad. On the positive side, with at least 48 series listed on the latest guide I found, there’s a little something for everyone. If you can’t find a show you’re remotely interested in here, anime might not be your thing. On the negative side, it also makes it very difficult for me to watch everything I want to see. Right now, I have 15 series on my list. I am a little enthusiastic about 7 of them, while I’m definitely ready to try out the remaining 8. I expect to see this number dwindle rapidly. 7.5 hours of anime viewing per week is almost impossible to keep up to date, let alone remembering all the characters, plots and so on. Enough of my kvetching. I should get into the meat of my little segment.

I decided to order my lists by airing date, starting with the series I have a little interest in watching. Dog Days occupies the earliest spot on the list. I expect this to quickly devolve into harem territory, but I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for the summoned hero bit. Next up is the new season of Kaiji. The titular character participates in a gambling event where the stakes are his life. Joojoobees piqued my interest in his post about the first season, but I haven’t gotten to it. So, this go on the Want to Watch list by default. Then, we have Hidan no Aria, which gets a first episode watch based solely on adorable girls with lethal weapons.

A Channel seems to be going with a typical four-girl band for a school comedy, but it is a school comedy, so I’ll give it a shot. The little one, Tooru, also has a baseball bat that shows up all over the promo art… so it could be interesting. Next, we have Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, or in shorter terms, a new Shaft show. I loved Soredemo, but didn’t like Arakawa. This seems to lean more towards the latter, what with the main girl insisting she’s an alien. Ao no Exorcist continues the “son of Satan will fight his fate” trend. I wonder if this theme comes up because many people have a desire to fight their own fates. What better example is there than the son of evil trying to do good? Finally, The World God Only Knows rounds out this portion of the list. I went back to finish the first season, which means the series did hold some interest for me. I just don’t know if it can do it for another 12 episodes.

The rest of my list comprises of shows I have stronger interest in, and Moshidora has the “earliest” airdate. Giant Killing got me into sports anime, and Big Windup has continued to strengthen my view of the genre. Like Big Windup, we have a female manager trying to lead a baseball club to victory. However, its airdate has been postponed, so it might have to wait for a later season. KyoAni’s Nichijou also airs this season, but I didn’t even realize they animated it until I started writing this. The synopsis itself got me hooked. A principal might wrestle a deer? This is a school comedy I’ve got to see! Hana-Saku Iroha kind of reminds me of Love Hina with the hot springs centric plot, but that’s where the similarities end. It looks like it completely lacks the male lead, meaning no harem, and the plot sounds more focused on drama. I think both of those aspects are Good Things. Showa Monogatari adds another drama to my list with its family orientation and historical setting. This is a more tentative entry on my list, but the Olympic setting piqued my interest.

Now we’re to two of my most anticipated shows. First, STEINS;GATE, which just looks phenomenally awesome in both the artwork and the synopsis. It has the whole time-travel thing, as well as the struggle for survival with the SERN organization on their tails. I get a little Persona vibe from it too, but it might only be me. Sket Dance is yet another school series, but this one stood out from the pack. The premise reminds me of Haruhi, except with less aliens, time travelers, and espers. Unlike the rest, this has the best chance of a strong overarching plot, which I’m really hoping happens. If someone who’s read the manga could confirm it, it’d be much appreciated. Returning to the outlier series on my list, there’s C, plus its long title. It’s got an economically crapsack Japan and a main character who gets sucked into the shuffle. Sounds interesting, and with its noitaminA slot, I’ve got hopes for it. Last, but not least, is Deadman Wonderland. The fight for survival premise fittingly relates to the old Coliseum. It could have a bit too much violence for my tastes, but want to give it a good shot.

Looking back at my list, there’s plenty of comedy, action, and drama with a variety of premises. This could very well be my most anticipated season since I first got into currently airing shows. I hope school and work don’t kick my ass too hard, so I can have the time to watch all these shows.

Top 3: Steins;Gate, Sket Dance, C

lvlln

There sure are a lot of shows coming out next season, but somehow the only ones I’m looking forward to are the sequels: The World God Only Knows, Maria+Holic Alive, and the Kampfer specials.

