In the world of anime, talent comes at a very young age. Today we are going to talk about some seiyuus (Japanese voice actors) who managed to lend their voices to famous anime characters at just 17 years old! Their talent is, without a doubt, impressive.
Meet the seiyuus who voiced your favorite waifus at 17
Yui Ogura
Yui Ogura, a singer and seiyuu from Gunma Prefecture, Japan, is an affiliate of Style Cube, while her musical activities are represented by Nippon Columbus. At only 17 years old, she lent her voice to Tsutsukakushi Tsukiko in “Hentai Ouji to Warawanai Neko“. The storyline centers on Yoto Yokodera, a high school student who is unquestionably the biggest pervert in school. The problem is that he’s not good at expressing his real emotions.
Miyu Tomita
Miyu Tomita, another Japanese seiyuu and singer from Saitama Province, aspired to be a voice actress since high school. She participated in two voice acting auditions in 2014, winning one of them. At 17, she voiced Riko in “Made in Abyss,” a story that revolves around a mysterious and deep rift on a lost island known as the “Abyss.”
Anna Nagase
Anna Nagase, affiliated with 81 Produce, lent her voice to Ushio Kofune, the female lead of “Summer Time Rendering” when she was 17 years old. The series follows Shinpei Ajiro, who, after losing his parents, grew up with sisters Ushio and Mio Kofune. Shinpei, now grown up and living in Tokyo, returns to his hometown after learning of Ushio’s drowning death.
Kikuko Inoue
Kikuko Inoue, Japanese seiyuu, singer and narrator, founder and manager of Office Anemone, also started young. At 17, she lent her voice to Sanae Furukawa in “CLANNAD,” a story centered on Tomoya Okazaki, a young delinquent who believes he will amount to nothing in life.
Interestingly, Kikuko Inoue also claims to have been 17 when she voiced other characters, such as Asaba in “Okuasama wa Mahou Shoujo” in 2005, Belldandy in “Megami-sama” in 2007, and Mirelia in “The Rising of the Shield Hero” in 2022. This is because Inoue jokes that he is part of the “17-year-old cult,” claiming to be 17 years old for all eternity. Other seiyuus, such as Yukari Tamura, Sakura Nogawa, Rina Satou and Yui Horie, are also part of this peculiar group.
It is admirable that the seiyuus have entered the dubbing industry at such a young age, especially considering how difficult it is to get roles in this field. The seiyuus’ success shows their determination and highlights the quality of their work.