Celebrating Kaji Yuuki-san’s 40th Birthday and His Illustrious Career!
The incredibly talented **seiyuu** Kaji Yuuki-san recently hit a milestone, celebrating his 40th birthday on September 3, 2025. Over the years, he has graced us with his voice acting prowess, bringing to life a multitude of charming male characters, including the stoic Todoroki Shouto from the hit series *Boku no Hero Academia* (also known as *My Hero Academia*) and the passionate Eren Yeager from the globally renowned *Shingeki no Kyojin* (or *Attack on Titan*).
This year, Kaji Yuuki-san has been incredibly busy, lending his distinctive voice to various exciting projects. He’s been involved in works such as *Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de* (where he voices Kageyama), *Kinnikuman: Kanpeki Choujin Shiso-hen* (as Warsman), and *Number One Sentai Gojuujer* (as Tegasword). Beyond his voice acting roles, he also showcased his theatrical talent, appearing in acclaimed reading plays like *Tokyo Tower ~Okan to Boku to, Tokidoki Oton~* and the heartfelt *Kimi no Suizou wo Tabetai* (which can be translated as *I Want to Eat Your Pancreas*).
To mark this special day, Kaji-san took to his social media, sharing a heartfelt message of appreciation alongside a touching photograph. The picture, featuring what appears to be Kaji-san, hand-in-hand with his child under a vast blue sky, walking away from the camera, is a truly striking and memorable moment. He captioned his post with these profound words:
“Kaji Yuuki has turned 40 today! I am truly blessed with wonderful connections, and that’s why I am where I am now. From the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone I’ve met. While proudly embracing the age I’ve reached, I will continue to walk a life without regrets! ‘Travel is companionship, the world is kindness,’ and so begins ‘Soyogi Soyogare Kajisanpo’.”
Adding another layer of celebration to his birthday, September 3 also saw the release of his much-anticipated photobook, *40th Anniversary Book Soyogi Soyogare Kajisanpo* from KADOKAWA. This special book takes readers on a journey through places deeply connected to Kaji Yuuki-san’s life and career. What makes it truly unique is the inclusion of “Bon Soyogi,” a character born from Kaji Yuuki-san’s own voice through the “Soyogi Fractal” AI voice project. Together, they explore his beloved city of Kyoto, his cherished hometown of Sakado City in Saitama Prefecture, and Tokyo’s Kasai Rinkai Park, a place brimming with memories from his formative years.
The cover itself is a luxurious treat, featuring an exclusive, stunning two-shot illustration of Bon Soyogi and Kaji Yuuki, specially crafted by the talented Yoneyama Mai just for this book. It’s truly a collector’s item!
He also shared another thoughtful message, emphasizing the power of positive words:
“No matter how old you get, ‘Happy Birthday’ still makes you happy, doesn’t it! Please share positive words like ‘Thank you’ and ‘Good work’ with yourself and those around you.”
In celebration of this special occasion, Anime!Anime! conducted a survey asking fans to vote for their favorite characters voiced by Kaji-san. The results were quite exciting – who do you think claimed the coveted first place, even outshining beloved characters like Kozume Kenma and Eren Yeager…?
Voice Actors and Artists Celebrate Kaji Yuuki-san
Naturally, Kaji-san’s birthday was met with an outpouring of celebratory messages from his fellow voice acting companions and many others in the industry. We’ve gathered just a glimpse of these heartwarming tributes for you here.
First up, from Inada Tetsu-san, who shares the stage with Kaji-san in *Kinnikuman: Kanpeki Choujin Shiso-hen* as the character Sunshine, came this enthusiastic message:
“Congratulations!!! Thank you for being born!”
Next, we have Yamashita Daiki-san, the voice of the beloved Midoriya Izuku (Deku) from *Boku no Hero Academia*, who sent a playfully affectionate kiss mark!
In a sweet exchange, Kaji-san even publicly shared a direct message he received, replying with a playful, **”You were the best!”** to which Yamashita-san responded, **”Happy Birthday, I love you!”** The love and camaraderie between them are truly heartwarming.
Okamoto Nobuhiko-san, the voice behind the fiery Bakugou Katsuki in *Boku no Hero Academia*, offered his congratulations:
“Congratulations!!! Let’s go eat meat. I hope you have a wonderful day.”