Just kidding; besides those 3, We Still Don’t Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day (AnoHana) on noitaminA’s block sounds like it has potential, simply for being a real-life drama on noitaminA. Oh, and it also contains a character type that’s near and dear to the hearts of everyone here on this site, a hikikomori. Then again, noitaminA has been really hit or miss lately, with the trainwreck that is Fractale and the hugely disappointing Kuragehime, even if AIC’s Wandering Son is absolutely knocking it out of the park this season. AnoHana is being made by A-1 Pictures, which is responsible for some pretty poor shows such as Kannagi and last year’s Anime no Chikara duo Sora no Woto and Occult Academy, so I’m very prepared to be disappointed. Still, the director has A Certain Scientific Railgun on his resume, and that didn’t suck too much, and I’ve heard his Toradora! did drama well.

Besides that, only 2 other non-sequels have caught my eye: Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko and Steins;Gate. Denpa Onna because it’s Shaft, even if it sounds just like another version of Arakawa Under the Bridge, which turned out… alright. Steins;Gate because I’ve read some other people really excited about it. Plus, I like modern-day scifi stories.

But really, the sequels are what I’m looking forward to.

The World God Only Knows was a surprisingly entertaining show for which didn’t have a bit of faith in going in. But Keima’s cynical, almost nihilistic personality combined with his occasional outbursts made for good comedy. A show that was as meta as that could have been a lot more meaningful, sure, but it was a fine source of dumb laughs. The 1st season ended on a planned cliffhanger, and though I doubt the pickle Keima got into will last more than an episode, I look forward to seeing how he will continue to add to his transient harem.

What I liked about Maria+Holic was Asami Sanada‘s Kanako, the perverted lesbian man hating protagonist. Her smooth, soft voice is unique, and seeing her character constantly abused somehow didn’t get old. Didn’t hurt that it was Yuu Kobayashi as Maria doing the abusing. She plays male characters well, and she does crazy well, too. Then there’s Marina Inoue as Matsurika. I like to think of it as a gay Stalker-tan being forced to live with an abusive Kaere and her snarky maid Symmetrical-tan. What more whacky antics will these 3 and the rest of the cast get into?

And bottom of the sequel list is Kampfer. Now here’s a show that was pure guilty pleasure. Looking for things like action, plot, character development, or meaningful relationships was a fruitless endeavor. I just loved seeing Natsuru and his/her thick head be dragged around by his psychotic harem. And this show’s cast is pretty much a who’s who list of female voice actors right now. I wish they’d do a 2nd season instead of just a couple episodes, but I suppose they’ll do.

Top 3: The World God Only Knows, Maria+Holic Alive, We Still Don’t Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day

Raphael

Pleasantly, there’s a good bit of original anime in this crop. Tiger & Bunny is among them and has received more press for the large amount of product placement it’ll employ than for the fact that Sunrise is doing a superhero show. I’m hoping it will be fun and won’t drag. Another of these original shows is Dog Days by the team behind Nanoha. The setting and premise don’t appeal to me, but I may well give it a whirl; it’ll probably at least look nice. The most promising of this lot in my eyes is C. Strong staff, very interesting premise, noitaminA. Unfortunately, the trailer didn’t meet my expectations, with the wonderful character designs not translating as well as I’d hoped and the animation looking a tad under par. It’s still the season’s series I’m most eagerly awaiting. The last two original anime, Hana-saku Iroha (which, judging by trailers, will look stunning) and AnoHana seem to fall squarely into the slice of life/drama genre zone. They also have the same head writer in Mari Okada. Both could be enjoyable if done well, but I feel like both could also try my patience, especially given that Hana-saku Iroha is reportedly 26 episodes. I’ll give them a go.

