Female Voice Actors Expected to Have a Next Breakthrough in 2026: Hina Hitsuji Miya, Ikumi Hasegawa, Sae Hiratsuka… Many Votes for Notable Cast from Rookies to Established Talents Poised for Further Leaps

As new anime series continue to emerge, the presence of voice actors who breathe life into characters is becoming even more significant. Opportunities to encounter cast members who make you think “I’m intrigued by this voice” or “They might take the lead role next” have also increased. Whether it’s leaving a strong impression with a guest role, shining as a supporting character, or steadily climbing the ladder by appearing in hit series after hit series… Surely, many readers have voice actors they want to keep an eye on from now on.

Therefore, Anime! Anime! conducted a reader survey titled “Which voice actor do you think will have a breakout year in 2026?” During the survey period from December 6 to December 13, we received responses from 62 people. The gender ratio was approximately 45% male and 55% female, almost equal. The age group was centered on younger demographics, with about 40% under 19 years old and about 20% in their 20s.

In this article, we present the results for the female voice actor edition.

From Rookies Fresh Out of Debut to Seasoned Pros with Numerous Hit Roles!

In this survey, many votes were cast for voice actors who portrayed memorable characters in 2025. We’ve picked up some reader comments to introduce.

In the female voice actor edition, many comments focused on young talents who debuted from the late 2010s to the 2020s.

First, for Miyamura Hiyori-san, who won the Rookie Award at the 2024 Voice Actor Awards, we received comments such as: “She has already played heroines in many works, but in 2025, she caught attention with quirky and unique roles such as Aoi Mochizuki in Kakkou no Iinazuke (also known as A Couple of Cuckoos), Arisa Kusakabe in Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi, and Kurokuma-sensei in mono.”

Hasegawa Ikumi-san also shone as a member of Kessoku Band in Bocchi the Rock!, winning the Singing Award at the 2024 Voice Actor Awards. Comments included: “In recent years, she has played several main characters, and in 2025, she excelled in the role of young Stanley in Dr.STONE SCIENCE FUTURE. With numerous game appearances and excellent singing skills, we look forward to her active role in various fields.”

Voice actors active not only in anime but also in other genres are also popular. For Hirazuka Sae-san, one reader said: “In addition to playing one of the protagonists in Himitsu no Aipuri, she has been decided to play the heroine role in Key’s new game anemoi in 2026. From her sincere talk in the solo radio show Hirazuka Sae wa Itsuka Jōzu ni ‘Sae’ Zuritai!, her own charm comes through.”

For Kazama Mayuko-san, comments included: “In 2025, following her role as Magia Azul in Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete, she took on the main character role of Aoi Shinotsuka in Babambabamban Vampire. Moreover, she appeared in numerous hit series such as Sono Kisekae Ningyou wa Koi wo Suru Season 2 (also known as My Dress-Up Darling), Uma Musume Cinderella Gray, and Yofukashi no Uta Season 2 (also known as Call of the Night). With solid acting skills and accumulating achievements, we look forward to her further leap in 2026.”

And for voice actors who already have many leading roles, votes also came in. For Hanamori Yumiri-san: “She played lively female characters in main or guest roles such as Asako Yamagishi in Hikari ga Shinda Natsu, Ryo in Gachi Akuta, and Kurumu Kurito in Witch Watch. 2026 seems to be a year where we can hear her bright voice in many works.”

For Tanezaki Atsumi-san: “In autumn 2025, she played Anya in SPY×FAMILY, and in winter 2026, she will play Frieren in Sousou no Frieren (also known as Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End), continuing with hugely popular characters. She plays completely different types of characters, truly an amazing voice actor.”

For Sawashiro Miyuki-san: “I’m focusing on the point that in the movie Meitantei Conan: Highway no Datenshi (Detective Conan: The Angel of Highway), she takes over the main character Chihiro Hagiwara from Tanaka Atsuko-san. Chihiro-san, who rides a large motorcycle as a white bike officer, is a perfect fit for Sawashiro-san, who has played many strong and tough women such as Fujiko Mine in Lupin the Third.”

Below, we are disclosing all voice actors who received votes. A total of 38 people, a lineup of talents active in various titles.

All Female Voice Actors Who Received Votes

(Survey period: December 6 to December 13, 2025)

《Takahashi Katsunori》
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