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INTEREST: Industry Insiders Offer Reality Checks on Directing Erotic Games, Voice Acting




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Amara Tenoh



Joined: 22 Mar 2014
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 7:23 pm Reply with quote
Very interesting information.
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FireChick
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Joined: 26 Mar 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 7:26 pm Reply with quote
I had often heard that the voice acting business isn't exactly ideal, and no job ever really is. My parents often say I should apply to do voice acting, but I have no interest. After reading this article, I'm even less inclined to do so. There is no way I can even attempt to fulfill those kinds of expectations, and I imagine it can't be easy for those who do manage to do so, or even try for that matter.
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Hoppy800



Joined: 09 Aug 2013
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 11:02 pm Reply with quote
What those scumbags did to poor Satomi and Kousuke was corporate tyranny and they need to be fined for it and whoever wrote the contract be sent to prison for 10 years+.
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Mr. Oshawott



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 11:56 pm Reply with quote
If Kousuke and Satomi's dreadful experiences are anything to go by, most of Japan's talent agencies are just as draconian at their home as they are in the U.S.
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Arale Kurashiki



Joined: 24 Aug 2015
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 12:12 am Reply with quote
Really not surprised regarding the porn nonsense. Obviously an erotic work is going to focus on making money more than what artistic vision any person might have. Seriously, a work with an erotic focus really just gives me no hope for the rest of its content, because I know it has $$$ as a primary motive.
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leafy sea dragon



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 3:40 am Reply with quote
Kind of funny and sad that directors have such a high dropout rate. I can imagine a lot of them thought it'd be like the stereotypical fat man with sunglasses (and a beret) sitting on a folding chair giving orders to everyone.

FireChick wrote:
I had often heard that the voice acting business isn't exactly ideal, and no job ever really is. My parents often say I should apply to do voice acting, but I have no interest. After reading this article, I'm even less inclined to do so. There is no way I can even attempt to fulfill those kinds of expectations, and I imagine it can't be easy for those who do manage to do so, or even try for that matter.


Well, voice acting in the United States has very different means of entering and very different processes of continuing tofind work. It is still just as tough and competitive, nonetheless.
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Saku-dono



Joined: 14 Feb 2014
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 4:49 am Reply with quote
Well, you gotta wonder how did the likes of Aya Hirano and Kana Hanazawa rose like they're fresh mushrooms and all of a sudden, they took that stride to stardom. I mean, there's this issue on Kitamura Eri and she was liked bashed on social media for that. So did like Horie Yui denying there's foul play to her rise of popularity.

It's like just Satomi-san's words. Entering voice acting is like persisting yourself on a narrow gate. I'm not saying that the successful ones did unquestionable things to get to their position, but sometimes, a report like this is just utterly feasible.
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ice_tea



Joined: 15 Oct 2009
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 10:07 am Reply with quote
Saku-dono wrote:
Well, you gotta wonder how did the likes of Aya Hirano and Kana Hanazawa rose like they're fresh mushrooms and all of a sudden, they took that stride to stardom. I mean, there's this issue on Kitamura Eri and she was liked bashed on social media for that. So did like Horie Yui denying there's foul play to her rise of popularity.


It's been determined that the likes of Hirano and Hanazawa (as well of tons of young anime voice actresses of today) will become "idols". Their way of becoming idols is through voice acting, then singing anime and game songs.

You won't find them in H games or hentai anime (no, not even with a fake name). Ironically, otaku want their idol seiyuu to stay "pure".

Voice actresses in anime will quickly be replaced by another set of younger ones about every 3 years (otaku want younger!). Horie Yui is a rare one that has stayed that long but the focus of her work is no longer anime, but her music career. She surely is a successful idol.

I guess those who are not successful as an idol (or are not made to become an idol from the beginning) might move to the H game industry (with lots of fake names) or even drop out (after all they still have the option of getting married so no worries), after getting fewer anime roles.
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KutovoiAnton



Joined: 03 Mar 2013
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 10:31 am Reply with quote
ice_tea wrote:

I guess those who are not successful as an idol (or are not made to become an idol from the beginning) might move to the H game industry (with lots of fake names) or even drop out of it, after getting fewer anime roles.