Moving onto the adaptations, we have manga-based slice-of-life comedies in A Channel and Nichijou. I’ve read the source of the former, and I was expecting to discard it quickly… but I found myself really enjoying it. It’s nothing new, but the humor has a slightly mean bent and I got several good laughs out of it. I’m curious to see how it translates to anime, as there’s a fairly new studio on board but also the director and series composition guy who did Saki. The latter is Kyoto Animation’s spring offering and, like Hana-saku Iroha, is supposedly two-cour. I found the prequel OVA nowhere near as funny as I do A Channel’s manga, but I definitely felt it had charm to it. I’ll give both of these series a try. Other comedies include Xebec’s entries Hen Zemi and Softenni. I’ll be watching Hen Zemi because I liked its OVA for its disgusting humor, but I do wonder if things will get cleaned up for TV. In addition, the OVA’s director will not be returning for the series; instead he’s been replaced by the director who did Rio – Rainbow Gate! and To Love-Ru. Meanwhile, the man behind the OVA will be working on Softenni, which I get big Saki vibes from. I’m also a massive tennis fan, so – though I’m sure I’ll feel silly for thinking there might be actual tennis-playing involved – while I really, really doubt I’ll enjoy it anywhere near as much as Saki, I’ll give it a shot. Hopefully I won’t want to be shot because of it/need several shots of something to get through it. (Punning is hard, give me a break (ha!).) Shaft will also have two comedies airing: the sequel to Maria+Holic, and the bizarre enough for me to check out Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko.

To the action/adventure side of things, Steins;Gate stands out as having potential to be very entertaining and entertainingly technobabble-filled. Premise sounds great, art looks great, and Jukki Hanada is at the writing helm. Really looking forward to this. We also have Ao no Exorcist, Deadman Wonderland, and Hidan no Aria. The first has good buzz and the director of Darker than Black going for it, and it could be interesting. As for the latter two, I’m up to date with what’s been translated of the manga of both. Deadman Wonderland is packed full of gore, action, good characters, and plot twists, and I love it. I’m unsure whether it’ll get the treatment it deserves, though, as Manglobe will be dividing its efforts between it and the second season of The World God Only Knows. But I’m hoping for the best. Hidan no Aria has been less fun for me to get through. I would’ve dropped it very quickly (for its mix of mostly-loli fanservice, poor art, and storm of cliches) if I hadn’t found the concept of a school for armed detectives so enticing. I plan to be watching the anime too, even though Rie Kugimiya as yet another flat-chested tsundere should’ve deterred me, and – despite my grumbling – I’m sure I’ll have some fun. Interestingly, this (along with Gosick) will make two shows airing simultaneously that focus on a foreign-loli-Holmes/Japanese-high-school-boy-Watson duo.

As for the rest? Moshidora‘s unusual premise has piqued my interest, and I plan to check it out; Hyouge Mono, Toriko, Sket Dance, and Showa Monogatari don’t appeal to me; OreTsuba (We Don’t Have Wings) and HoshiKaka (A Bridge to the Starry Skies) look very similar and similarly uninteresting; and Astarotte no Omocha! does not exist. And finally, though I’m almost certain I’ll be unable to get through an episode, I feel obligated to check out Sekaiichi Hatsukoi because BL anime adaptations are just so rare.

Top 3: C, Steins;Gate, Deadman Wonderland

CPAnime

Despite the overwhelming amount of new anime coming out, it feels like most of the stuff out there is either for teens or a generic (adult) drama. Thankfully, there are enough shows out there that choosing which anime I will be watching will still be a difficult task. The following are a few of the anime that I have the most interest in for varying reasons.

It has been about two years since I started watching anime on a season by season basis, and one of the first shows I watched in this way was Maria+Holic. So, with the benefit of two years of full time anime watching experience, it will be interesting for me to see if I find Alive anywhere as interesting as the original was in 2009. Sometimes I wonder if the only reason I tuned in on a week to week basis was to see the OP and ED, so it will be interesting to see if my tastes have changed, or if this show is actually as awesome as I remembered.

