kozaihod’s anime rant: BEST OF 2006, day 2 - Voices of 2006

Today, the summary will be about voices of all sorts: seiyuus, songs, these things. So, let's start, shall we?

This year was full of great surprises, even greater comebacks and good debuts. Sadly, we didn't hear from some great , 'older' stars, but hey, some fresh blood is welcome too, isn't it? There was a couple of great songs this year too. I really had a problem to nominate only five! All right, so let's take a look at Voices of 2006!

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Best Male Seiyuu of 2006
Here are the nominees:
- Jun Fukuyama (Code Geass - Lelouch, Inukami - Keita, xxxHOLIC - Watanuki, To Heart 2 - Jun)
- Tomokazu Sugita (Gintama - Gintoki, Haruhi Suzumiya - Kyon, Kanon - Yuuichi, H+C2 - Mayama)
- Mamoru Miyano (Ouran Host Club - Tamaki, Death Note - Light)
Only three nominees in this category, I couldn't think of any else, though I considered adding in Daisuke Namikawa (Black Lagoon - Rock, Musashi Gundoh - Musashi). Well, anyway, those three are the most recognizeable and pleasant voices this year.
Who was the best?

Don't say that you didn't see this coming. Making his way from a very mediocre seiyuu (Hideki from Chobits) to the sarcastic, ironic and cynic and always recognizable voice (Kyon, Yuiichi), he was the star of this season. He was slightly different in Gintama, but still very good (still with the same attitude). Either way, I'm really looking forward to his performances in 07. Not only as Kyon again in the second season of Haruhi, but also as Chrono in Nanoha StrikerS... and probably anything else. Maybe he'll get the role of Dante in the Devil May Cry anime? :d

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Best Female Seiyuu of 2006
Here are the nominees:
- Aya Hirano (Haruhi Suzumiya - Haruhi Suzumiya, Sumomomo Momomo - Sanae, Death Note - Misa)
- Rie Kugimiya (Gintama - Kagura, Shana - Shana, Zero no Tsukaima - Loise)
- Mamiko Noto (Negima?! - Nodoka, School Rumble - Yakumo, Witchblade - Witchblade)
- Hitomi Nabatame (Muteki Kanban Musume - Miki, Strawberry Panic! - Shizuma, Joshikosei - Eriko)
- Yui Horie (School Rumble - Eri, Zero no Tsukaima - Siesta, Otoboku - Mizuho)
Tight, but made the final decision of five nominees. Each of the ladies' portfolio above is only the part of the work they've done in 2006. Yui Horie is now a star of Megumi Hayashibara caliber, to think that her first well-known role was Naru. My lovable Mamiko Noto also appears on the list. After last year's flop Ichigo 100% (but also goodness, which is Ichigo Mashimaro), she made a perfect comeback, voicing an upgraded version of Nodoka, the main heroine from Witchblade and many others. Aya Hirano, on the other hand is making a career similar to that of Tomokazu Sugita's - who honestly remembers her voice as Lumiere? Also, Kugumiya Rie is making a great work voicing tsundere lolis (not only this year, remember Shinobu's little sister from 2x2=Shinobuden?). Last but not the least, miss Nabatame also voices better and better with every work... and seems like she's nearly 'wanted' as much as Horie-sama... What does this list lack? Well, it was hard, but I didn't include Yuuko Gotou. Yes, she did some good work in Haruhi, well, even in Otoboku, but it was certainly not her best year (Mikuru is 10 miles behind Kaede). Well, maybe next year?
So which of these gorgeous girls took my biggest attention in the last year?

It was her prize all along. I was practicaly sure halway of 2006, that if nothing goes wrong, she'll be IMO the best female seiyuu. Well, I was also considering Yui Horie, especially after her work in Otome wa Trap. But in the end, I did not change my mind. Hitomi is very good. Her main voice are grumpy, deep and energetic shouts, a'la Shana's Margery or Miki from MKM or, pardon me, April from Coyote. But she can also do slightly different voices, like Mikoto from School Rumble, Nobue from Ichigo Mashimaro, or even Arcueid. As from Sugita, I'm expecting even more from her in 2007. If they make an anime adaptation for Ai Kora, she MUST voice Kirino. I DEMAND THIS.

