Seiyū ka-!
Encyclopedia
is a shōjo
manga
by Maki Minami
. The series started serialization in the biweekly magazine Hana to Yume
on June 20, 2009. In order to accurately present the voice acting business in the manga, the company 81 Produce
and the professional Tokyo Animation Institute were involved in references and research, and credit for their involvement in the series is included on the cover of chapter 1.
Voice cast:
A second limited Drama CD is being released in commemoration of the 2nd volume being published. Included with it will also be an original song composed by Maki Minami
and performed by MAKO
. The cast is the same as the first, only 2 new cast members, Jun Fukuyama
and Kana Hanazawa
have been added.
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Maki Minami
Maki Minami
is a Japanese manga author. She is best known as the author of manga series Special A.-History:Maki Minami was born in Saitama Prefecture in Japan.In 2001, her short story received an Honourable Mention for Hakusensha's 25th Athena awards...
. The series started serialization in the biweekly magazine Hana to Yume
Hana to Yume
is a semi-monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Hakusensha.The magazine is published on the 4th and 22nd of every month. It is often nicknamed as among the readers...
on June 20, 2009. In order to accurately present the voice acting business in the manga, the company 81 Produce
81 Produce
is a voice talent management firm in Japan. The company's Director of Business Development, Rihoko Yoshida, is a former voice actress herself . A hybrid CD-ROM featuring voice talent data for members of 81 Produce was released on 19 October, 1997. The company is located Shibuya, Tokyo....
and the professional Tokyo Animation Institute were involved in references and research, and credit for their involvement in the series is included on the cover of chapter 1.
Plot
Hime Kino is a 15 year-old girl who attends Hiiragi High School Academy. Hime's biggest dream is to one day become the voice of a main character in one of the most popular shōjo series in Japan, "Mahou Senshi Lovely Blazers". This is difficult to achieve, however, as her voice is not suitable as a professional voice actress, resembling that of a Gorilla. It soon becomes apparent that Hime has a hidden talent for voicing male characters, she even gets scouted due to her skill, and seizing the opportunity she enters the voice acting industry...as a guy!Setting
Hiiragi High School Academy is one of the top schools in the nation, including a number of different departments such as general education, sports, music, acting, voice acting, and art. Seeing as there are many talented students attending this school, as well as recruiters from the business world coming in and out, celebrities walk the halls every day.Characters
- Hime is the protagonist of the story. Ever since her encounter with the talented voice actress Sakura Aoyama as a child, she has aimed for the goal of being a voice actress herself. She is energetic and determined, but lacks great talent in the subject she wants to perfect the most: voice acting. However, the head teacher of the department saw great hidden talent within her and allowed her to enter the voice acting department despite her underdeveloped voice acting talents. Whenever she introduces herself and attempts to make a cute, girly voice, it turns out to be a very thick, scratchy, middle-aged man voice. Thus, she earns the nickname "Gori-Hime" (roughly, "Gorilla Princess") among her classmates. However, during the 2nd-year vs. bottom 4 dropout Snow White showdown, Hime portrays an alluring voice for the prince in Snow White, gaining the attention of not only Senri Kudou, but the popular Producer of Idol Unit AQUA named Haruka Yamada. Later on when she is recruited by Producer Yamada, he decides to debut her as a male voice actor. Thus, she leads a double-life. She belongs to GGC Productions.
- Senri is a first-year student in the Hiiragi Academy's voice acting department and the son of Sakura Aoyama, the actress that Hime admires so much. He's already a professional in the voice acting industry, and despite only being 15-years old, has already mastered the acting talent of becoming his character, not simply playing out his character. He's also a good singer, great in the looks department, and has astounding grades in the generals department. He shows a cold-hearted attitude toward Hime once he finds out she admires his mother and chooses to ignore her since she doesn't interest him in the least. However, when she portrays the prince's role in Snow White, he helps her out when nobody else is available. He also tries to help her practice her cute voice, but is too distracted by her smile. Even though he portrays a cold exterior, he has a soft spot for small animals and, for some reason, sees Hime as a cat sometimes, allowing him to soften up around her, even if it is for a few seconds. He is currently active in the anime "Lesson Detour". He is described as a male 'tsundere', showing hostility on the outside and fragility (towards cute animals), on the inside or when no one is looking.