Chiba Shouya-san, who worked alongside Kaji-san in *Ao no Hako*, also shared his well wishes:
“Kaji-san, Happy Birthday!!! You’re always so cool…!!!! May you have an even better year!”
Even Noko-san, the dynamic vocalist of Shinsei Kamattechan, who performed *Shingeki no Kyojin The Final Season*’s electrifying opening theme “Boku no Sensou,” joined in the celebrations:
“Kaji-san!!!! 40 years old!!! Happy Birthday!!!! Let’s meet again at a *Shingeki no Kyojin* event.”
Similarly, Higuchi Ai-san, the artist behind *Shingeki no Kyojin The Final Season*’s poignant ending theme “Akuma no Ko,” sent her warm wishes:
“Many, many congratulations! Kaji-san, you are always so kind. I look forward to the day we meet again. May this year be a good one for you.”
Ura Kazuki-san, a junior voice actor from the same agency (VIMS) as Kaji-san, also expressed his profound respect and congratulations:
“Kaji-san, Happy Birthday!!!! It was a happy year again, being able to talk about various things with Kaji-san. I will continue to work hard so that I can leave the path that my senior has forged for future juniors! May you have a wonderful year!”
Even the official account for ABEMA’s original program *Seiyuu to Yoasobi* (Voice Actors’ Night Play) joined in, sending a warm message:
“We eagerly await the day you can come and ‘play’ with us again!” Many fans, including us, would surely love to see Kaji-san make a guest appearance on the show once more!
Beyond these prominent figures, countless other messages of adoration and respect poured in from staff members of the myriad works Kaji-san has touched, as well as from his devoted fans across the globe. It’s clear he is deeply cherished by many!
New Promotional Photos and What’s Next!
To commemorate his 40th birthday, Kaji-san also took the opportunity to update his official promotional photos. These new shots, while subtly understated, beautifully capture an even deeper, more refined adult charm. He looks absolutely fantastic!
Even the day after his big birthday, Kaji-san was brimming with his usual energy, sharing an encouraging message with his followers: **”Thursday! We’re diving into the latter half of the week! Today, too, don’t push yourselves too hard, and just be yourselves! It’s going to be okay. I’m off! See you!”** What a wonderfully positive attitude!
As Kaji-san embarks on this new decade, we can’t help but eagerly anticipate what new, captivating characters he will bring to life. His already polished “Kaji voice” is sure to grow even more refined, and we’ll be watching – and listening – with keen interest to all his future endeavors!
Book Details
Title: Kaji Yuuki 40th Anniversary Book Soyogi Soyogare Kajisanpo
Release Date: September 3, 2025 (Wednesday)
Price: 3,520 yen (3,200 yen + tax)
Publisher: KADOKAWA Corporation
Specifications: A4 modified / Softcover / 128 pages
ISBN: 978-4-04-738502-3
Kaji Yuuki Profile
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | September 3 |
| Debut | Voice acting debut in 2004 |
| Notable Roles | Eren Yeager in *Shingeki no Kyojin* Kageyama in *Nazotoki wa Dinner Ato de* Todoroki Shouto in *Boku no Hero Academia* Kozume Kenma in *Haikyuu!!* Akuma-kun/Umoregi Ichirou in *Akuma-kun* Meliodas in *Nanatsu no Taizai* (The Seven Deadly Sins), and many other popular characters. |
| Narration & Other Roles | Numerous narrations including Nippon TV’s “Ichiokunin no Daishitsumon!? Waratte Koraete!” Voice of Mizuho’s official character “Aomaru” Voice for IRIS OHYAMA’s sound logo. |
| Awards | First person in history to win the Seiyuu Award for Best Lead Actor for two consecutive years in 2013. |
| Published Works | Authored *Itsuka Subete ga Kimi no Chikara ni Naru* in 2018, which became a hit with over 70,000 copies sold. |
| Expanded Activities | Expanding his activities to include live-action starring roles, stage performances, reading plays, and various production ventures. |
| Voice Qualities | His voice possesses the “1/f fluctuation” sound, which is said to have a healing effect on the human brain and mind. |
| 20th Anniversary Project | Launched the AI voice synthesis project “Soyogi Fractal” to commemorate his 20th anniversary as a voice actor. |
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