I'm probably going to be the outlier as I usually am in these things, but I really haven't been able to stand Maaya Uchida for the most part other than in Noragami where finally she's delivered a performance that I find fitting and welcome and even like the character. It could just be the roles she's had being not at all to my taste and more than a little unwelcome, it could also be that I just find her performances and delivery too hyper and kind of annoying a lot of the time, but I can't think of a person I'd least like to see considered for best anything yet.
Yuki Kaji to me is like the most improved major VA in the last year or so I'd say and the template for what I think Uchida can end up being. When he first came on the scene you could see a similar fixation that the industry had in casting him, often in roles I found kind of annoying too and he'd always give that whiny wishy washy sort of delivery that again was kind of unwelcome and I felt would ultimately detract from the show. Nowadays he just seems more versatile and has been getting more challenging roles that aren't all just simply the wimpy kid but which call on him to express a multitude of emotions and or have good comedic or dramatic timing and he's shown that he's up to the task and the faith the industry showed in him just needed to be justified via the passage of time and experience.
I think the key for Uchida is too continue to get more challenging and demanding roles and build up her resume of characters that aren't just hyperactive or derpy all the time. There's potential there that I see now that I didn't a year ago, but she's still got a ways to go for sure.
Anyway probably the VA's that stood out the most in 2013 were Sugita Tomokazu (Joseph Joestar, Gintoki as always) and Saori Hayami (too many roles to name really). Saori Hayami in particular has just suddenly found herself all over the spectrum doing role after role in video games, anime and what not for characters I've really liked and she's been a big part of the reason I've liked them. There's something to be said for that smooth, silky and refined yet kind of biting inflection that makes her stand out. Like she went from barely on my radar to probably my favorite female seiyuu currently in a little over a year and that's something I can't really ignore even if I wanted to. Sugita Tomokazu is a veteran at this point, but I hadn't really been a huge fan until I started watching more Gintama and Jojo came on the scene. Really good year for him last year. |
PeacingOutFeb 28, 2014 1:08 PM