I am also pretty interested in the other Shaft show, Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, but mainly because I don’t know anything about it. Shaft has built up some serious street cred over the past few months with Madoka Magica, but there is also the possibility that this could turn into an Arakawa under the Bridge 2 situation, especially given the synopsis. Another thing that worries me is that Shaft is doing two shows this season, and seeing as how they can barely manage one most of the time, I think the quality is inevitably going to suffer. Still, girls with mysterious pasts are kind of one my things, so I’ll be checking this one out for sure.

C is another interesting show for me, but for some different reasons. It reminds me a lot of Madoka in that there is a contract being made, though I doubt that the main character will be naive as some of the characters in Madoka, as the show doesn’t seem to be hiding its cards. From the previews I’ve read up to this point, it seems like the show might have a difficult time with its first few episodes as there looks to be a lot going on. Hopefully, a deeper understanding of economics or business won’t be needed for this show, as that could turn off some viewers. Personally, I have confidence that this shouldn’t be a problem as it is part of the noitaminA time slot, but even that is no longer a guarantee.

Staying on the business end of things, the one show I am looking forward to the most this season is Moshidora. While its broadcast schedule kind of seems up in the air, I’m looking forward to watching this during the baseball season. Since I’m a business student and a baseball fan, this show is kind of a no brainer for me, and I can potentially see myself blogging this. Still, I do have my doubts as to whether this will work, despite its popularity in Japan. Mainly, I am concerned that the translation of the material into an anime will fail to jump off the page, if you will, and just become another boring class lesson, though I doubt it.

Finally, the one show that will undoubtedly be my guilty pleasure is Hen Zemi. I recently watched the first episode of the OVA and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The only real criticism I could levy against it, besides the obvious, was that it took too long to get to its punch lines. I am a bit concerned that the TV broadcast will be impeded by those god forsaken censors (Kiss X Sis‘s OVAs, for example, were and are infinitely better than the censored TV broadcast), but as long as the staff is witty enough, it can probably work around this. Though, it is XEBEC. So… that could be good or bad, depending on your preferences (btw, where is my LxB sequel?).

Top 3: C, Moshidora, A Channel

And that about wraps it up. Which of the dozens and dozens of shows are you looking forward to this spring?

Beneath the cut is 1000 words about the seiyuu – mostly female, because I don’t follow male seiyuu as much, and also because I didn’t want to write more than 1000 words – who will be lending their voices to the spring season’s new crop of characters in its new crop of anime. I’ve also included a list of all the female seiyuu who will appear in spring, and what shows they’ll be appearing in. All images in this post are from koebooru. Have fun! Edit 10/3: Added Jewelpet Sunshine cast. Edit 13/3: Added Honto ni atta! Reibai-sensei cast, more Sket Dance and A Channel cast members. Emiri Katou (Kyubey) now has three roles, on par with agency-mate Kana Asumi, who she’s pictured with in this post. Another role for Ai Kayano (and a good deal more in the near future) signal she’s really on the rise after debuting just last year. And A Channel adds some familiar voices from Saki, the director’s previous work.

The female seiyuu with the most spring roles (seven, so far) is Kana Hanazawa, who is probably best known as Bakemonogatari‘s Nadeko, OreImo‘s Kuroneko and Angel Beats!‘s Tenshi/Kanade. She’ll be everywhere over the coming months, with leading roles in Moshidora, Ao no Exorcist, Hen Zemi and Deadman Wonderland, recurring roles in Steins;Gate and the second season of Seikon no Qwaser, and a small part in Dog Days. Her ubiquity isn’t exactly shocking, as she’s been rather popular since about 2009.

Interestingly, the girl with the second largest amount of roles is more of a surprise. Saori Goto has been around since 2003 and has had a wide variety of roles, but seems to be a relative unknown in fan circles. I enjoy her work. Her voice can grate at times (her ojou-sama voice has a somewhat shrill edge to it), but I think she emotes well and can be really funny when the time calls for it. She always brings some spark to her roles. Hear her in Maria Holic‘s second season (reprising her role as Yuzuru Inamori), Steins;Gate, C, and kids’ shows (probably kids’ shows?) Happy Kappy and Suzy’s Zoo.