- Tsukino is a first-year student in the voice acting department. She's one of the bottom 4 dropouts simply because her voice is too soft. She feels insecure about her soft voice, but takes a deep liking to Hime when she compliments her soft voice. Even though Tsukino looks the innocent girl type, she is involved with the black arts and has been known for cursing others, especially Mitchi.
- Shou is a first-year student in the voice acing department. He's one of the bottom 4 dropouts due to his violent temper and inability to read kanjiKanjiKanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
without furiganaFuriganais a Japanese reading aid, consisting of smaller kana, or syllabic characters, printed next to a kanji or other character to indicate its pronunciation. In horizontal text, yokogaki, they are placed above the line of text, while in vertical text, tategaki, they are placed to the right of the line...
attached to them. He's the fifth-generation leader of the "Bloody" Alliance of Kanto. His loyalty to his friends is strong and he promises Hime and the others that if anyone messes with them, he'll send them to their death in a minimum of 20 seconds. His desire is to become a voice actor for delinquent roles. However, he feels determined to develop other sides of him that surface when Ume takes a liking to him. Despite his violent exterior, he is rather shy around girls since he has little experience spending time with them.
- Mitchel is often called by his nickname "Mitchi". He is the last of the 4 dropouts of the voice acting class. He lived in MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
until he was 7 years old. His voice is excellent, but the reason he's in the dropout class is because he refuses to give up his foreign accent, he's full of himself, and he easily breaks under pressure. He was supposed to be the prince in their Snow White showdown, but Tsukino cursed him when he belittled Hime's talents, thus causing him to fall extremely ill before their performance. He often takes a leadership role in the dropouts' group.
- He is a producer for GGC Production, and the producer of the popular Idol Unit AQUA. He often checks out the voice acting department to scout new talent. In actuality, he visits simply to check up on Senri and tries to convince him to join his newest production. However, after hearing Hime do the prince's role he becomes quite interested in scouting her as well. When she doesn't do very well at the one-line thug role he assigned her a few days later, he wonders if he misjudged her, only to be blown away in awe by her final attempt. He fires her, only to reveal that he has bigger plans for her in the future. Ever since then, he has planned to scout her for his own production as well. When he comes to scout a second time, after meeting Hime's mother and realizing that she thinks Hime's sister is more popular and important than Hime, and that Hime still continue to smile, so he promises her that he will help her accomplish her dream if she can do the same for him.
- He's a 2nd-year in Hiiragi Academy's acting department and one of the Idol Unit AQUA boys. He was one of the mediators of the 2nd-year vs. 4-dropout Snow White Showdown. He is rarely seen without his partner, Mizuki Haruyama. He's overprotective of Mizuki and causes his fangirls to harass Hime. After Mizuki calms his wrath by punching him, he is reduced to simply giving Hime evil glares. He later reveals Mizuki's past to Hime in the hopes that she will stop unknowingly torturing Mizuki thrrough her presence. He belongs with GGC Production.
- He's a 2nd-year in Hiiragi Academy's acting department and, along with Shuuma, is one of the Idol Unit AQUA and mediated the Snow White showdown. He's gentle-hearted, with a mysterious, more sinister side due to his painful past. When Mizuki was 10 he became friends with a girl named Sana who was known for failing at everything. When she entered Junior High she decided to become an actor at the same time Mizuki entered the entertainment business. Due to her lack of success Sana gave up on her dream. This greatly hurt Mizuki who blamed himself for 'abandoning' Sana, and who'd made her dream his own. Since then they slowly drifted apart, causing Mizuki to lose one of his only true friends. Hime is the first person in a long time that he's shown interest in becoming friends with as she greatly resembles Sana. He belongs with GGC Production.
- Akane is the 10-year old sister of Hime. She is the picture of perfection to her parents, which causes her to feel incredibly guilty that her parents don't treat Hime as well as her. She is constantly worrying about Hime.
- Ume is a first-year in Hiiragi Academy's art department and the leader of the Idol Unit AQUA followers. She draws cartoons for online communities. When Hime, Shou, Tsukino, and Mitchii are preparing for a noon broadcast, they discover Ume and try to get her to draw their storyboard for them. However, she has troubles coming up with the perfect male role, but when Shou saves her from falling down a flight of stairs, she finds her motivation. She has a great love for all things 'moe'.
- Sakura Aoyama is a successful actress who started out as a voice actress for the shōjo anime series "Mahou Senshi Lovely Blazers". When Hime was a child, Sakura helped her by covering an ice cream stain on Hime's dress, calling her a genuine princess. She is Senri's mother.
