2025’s Most Active Male Voice Actor: The Readers’ Verdict is In!
2025 was another massive year for anime, bursting with countless TV series, theatrical releases, and streaming originals. Before we knew it, the year is almost over, packed with following our favorite shows and attending exciting events.
As is our annual tradition, Anime! Anime! conducted our year-end Anime! Anime! General Election reader poll. This time, we spotlighted the voice actors who breathe life into our beloved characters.
We asked our readers to vote for the voice actors they thought were “the most active” in 2025—those who took on main roles, appeared in hit series, and shined in stage plays and reading performances. We received responses from 2,364 people between November 15th and December 17th. The gender ratio was about 30% male and 70% female. The age breakdown was roughly 25% under 19, 30% in their 20s, and about 15% each for people in their 30s and 40s.
This article reveals the final results for the “Male Voice Actor Who Was the Most Active in 2025”!
Table of Contents
A Stellar Line-Up of Popular Cast Members
1st Place
1st place goes to Uchiyama Koki. His support rate was approximately 11%.
Uchiyama Koki
Many comments cited memorable characters from the past year as the deciding factor: “As Narumi Gen in ‘Kaijuu 8-gou,’ he displayed a wonderfully downer demeanor while also delivering hilarious gag performances. In battle scenes, he instantly shifted to a dignified and reliable captain—truly impressive.” Another reader noted, “His role as Kaho in the currently airing ‘Wandance,’ where he tackles the challenging portrayal of a character with a stutter, touches my heart every single week.” A fan praised his range: “In ‘Kaijuu 8-gou’ he plays a hero, while in ‘Boku no Hero Academia’ he’s a villain—the ability to play such opposite characters is amazing. His performance as Shigaraki Tomura in ‘HeroAca’ was particularly brilliant, with delicate acting that gave the character a unique depth.”
Others shared how he led them to new series: “Thinking of my favorite characters—Emma Joji in ‘Muchisa, Kimi ni.,’ Raku in ‘SAKAMOTO DAYS,’ Diting in ‘Ryo’s Waketime Walk’… the list is endless. Just seeing ‘Uchiyama Koki’ in the cast makes me want to watch a show. His voice and acting skills are a daily source of energy for me.” His work beyond anime was also appreciated: “His performance as Ideya Shroud in the 3D live for ‘Disney Twisted Wonderland’ was fantastic!”
2nd Place
2nd place is Nakamura Yuuichi. His support rate was about 10%.
Nakamura Yuuichi
Readers highlighted his wide-ranging activity across TV, film, and games: “Momoru Hyakuan in ‘Shutkin no Mogura’ was truly excellent. He perfectly balanced the character’s usual goofiness with an underlying eeriness fitting for a non-human entity—it was breathtaking.” Another said, “Seeing him as Gojou Satoru in ‘Jujutsu Kaisen: Houi・Gyokusetsu’ in theaters made me cry all over again. It was also a happy surprise to hear him as Keizou in ‘Kimetsu no Yaiba.’ He entertained us with so many different roles this year.” A gamer fan added, “His portrayal of Freminet in ‘Genshin Impact’ was captivating, down to every breath. I think his deep understanding as a gamer himself brings a special depth to his character interpretations.”
His presence outside of anime roles was also noted: “He does narrations for commercials and TV dramas, and hosts YouTube streams. Even people who aren’t anime fans probably know his voice.” Others mentioned his event work: “I was deeply moved seeing the music reading performance ‘READING HIGH ‘ONE ~The last of Shinsengumi~’ live. I’m also paying attention to the breadth of his activities, like holding talk shows as part of a project to support children’s dreams in Gunma Prefecture.”
3rd Place
3rd place is Ishida Akira. His support rate was around 9%, making the top three the same lineup as the “Most Recommended Voice Actor” poll.
