Interest
200 Voice Actors Face Off in TV Special's Popularity Contest
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
TV Asahi variety producer Keisuke Higuchi Tweeted on Saturday about an upcoming television special that will pit 200 Japanese voice actors against each other in an ultimate popularity contest. The "Ninki Seiyū 200-nin ga Honki de Eranda! Seiyū Sōsenkyo! 3-jikan SP" (200 Popular Voice Actors Seriously Selected! Voice Actor General Election! 3-Hour Special) television special will air on TV Asahi on January 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Details are scarce about the special, and it's unclear whether voting is taking place beforehand or during the course of the program. Higuchi's Tweet reveals he apparently had a hectic schedule during filming for the special. However, the producer did not divulge which voice actors are participating in the show.
Performers for the special include the comedy duo Bakushō Mondai and singer and entertainer Eiji Wentz (live-action Kitaro's Kitaro, Nodame Cantabile in Europe's Franck Latoine). Actor and singer Kanji Ishimaru will act as presenter, and TV Asahi's Megumi Aoyama and Ayaka Hironaka will serve as announcers. Kazuya Kojima of the comic duo Unjash, entertainer Chiaki, and Nogizaka46 idol group members Rina Ikoma and Sayuri Matsumara will appear as studio guests.
Many television specials with voice actors and anime re-airings will also fill Japan's airwaves around New Year's.
Which Japanese voice actors do you think are the most popular? Who do you think will come out on top in this popularity contest? Tell us in the forum!
[Via Nijimen]