Yuu Kobayashi (Fractale‘s Clain, Umineko‘s Kanon) will play alongside Goto in Maria Holic Alive, and she, Kanae Itou (Saten in Railgun, Elsie in The World God Only Knows), and Eri Kitamura (Angel Beats!‘s Yui, Toradora‘s Ami) each have four spring roles. Notably, Itou will star in three of hers (Hana-Saku Iroha, Sofuteni and The World God Only Knows 2). Perhaps fitting, as she’s just picked up the Seiyuu Award for Best Supporting Female. The award’s co-recipient, Satomi Arai (Kuroko from Index and Railgun), has no soon-upcoming roles at this stage.

K-on! stars and members of idol group Sphere, Aki Toyosaki (who won the Seiyuu Awards for Best Female and Best Personality, and who proved she is in no way a one-trick pony in Beelzebub) and Minako Kotobuki, have three roles apiece [edit 10/3: Toyosaki now has 4]. Kotobuki will star in A Channel and Tiger and Bunny. It’s been wonderful to hear her improve since first playing Mugi in 2008, and I hope these roles will give her chances to show off how she’s been honing her craft. Other K-on! girls Youko Hikasa (Mio) and Ayana Taketatsu (Azusa) are doing similarly well, with three and two new roles respectively, while Satomi Satou (Ritsu) reportedly has a part in Sket Dance but nothing else. Meanwhile, Haruka Tomatsu (Katanagatari‘s Hitei, Kannagi‘s Nagi), Sphere member alongside Toyosaki and Kotobuki, has netted herself large roles in AnoHana, Hana-Saku Iroha and C. The final Sphere member, Ayahi Takagaki, has no new roles. I’m definitely a fan of both Tomatsu and Takagaki, so this is good news and bad news for me.

Other names popping up a few times in cast lists include Rie Kugimiya (Shana‘s Shana, Toradora‘s Taiga), Mamiko Noto (the titular Hell Girl/Jigoku Shoujo, Kimi ni Todoke‘s Sawako), Kana Asumi (Working!!‘s Poplar, Hidamari Sketch‘s Yuno), Mariya Ise (Panty and Stocking‘s Stocking, Durarara!!‘s Mika), Yukari Tamura (Nanoha‘s Nanoha, Katanagatari‘s Togame), Rina Satou (Mikoto in Railgun and Index, Kaoru in Amagami SS) and Ryoko Shiraishi (Hayate in Hayate no Gotoku, Mako in Saki).

Looking at shows as a whole rather than seiyuu individually, there are some standouts.

Sofuteni, about a middle-school soft tennis club, has a strong cast including Eri Kitamura, Kanae Itou, Miyuki Sawashiro (Bakemonogatari’s Suruga, Durarara!!‘s Celty), Satomi Akesaka (Level E‘s Miho, Milky Holmes‘ Arsene), Sayuri Yahagi (Hayate no Gotoku‘s Izumi, Seitokai Yakuindomo‘s Suzu) and Shizuka Itou (Hayate‘s Hinagiku, Shana‘s Wilhelmina). Sawashiro is a veteran, having debuted in 1999, while the others have younger careers: Shizuka Itou and Eri Kitamura debuted in 2003, Akesaka in 2004, Yahagi in 2005 and Kanae Itou in 2006. All have impressed before.

Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream seems to mostly be a vehicle for seiyuu idol group LISP – comprised of Azusa Kataoka, Kana Asumi and Sayuri Hara (none of whom I’m fond of; I’m judging Hara prematurely, having only heard her singing voice, but I don’t expect much from her acting either) – but has some nice names further down the cast list, including Kanae Itou and Risa Hayamizu, and veterans Motoko Kumai and Noriko Hidaka.