Ishida Akira
Many readers were overwhelmed by his performance as Akaza / Hakuji in ‘Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Ressha-hen – Kouhen – Akaza Toujou’. “The power to distinctly portray Akaza the demon and Hakuji the human—two beings in one person—is truly one-of-a-kind! Hakuji’s growth from boyhood to young adulthood felt so natural. He swept my heart away through madness, joy, tragedy, and love.”
Fans also noted his skill with eccentric characters: “This year he also played very quirky roles like Goshintei Hikari in the new ‘Ranma 1/2’ and Regulus in ‘Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu.’ He’s absolutely versatile.” His enduring impact was clear: “I was thrilled by the newly recorded voice for ‘The Last S2: Nagisa Kaworu Exhibition,’ commemorating 30 years of ‘Shin Seiki Evangelion,’ and I got to meet Kaworu-kun again at the ‘Monthly Eva’ re-screening.”
Other activities rounded out a busy year: “He was the narrator for the online version of the Japan Pavilion at the Osaka・Kansai Expo. I was also captivated by his role in Mikikura no Kai’s reading performance ‘Nocturne ~Youyasui Yoru no Houkamashimatsu~.'” And a fan was surprised to find him “voicing commercials for both McDonald’s and Mos Burger this year!”
Honorable Mentions & Reader Comments
Moving on to 4th place, Hanae Natsuki received praise like: “Of course there’s Kamado Tanjirou from ‘Kimetsu no Yaiba,’ but he also played characters with vastly different personalities and atmospheres like Beam in ‘Chainsaw Man: Reze-hen,’ Okarun in ‘Dandadan,’ and Nagumo in ‘SAKAMOTO DAYS’—all very memorable. On top of that, he appeared on his own YouTube channel and more; it must have been an incredibly busy year for him.” Another reader highlighted his global presence: “For ‘Kimetsu no Yaiba’ stage greetings, he appeared not just domestically but also overseas. Plus, he performed a rap for the ‘Monthly Shonen Magazine’ 50th anniversary PV—his range of expression is incredible!”
Hanae Natsuki
For 5th place, Sugita Tomokazu, comments included: “An overwhelming number of roles! Furthermore, his character Sakata Gintoki from ‘Gintama’ not only got a spin-off but also a movie confirmed for next year. With new titles like taking the lead as Sakamoto Taro in ‘SAKAMOTO DAYS,’ I think this year showed he will continue to be as active as ever.” Others appreciated his unique touch: “Not just his starring roles, but he guest-starred in many shows, and every performance had a brilliance only Sugita-san could deliver. Personally, I felt a new side of him through Kudou Hatsu in ‘Kowloon Generic Romance.'” A fan of a certain cute anime added, “When Pockets’s Yoroi-san shows up in ‘Chiikawa,’ I head to work in a happy mood.”
Sugita Tomokazu
In this poll, votes were gathered for various reasons: not just for playing memorable characters, but also for the sheer volume of roles, the wide range of characters portrayed, and activities beyond anime like narration, reading performances, and event appearances.
Thank you to everyone who voted and shared your comments!
Next up, we’ll announce the results for the “Female Voice Actor Who Was the Most Active in 2025”!
Don’t miss it!
Top 10 Ranking
| Rank | Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| 1st | Uchiyama Koki |
| 2nd | Nakamura Yuuichi |
| 3rd | Ishida Akira |
| 4th | Hanae Natsuki |
| 5th | Sugita Tomokazu |
| 6th | Ootsuka Takeo |
| 7th | Uchida Yuuma |
| 8th | Yusa Kouji |
| 9th | Kamiya Hiroshi |
| 9th | Miyano Mamoru |
(Response Period: November 15 – December 17, 2025)
※This survey is part of our ongoing effort to understand readers’ current interests and attention regarding anime works and characters. The results are not intended to determine superiority or inferiority of any character or work. We hope this article can serve as an opportunity to discover new works and characters, and to deepen your understanding and interest.
《Takahashi Katsunori》
_