Well, Miyuki Sawashiro didn't work out as an idol (even though she was kinda pushed that way at the beginning of her career), but you'll never hear her in the H game. And no one ever even tried to push Megumi Han as an idol as well.
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SHD



Joined: 05 Apr 2015
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 6:35 pm Reply with quote
ice_tea wrote:
I guess those who are not successful as an idol (or are not made to become an idol from the beginning) might move to the H game industry (with lots of fake names) or even drop out (after all they still have the option of getting married so no worries), after getting fewer anime roles.

Not necessarily, starring in anime is not the only way for seiyuu to work. A lot of them also do TV work (serving as the "narrator" in entertainment programs like cooking shows or game shows, etc.), dubbing live-action TV or western cartoons, etc.

There are also games and drama CDs. Even if we disregard those with sexual content (not necessarily the same category as actual porn), there are a lot of apps, games and CDs being put out, and many of them know that getting a big-name cast is one of the best advertisements, since there are "seiyuu otaku" who follow their favorites' works. For a lot of male seiyuu the BL industry provides quite a lot of jobs, and even most well-established male seiyuu are OK with taking BL CD/game/etc. jobs.

There's other kind of voice work that a seiyuu can support themselves with like recording audio books, voicing commercials, etc. Having a fanbase, being able to release their own CDs, doing events, being attached to a very successful franchise, etc. helps a lot, of course.

So yes, of course a lot of young aspiring seiyuu who are halfway decent-looking are pushed and groomed as future idols - mainly female seiyuu, of course, but males can also achieve "idol seiyuu" status. (Someone with a failed career as a singer may also try to gather a fanbase and reach success via appearing in popular franchises, as is the gossip about Aoi Shouta.) But it's not "be an idol or do H and eventually drop out" - it's just that it's a very competitive industry and the seiyuu needs to manage him/herself very carefully (even if he/she actually has an agent) in order to stay relevant and get jobs.
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Chrno2



Joined: 28 May 2004
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:09 pm Reply with quote
Wow that's interesting. When I read this it made me think back to the some of the shady practices of the "porn" industry. It seems that no matter how legitimately innocent things can seem there is ALWAYS something "shady" when it comes to not reading the fine print.
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Spike Terra
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Joined: 21 Mar 2016
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Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 10:19 am Reply with quote
ice_tea wrote:

It's been determined that the likes of Hirano and Hanazawa (as well of tons of young anime voice actresses of today) will become "idols". Their way of becoming idols is through voice acting, then singing anime and game songs.

You won't find them in H games or hentai anime (no, not even with a fake name). Ironically, otaku want their idol seiyuu to stay "pure".


While you are probably about 70 percent right about them not doing H games or Hentai shows, both seiyuu have done plenty of roles for ecchi shows. They both were in Seikon no Qwaser (a great show that I can't recommend to anyone), which counts in my book as almost porn. Which might cause several otaku to question their incredibly stupid idea of "purity".

That being said, they should not feel ashamed for taking those roles and no one should judge them or any seiyuu who takes a role in any form of Hentai (be it games, ovas or even explicit drama CDs).

I think I got a little off topic there. It's sad to see so many people quit working on a project. Many creators need to learn to compromise with staff in order to get their project to see the light of day.

Also there should be stricter laws on what's acceptable for agencies to enforce upon their talent.
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FD2Raptor



Joined: 21 Dec 2011
Posts: 100
Location: Viet Nam
PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 5:16 am Reply with quote
Okay, I'm pretty sure that the translation that resulted in the 2nd sentence of Akesaka Satomi part is incorrect or is worded in a way that could easily be misinterpreted.

From what I can gather, based on the quoted source and Akesaka's twitter post, she was telling her story about the time when she was accepted into Space Craft (she's currently with Amuleto) from a general audition. Her mother was suspicious about her being accepted into that agency without any payment and went to the bigwigs at Space Craft asking them questions (Akesaka first 2 quotes): "There are contractual fees, correct?" "No? But, then there must be a renewal fees..." i.e implying that her mother was looking for the fine prints. Finally, her mother still couldn't believe Akesaka's success, which lead to the final 3rd quote: "Why did you accept my daughter into your agency?"
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