I’m not entirely sure how Kana Hanazawa will handle Deadman Wonderland‘s Shiro, but I’m rather optimistic, and as a fan of the manga, I think the casting choices (Romi Park, Takako Honda, Iori Nomizu, and males Junichi Suwabe and Yuuki Kaji) were impeccable; my expectations for the voice work is extremely high. In particular, I’m very excited to hear Iori Nomizu as Minatsuki. I enjoy her voice and I’ve been starting to follow her work somewhat keenly, and I think she’ll be able to display good range and perform very well here. I’m hoping, perhaps foolishly, that she can turn this into something of a breakout role for her.

The World God Only Knows 2 has Kanae Itou reprising her lead female role and Saori Hayami (Star Driver‘s Wako, Sora no Otoshimono‘s Ikaros) joining her, and has lined up three big names as the show’s rotating heroines: Aki Toyosaki, Ami Koshimizu (Code Geass‘s Kallen, Star Driver‘s Keito; a seiyuu whose work I often love) and Kana Asumi.

Koshimizu and Asumi will also appear in Dog Days, which features a star-studded lineup. Nana Mizuki, Yui Horie, Youko Hikasa, Mikako Takahashi, Ayana Taketatsu, Mamoru Miyano, Takehito Koyasu, Tetsuya Kakihara, and the two aforementioned women are the main characters; Kana Hanazawa, Minako Kotobuki, Sakura Tange (Card Captor Sakura‘s Sakura), Yoriko Nagata, Daisuke Ono, Norio Wakamoto, and seventeen-year-olds Yukika Teramoto and Asami Seto (who impressed as Hourou Musuko‘s Takatsuki) have smaller parts. Whew. Mizuki, also a highly successful singer (particularly for a seiyuu), will be singing the opening theme, and Horie will be performing the ending theme.

Much unlike Dog Days, Kyoto Animation’s spring series, Nichijou, features a cast list filled with unknowns. It will be highly interesting to hear them perform. There are some somewhat recognisable names, among them Mariko Honda and Misuzu Togashi, who starred together in Seitokai no Ichizon. Four of the five other girls with some experience were in Lucky Star: Hiromi Konno was Akira Kogami, Kaoru Mizuhara was Misao Kusakabe, Mai Aizawa was Ayano Minegishi, and Mami Kosuge was Yukari Takara.

The final notable cast list I’ve chosen to write on is Suzy’s Zoo. … What? You haven’t heard of it? It’s based on an American greeting card line, and (copy pasted from them since ANN says it better than I ever could) it “center[s] around a duckling named Witzy and his stuffed animal friends in a verdant backyard”. The cast is, as one might expect, rather good. Maaya Sakamoto will narrate, Mai Nakahara will play the lead duckling, and Saori Goto, Mitsuki Saiga, Ayana Taketatsu and Ryoko Shiraishi will appear as Witzy’s stuffed animal friends. I’m definitely going to watch this. I’m kidding… probably.

Lastly, below is a list of the ~120 girls with confirmed spring roles. (For example, I haven’t found official confirmation for Satomi Satou’s Sket Dance role, so she isn’t on the list yet. Edit 13/3: Role has been confirmed.) An asterisk indicates a lead part. OVAs, movies, and so on are not included. The list is ordered by amount of roles, but otherwise not ordered. Hence, liberal use of control-F is advised. The list will be updated as necessary up until the spring season begins (but most likely not after), so please let me know if I’ve missed something.

Seven roles

• Kana Hanazawa (Moshidora*, Ao no Exorcist*, Steins;Gate, Dog Days, Hen Zemi*, Deadman Wonderland*, Seikon no Qwaser 2)

Five roles

• Saori Goto (Maria Holic Alive, Steins;Gate, Happy Kappy, Suzy’s Zoo, C)
• Yuu Kobayashi (Tono to Issho: Gantai no Yabou, Maria Holic Alive*, Steins;Gate, Yondemasuyo Azazel-san, Sket Dance)

Four roles

• Eri Kitamura (Ao no Exorcist, 30-sai no Houken Taiiku, Sofuteni*, Sengoku Otome ~Momoiro Paradox~)
• Kanae Itou (Hana-Saku Iroha*, Sofuteni*, The World God Only Knows 2*, Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream)
• Aki Toyosaki (Hana-Saku Iroha, The World God Only Knows 2, Seikon no Qwaser 2, Jewelpet Sunshine*)
• Miyuki Sawashiro (Maria Holic Alive, Sofuteni, Jewelpet Sunshine*, A Channel)

