A very specialised and niche aspect of the voice-over industry is anime voice over jobs. This article is part of our series on how to become a voice actor. If you are looking for Voice over services then please see Voice Fairy
Knowing how to become an anime voice actor is not the same thing as having an animation voice-over career. Although one of civilisation’s oldest traditions is Japanese storytelling, the Western World just recently became interested in anime and manga. Many of the most well known and biggest anime was born in the renowned Studio Ghibli.
Titles like Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Castle In The Sky are just some of the anime films that have become famous. They were produced by Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki. A new generation is now increasingly fascinated with stories that have been enjoyed for decades by East-Asian children. The biggest indicator of the new trend is the Big Hero 6 franchise’s recent success based on the Haruki Ueno Japanese film Baymax.
As more anime comic books, series, and films continue to get translated into English, the demand for anime voice actors will continue to rise and an increasing number of aspiring voice actors are going to want to know how to land anime voice over jobs.
What Do You Need To Do To Get An Anime Voice Over Job?
Although a majority of successful voice actors that are currently working in anime started out as voice actors and did not have any specific training within the field. Most of them did start their careers having some things in common. They include being able to assume a character and maintain it, vocal range, and acting experience. A voice actor is an actor above all else.
Most of today’s working voice actors have acting backgrounds. Their acting skills are what makes them desirable to anime studios. Those are the same skills you must learn and then continue to practice if you would like to be taken seriously and land auditions.
It is not necessary for actors in general or voice actors to have a formal education in order to be successful. The first thing that aspiring anime actors need to do is get familiar with anime. You at least need to explore some of the major anime series and film titles, particularly different genres. Listening and thinking about the voices are being made by an anime voice actor is the most thing that you need to do.
One of the most challenging things about performing anime voice is it frequently requires you to use large vocal ranges and do lots of screaming. Traditional training teaches voice actors the necessary skills to be able to provide full-body performance to bring the voices to life that are behind the anime. Every role is different. Therefore, actors need to keep training and learning, and along the way continue to develop new skills.
- Develop Your Voice
It is essential for voice actors to focus on their vocal skills. Actors who have the ability to voice a number of different characters in a single show will frequently get work before other actors do. To do that you will need to prepare voices with various cadence, accents, dialects, etc. The way you develop new voices is from studying anime characters and finding the balance between an original portrayal and character expectations.
Record short excerpts and listen to some of the most popular anime. Don’t try to just replicate a voice. Instead, add your own voice to a record. Your voice must be original while at the same time being attuned with the scene and appear true to the character.
- Find Representation
It is difficult to break into anime acting. To get into this industry, the best way is either directly approaching the studios or through representation. Make a demo tape to showcase your voice actor skills and highlight your anime skills as well. Your tape should sound like a short anime scene and be no longer than two or three minutes. To demonstrate your range, make sure to use different voices.