Drama CD
On January 20, 2010, a special Seiyū ka-! drama CD was released in Hana to Yume.Voice cast:
- Hime Kino: Yuu Asakawa
- Senri Kudou: Tomokazu SugitaTomokazu Sugitais a Japanese voice actor employed by Atomic Monkey. Best known for his role as Gintoki in Gintama, he also voices Kyon in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. He is also one of the three hosts on the radio show Bururaji promoting the videogame Blazblue which is produced and released on Nico Nico...
- Tsukino Todoroki: MAKOMAKOMAKO or is a Japanese female member of a band called Bon-Bon Blanco. Her main role is to play the maracas. She has also performed in a drama called Meido in Akihabara. She is affiliated with I'm Enterprise...
- Shou Takayanagi: Junji MajimaJunji Majimais a Japanese voice actor who is contracted to I'm Enterprise. He was born in Nagoya, Aichi. His favorite hobby is singing karaoke.-Anime:2002*Midnight Horror School - Borocca2003*Scrapped Princess - Prince Forsythe...
- Mitchel Zaizen: Daisuke NamikawaDaisuke Namikawais a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Across Entertainment.He started acting in 1984. He is sometimes mistaken for fellow voice actor Daisuke Hirakawa, as their names only differ by one character when written in kanji. Despite his wide range of voice casting, he is usually cast as young,...
A second limited Drama CD is being released in commemoration of the 2nd volume being published. Included with it will also be an original song composed by Maki Minami
Maki Minami
is a Japanese manga author. She is best known as the author of manga series Special A.-History:Maki Minami was born in Saitama Prefecture in Japan.In 2001, her short story received an Honourable Mention for Hakusensha's 25th Athena awards...
and performed by MAKO
MAKO
MAKO or is a Japanese female member of a band called Bon-Bon Blanco. Her main role is to play the maracas. She has also performed in a drama called Meido in Akihabara. She is affiliated with I'm Enterprise...
. The cast is the same as the first, only 2 new cast members, Jun Fukuyama
Jun Fukuyama
is a voice actor. He was previously represented by Aoni Production and Production Baobab, and is now represented by . In 2007, he won the first Seiyu Awards for the best actor in leading role as Lelouch Lamperouge in Code Geass...
and Kana Hanazawa
Kana Hanazawa
a voice actress represented by Office Osawa talent agency. She is notable for voice acting leading roles for a number of anime television shows and other anime-related media in Japan.-Anime voice roles:Leading roles in bold2003...
have been added.
- Hime Kino: Yuu Asakawa
- Mizuki Haruyama: Jun FukuyamaJun Fukuyamais a voice actor. He was previously represented by Aoni Production and Production Baobab, and is now represented by . In 2007, he won the first Seiyu Awards for the best actor in leading role as Lelouch Lamperouge in Code Geass...
- Ume Ichijou: Kana HanazawaKana Hanazawaa voice actress represented by Office Osawa talent agency. She is notable for voice acting leading roles for a number of anime television shows and other anime-related media in Japan.-Anime voice roles:Leading roles in bold2003...
- Senri Kudou: Tomokazu SugitaTomokazu Sugitais a Japanese voice actor employed by Atomic Monkey. Best known for his role as Gintoki in Gintama, he also voices Kyon in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. He is also one of the three hosts on the radio show Bururaji promoting the videogame Blazblue which is produced and released on Nico Nico...
- Tsukino Todoroki: MAKOMAKOMAKO or is a Japanese female member of a band called Bon-Bon Blanco. Her main role is to play the maracas. She has also performed in a drama called Meido in Akihabara. She is affiliated with I'm Enterprise...
- Shou Takayanagi: Junji MajimaJunji Majimais a Japanese voice actor who is contracted to I'm Enterprise. He was born in Nagoya, Aichi. His favorite hobby is singing karaoke.-Anime:2002*Midnight Horror School - Borocca2003*Scrapped Princess - Prince Forsythe...
- Mitchel Zaizen: Daisuke NamikawaDaisuke Namikawais a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Across Entertainment.He started acting in 1984. He is sometimes mistaken for fellow voice actor Daisuke Hirakawa, as their names only differ by one character when written in kanji. Despite his wide range of voice casting, he is usually cast as young,...