Three roles

• Rie Kugimiya (Gintama*, Hidan no Aria*, Astarotte no Omocha*)
• Mamiko Noto (Tono to Issho: Gantai no Yabou, Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera*, Hana-Saku Iroha)
• Minako Kotobuki (Dog Days, A Channel*, Tiger and Bunny*)
• Kana Asumi (Dog Days*, Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream*, The World God Only Knows 2)
• Yoko Hikasa (Moshidora*, Dog Days*, Seikon no Qwaser 2)
• Mariya Ise (Sengoku Otome ~Momoiro Paradox~, Tiger and Bunny*, Hidan no Aria)
• Yukari Tamura (Astarotte no Omocha*, Steins;Gate, X-Men*)
• Rina Satou (Ao no Exorcist*, Astarotte no Omocha*, Yondemasuyo Azazel-san*)
• Ryoko Shiraishi (Sket Dance*, Suzy’s Zoo, Yondemasuyo Azazel-san)
• Haruka Tomatsu (AnoHana*, Hana-Saku Iroha, C*)
• Emiri Katou (Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, Happy Kappy*, Honto ni Atta! Reibai-sensei)
• Marina Inoue (Danball Senki*, Maria Holic Alive*, Sket Dance)

Two roles

• Romi Park (Toriko*, Deadman Wonderland*)
• Mayumi Yoshida (Ore-tachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai*, Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi)
• Chiaki Takahashi (Ore-tachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai, Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi*)
• Satomi Akesaka (Sofuteni, Sengoku Otome ~Momoiro Paradox~)
• Shiho Kawaragi (Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi, Hen Zemi)
• Ryoko Shintani (Maria Holic Alive, Hen Zemi)
• Ami Koshimizu (Dog Days*, The World God Only Knows 2)
• Saori Hayami (AnoHana*, The World God Only Knows 2*)
• Ayako Kawasumi (Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera, Seikon no Qwaser 2)
• Takako Honda (Hana-Saku Iroha, Deadman Wonderland)
• Mikako Takahashi (Dog Days*, Hidan no Aria)
• Ayumi Fujimura (Qwaser 2*, Astarotte no Omocha)
• Yui Horie (Dog Days*, Astarotte no Omocha)
• Ayana Taketatsu (Dog Days*, Suzy’s Zoo)
• Mai Nakahara (Suzy’s Zoo*, Hidan no Aria)
• Maaya Sakamoto (Suzy’s Zoo, Appleseed XIII*)
• Aya Hirano (Seikon no Qwaser 2, Jewelpet Sunshine*)
• Ai Shimizu (Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi, Jewelpet Sunshine)
• Kaoru Mizuhara (Nichijou, Honto ni atta! Reibai-sensei*)
• Mai Fuchigami (Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, Honto ni Atta! Reibai-sensei)
• Miyu Matsuki (Maria Holic Alive, Honto ni Atta! Reibai-sensei)
• Nozomi Sasaki (Jewelpet Sunshine*, Honto ni Atta! Reibai-sensei)
• Megumi Toyoguchi (Sengoku Otome ~Momoiro Paradox~, Sket Dance)
• Ai Kayano (AnoHana*, Sket Dance)
• Kaori Nazuka (30-sai no Houken Taiiku*, Sket Dance)