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Best Anime Song of 2006
Here are the nominees:
- Yoake Umare Kuru Shojo (Shakugan no Shana ED1, by Yoko Takahashi)
- Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni OP, by Eiko Shimamiya)
- Kaze no Tadori Tsuku Basho (Kanon ED, by Ayana)
- Odoru Akachan Ningen (NHK no Yokuso! ED1, by Kenji Otsuki and Fumihiko Kitsutaka)
- 1000%SPARKING! (Negima?! OP1, by Rina Satou, Akemi Kanda, Ai Nonaka & Yu Kobayashi)
Another tight one. There were really many, many great songs this year. Choosing only five is hell. In the end, I had to sadly exclude some great ones (Death Note OP, School Rumble 2 Gakki OP, Shana 1st OP) and some decent ones (Shana 2nd OP, Kanon OP, Gin-Iro Kami no Agito OP & ED). Well, nothing comes easy in those kinds of things. The theme for this year was mainly originality. I'm sick and tired of those generic anime songs, so obvious choices for me would be songs that have something 'different' in them. And so, hilarious NHK ED which begins like a very serious song, and goes to something 'My Pace-Daioh'-like, Higurashi's total awesomeness and eerieness, and the spoken word of the Negima's OP (I liked this version more than the second). Also, there had to be place for one of my favorite J-songs ever - Kanon's ending was a song that I loved since I first heard it. Also, the great Takahashi-sama's deep voice really got me into the great song which is the Shana first ending.
Let's see, which song was best?

A double award. I could not, there was no way, I'd never give the prize to only one of them. They both made the best impression on me last year, they both were all the time on my iriver (though I don't really carry J-music there), they are both totally awesome. I said that I fell in love with Kanon's ED since I first heard it. When was it? Both artists are from I've. It was the first I've Girls compilation, where both the OP and ED were. I played the CD while doing something completely different, and that one, certain song caught my attention. 'Wow', I thought. And I still do. After all this years, this song is still one of the best anime songs I ever heard. Especially with the engrish near the end. Eiko is also from I've, but I didn't really ever paid attention to her songs. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni changed this. This is one of the most brilliant and most inteligently made songs I've ever heard. Not only from Japan. And I must say, I'm into totally different music. Either way, if you haven't heard it yet, DO IT. You'll thank me later.
What of 2007? No one can tell what songs in anime there will be. The one I'm hoping for though, is Mirage Lullaby in Shuffle! Memories - my absolutely favorite japanese song atm. Well, time will show...

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Best Character/Insert Song CD of 2006
No real nominees this time. Instead, I just give one prize and everyone will be happy. The reason is that I'm not that into J-pop and I don't download each single associated with every anime I watch. Only from thode I really care about.

Wow. Amaizing single. I never thought that ~desu could sing. And so well, too. The Asakura version of Hare Hare Yukai is better than all of the rest put together, and COOL EDITION is a totally kickass piece of music with really fitting lyrics. I was also considering Aya Hirano's God Knows/Lost My Music... but both songs started to bore me out after the tenth or so time. Still waiting for Kyon's character CD. In April, IIRC.

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Best Norio Wakamoto Role of 2006
Here are the nominees:
- Youzou Torii (Ayakashi Ayashi)
- Gargoyle (Yoshinaga-san'chi no Gargoyle)
- Alexander Anderson (Hellsing OVA)
- Augustus (Demonbane)
- Emperor of Britannia (Code Geass)
This category is made only from sentiment and as a tribute to world's greatest seiyuu - Norio Wakamoto. If you don't recall him, think again. DBZ's Cell, Shinobuden's Onsokumaru, Azumanga's Chiyo-chichi, etc. Also, Victoreem-sama from Gash Bell (Catch My Heart! Very Melon!).
What was Norio's best appearance in anime of 2006?

I was having a really hard time, choosing between the Emperor's 'Dakara doshta?' and Anderson's 'If anyone does not love the Lord, Jesus Christ, let him be accused, o Lord, come, amen!'. Well, the Briton king won. While I knew that Anderson will be voiced by Wakamoto, the WTF moment I had when watching Code Geass was priceless. I was expecting a grumpy, old voice and in a moment I was like 'I don't believe it.'. Good stuff. Though, Anderson had a funny accent I liked (Kansai?). Crap, I don't really know if the decision I made was the best, but of well - 'What of it?'.

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That's all for today. Have an eye left for the next part - Animation of 2006. Coming eventually. Some day. Maybe even tomorrow? Anyways, comment please ;f

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