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If you’re a fan of anime you will know that the voice actors and actresses, known as ‘Seiyuu’ in Japanese, play a huge role in bringing the anime to life. It’s likely that you have been watching an anime and recognized a characters voice from a different anime that you have watched! This is because many popular Japanese voice actors and actresses voice many different characters from well-known anime. We recently wrote an article listing the 7 most popular Japanese voice actors in Japan right now. In this article we will be doing the same but focusing on Japanese voice actresses instead! We will list the name of each anime voice actress and some of the most popular anime characters that they have voiced. This list is compiled from the information available on みんなのランキング and focuses on the popularity ranking within Japan.

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Why Are Anime Voice Actresses Called ‘Seiyuu’?

‘Seiyuu’, written as 声優 in Japanese, is the Japanese word for voice actor/actress. 声 means voice in Japanese and 優 comes from the Japanese word for actor/actress; so the word ‘seiyuu’ literally means voice actor/actress! seiyuu are most famous for voicing popular anime characters, which has lead to the formation of a fandom surrounding popular anime voice actors and voice actresses. The word ‘seiyuu’ is often used in English instead of ‘voice actor’ or ‘voice actress’ within the fandom surrounding anime voice acting.

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Most Popular Japanese Voice Actresses Right Now

1. Kana Hanazawa (花澤香菜)

According to various Japanese sources, Kana Hanazawa is by far the most popular anime voice actress in Japan right now. She is famous for playing some iconic female anime characters, her most popular being Mayuri from ‘Steins;gate’…who can forget her famous ‘Tu-tu-tuuu’! She is also famous for her beautiful looks and soft voice which fits all of the characters she plays perfectly! Below are some of the most famous characters that she has voiced.

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2. Ayane Sakura (佐倉綾音)

Ayane Sakura is another very popular Japanese voice actress, especially in Japan. She is famous for the various popular anime characters that she has voiced, as well as her very funny and out-going personality. She is recently most well-known for playing Gabi in ‘Attack on Titan: The Final Season’, but has also voiced many other popular anime characters. Below are just a few of the characters that she has voiced.

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3. Inori Minase (水瀬いのり)

Inori Minase Is another popular voice actress, both in Japan and across the world. She is most famous for voicing characters with very cute and innocent voices. I absolutely love her voice and all the characters she has played! She is also famous for her beautiful looks with many people in Japan rating her the most ‘kawaii’ anime voice actress! She also sings so make sure you check out her music if you love her voice. Below are the roles she is most famous for.

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4. Risa Taneda (種田梨沙)

Risa Taneda is another famous Japanese anime voice actress, known for voicing many different anime characters. One of her most famous roles is without a doubt Kaori Miyazono from ‘Your Lie in April’. She has a very light and sweet voice which is perfect for all the characters that she plays. Like many on this list, she is also very popular in Japan for her beautiful looks and cute personality! Below are some of her most well-known roles.

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5. Saori Hayami (早見 沙織)

Saori Hayami is a very popular Japanese anime voice actress, who has become particularly famous in recent years due to her role in the popular anime ‘Demon Slayer’. Saori has also voiced many other popular anime characters but her role as Shinobu Kocho has made her voice very recognizable. Her role also resulted in many people attempting to recreate her voice on social media and do impressions of it. Other characters she is famous for voicing are listed below.

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6. Maaya Uchida (内田真礼)

Maaya Uchida is another popular Japanese voice actress both in Japan and worldwide. She is extremely talented at what she does and has voiced a wide variety of characters. She has a YouTube channel where she does Q&As and character voices. I love how she instantly gets into character for each one and changes her voice so easily. Below are her most well-known characters.

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7. Ai Kayano (茅野 愛衣)

Ai Kayano is another famous anime voice actress in Japan. Although she usually plays more sporting characters rather than main characters, her voice is still very recognizable and suits all her characters well. She is most famous for voicing characters in ‘No Game No Life’ and ‘Sword Art Online’. Below are the characters that she is most famous for voicing.

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8. Sora Amamiya (雨宮天)

Sora Amamiya is another popular Japanese anime voice actress who has voiced many popular female characters. Her voice is very popular as well as her beautiful looks. She is often featured on Japanese television and interviewed about her voice acting and life in general. Below are some of her popular roles.

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