One role

• Megumi Kubota (Danball Senki*)
• Sayaka Nakaya (Moshidora)
• Ai Matayoshi (Ore-tachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai*)
• Ryoko Ono (Ore-tachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai*)
• Yuko Goto (Ore-tachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai*)
• Kiyomi Asai (Ore-tachi ni Tsubasa wa Nai)
• Eriko Nakamura (Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi*)
• Aiko Okubo (Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi*)
• Ringo Aoba (Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi*)
• Mai Kadowaki (Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi)
• Hisako Kyouda (Showa Monogatari*)
• Misato Fukuen (Showa Monogatari*)
• Sakiko Tamagawa (Showa Monogatari*)
• Mariko Honda (Nichijou*)
• Chika Horikawa (Nichijou)
• Hiromi Konno (Nichijou)
• Kaori Sadohara (Nichijou)
• Mai Aizawa (Nichijou)
• Misuzu Togashi (Nichijou)
• Shizuka Furuya (Nichijou)
• Yoko Tamaoki (Nichijou)
• Ai Hirosaka (Nichijou)
• Mami Kosuge (Nichijou)
• Motoko Kobayashi (Nichijou)
• Yumi Higuchi (Nichijou)
• Asuka Ogame (Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko*)
• Ai Nonaka (Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko)
• Yui Watanabe (30-sai no Houken Taiiku)
• Rie Tanaka (Ring ni Kakero 1: Sekai Taikai-hen)
• Nana Mizuki (Dog Days*)
• Asami Seto (Dog Days)
• Kikuko Inoue (Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera)
• Maiko Ito (Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera)
• Rumi Shishido (Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera)
• Kaori Fukuhara (A Channel*)
• Aoi Yuuki (A Channel*)
• Yumi Uchiyama (A Channel*)
• Azusa Kataoka (Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream*)
• Sayuri Hara (Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream*)
• Rumi Ookubo (Happy Kappy*)
• Asami Sanada (Maria Holic Alive*)
• Akemi Kanda (Maria Holic Alive)
• Yuko Kaida (Maria Holic Alive)
• Hitomi Nabatame (Astarotte no Omocha*)
• Asami Imai (Steins;Gate*)
• Halko Momoi (Steins;Gate)
• Ayumi Tsunematsu (Hana-Saku Iroha)
• Chiaki Omigawa (Hana-Saku Iroha)
• Tamie Kubota (Hana-Saku Iroha)
• Sayuri Yahagi (Sofuteni)
• Shizuka Itou (Sofuteni)
• Rina Hidaka (Sengoku Otome ~Momoiro Paradox~*)
• Rei Mochizuki (Sengoku Otome ~Momoiro Paradox~)
• Sachi Kokuryu (Sengoku Otome ~Momoiro Paradox~)
• Yuka Hirata (Sengoku Otome ~Momoiro Paradox~)
• Sakura Tange (Dog Days)
• Yoriko Nagata (Dog Days)
• Yukika Teramoto (Dog Days)
• Yukiko Takaguchi (Hen Zemi)
• Yuko Sanpei (Seikon no Qwaser 2*)
• Harumi Sakurai (Seikon no Qwaser 2)
• Yoshino Nanjou (Seikon no Qwaser 2)
• Yuiko Tatsumi (Seikon no Qwaser 2)
• Iori Nomizu (Deadman Wonderland)
• Kaori Ishihara (Hidan no Aria)
• Misaki Suzuki (Astarotte no Omocha)
• Yuko Minaguchi (Astarotte no Omocha)
• Aya Hisakawa (X-Men*)
• Kaori Yamagata (X-Men*)
• Yurika Hino (X-Men)
• Yoshiko Sakakibara (X-Men)
• Mitsuki Saiga (Suzy’s Zoo)
• Risa Hayamizu (Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream)
• Noriko Hidaka (Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream)
• Motoko Kumai (Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream)
• Aki Nakajima (Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream)
• Hiro Nakajima (Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream)
• Yui Makino (C)
• Mayumi Asano (C)
• Ayaka Saito (Jewelpet Sunshine*)
• Yuki Kaida (Jewelpet Sunshine)
• MAKO (Jewelpet Sunshine)
• Momoko Saito (A Channel)
• Ai Matayoshi (A Channel)
• Minori Chihara (A Channel)
• Ikumi Hayama (Honto ni Atta! Reibai-sensei)
• Megumi Takamoto (Sket Dance)
• Satomi Satou (Sket Dance)
• Fumiko Orikasa (Sket Dance)