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NEWS: Voice Actress Aya Hirano to Study Abroad in New York For 4 Months


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GrayArchon



Joined: 28 Feb 2011
Posts: 393
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 1:47 pm Reply with quote
vonPeterhof wrote:
Karisu wrote:
The only thing that makes sense to me is that she's going to improve her English.
Could also be musical theatre training. She's apparently pursuing that career path pretty seriously, having appeared in Tokyo productions of Mozart! (first half of the video), Spamalot and Les Misérables, and what better place to get advanced training for this than Broadway?


Or both. It's not like she only has to do one thing while she's here, and just having to use her English on regular basis would improve it.

Utsuro no Hako wrote:
omegaproxy wrote:
I can't help but wonder what her true motive for this.


I for one cannot imagine any possible reason why a woman who had her career derailed because a tabloid revealed she was sexually active could possibly have for not wanting to live in Japan.


From what I recall turning up at the time, the tabloid thing was pretty much just the straw that broke the camel's back in regards to her conflicts with her agency, and that was the main thing that screwed up her career. Though I'm sure the scandal didn't do her any favors either.
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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 8461
Location: Penguinopolis
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 3:07 pm Reply with quote
I hope this leads to a Haruhi Takes Manhattan feature. Imagine the Closed Spaces.
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enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14761
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 8:06 pm Reply with quote
Aya Hirano has always wanted to do other jobs than just voice-acting. Maybe she wants to improve her career opportunities by broadening her skills necessary for those other jobs.

While she's there, she can learn from the NY Yankees import pitching ace Masahiro Tanaka - "Accustomed to U.S. life, Yankees' Tanaka now one of the guys"

  • Masahiro Tanaka is just one of the guys now.

    Tanaka says he can walk the streets unnoticed in Manhattan, strolls that are impossible for him to take in Tokyo.

    He uses some of his down time to golf and to fish for bass.

    As he enters his third season in the major leagues, the New York Yankees ace can communicate with his teammates in English.

    Now 27, he’s acclimatized to life in the major leagues, the United States and the Big Apple.

    “I’ve really gotten used to everything here, so I guess it’s a little bit more easier for me,” he said.
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BakuformerAnime



Joined: 21 Jan 2016
Posts: 28
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 8:12 pm Reply with quote
I love her and Wendee Lee. Smile
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leafy sea dragon



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 7163
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 9:45 pm Reply with quote
Karisu wrote:
The only thing that makes sense to me is that she's going to improve her English. In which case 4 months with intensive classes could be very beneficial on that front.


It'd have to be quite intensive if it's going to be worth something in four months. English is not an easy language to learn unelss you're very young.

But yeah, I'd be interested in seeing what results in all of this. My guess is that she is preparing for a role in which she has to speak decent English.
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SWAnimefan



Joined: 10 Oct 2014
Posts: 634
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 9:56 pm Reply with quote
vonPeterhof wrote:
Karisu wrote:
The only thing that makes sense to me is that she's going to improve her English.
Could also be musical theatre training. She's apparently pursuing that career path pretty seriously, having appeared in Tokyo productions of Mozart! (first half of the video), Spamalot and Les Misérables, and what better place to get advanced training for this than Broadway?


I have to agree. Ever since her incident years ago, she's been gradually moving to stage play and it doesn't really get any bigger than Broadway.

Utsuro no Hako wrote:
I for one cannot imagine any possible reason why a woman who had her career derailed because a tabloid revealed she was sexually active could possibly have for not wanting to live in Japan.


I don't get the indication she doesn't want to live in Japan anymore. She might in the future, but for now, I get the impression Aya is just expanding her horizons as an actress. Who knows what her ultimate goal is? Perhaps breaking into Hollywood?

Sacto0562 wrote:
Well, if Hirsano-san can improve her English and become a good Hollywood actress, she could be earning a salary measured in the millions of US dollars for each role she plays--especially if she becomes popular on this side of the Pacific, where scandals are not as detrimental to an artistic career as it is in Japan, in my humble opinion.


Given Hollywood is more focused on Asia for boxoffice draw, it's a good time for her to do so. Especially when there is need for bi-lingual Japanese actors like Ken Watanabe and Rinko Kikuchi.

leafy sea dragon wrote:
Karisu wrote:
The only thing that makes sense to me is that she's going to improve her English. In which case 4 months with intensive classes could be very beneficial on that front.


It'd have to be quite intensive if it's going to be worth something in four months. English is not an easy language to learn unelss you're very young.

But yeah, I'd be interested in seeing what results in all of this. My guess is that she is preparing for a role in which she has to speak decent English.


Judging from Youtube videos of her last visit to New York and from her Twitter post, it appears Aya does knows English, but isn't a master speaking it. But there are some real good voice coaches out there that seem to do miracles with overseas actors.

For instance, Milla Jovovich hardly knew English at all when she was filming 5th Element, and a short time later she's speaking English fluently. There are other actors like that as well. so don't be surprised we suddenly hear Aya speaking good Engrish like Rinko.


So I wish Aya the best in her visit to the Big Apple.
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archyteckie08



Joined: 11 Feb 2009
Posts: 21
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 1:15 pm Reply with quote
In Japan, when an actor/actress goes to "Study English in New York or London," it basically means they are trying to avoid or subdue a scandal. Once they come back, their English never sounds better than before (it doesn't help that in New York, they just hang around other native Japanese people). So "studying English" can mean to get plastic surgery, secretly become married, getting an abortion, secretly give birth, fallout from a bad love affair (either dating a powerful married person or a powerful single person with an axe to grind), mental exhaustion, special care for a medical issue, drug rehab, playing hardball with your agency, lack of upcoming work (announcing an overseas trip can get you better media attention than announcing joblessness), and etc. Point being Japanese entertainers do not take a "short break" unless something is wrong.

From her Japanese media appearances, Aya Hirano has never seemed comfortable being a voice actress. According to Japanese gossip sites, she has always wanted to be a tv star; rather being featured in dramas or commercials. But never gets those opportunities as much as voice work. Being a popular voice actor in Japan is like being an American Youtube star in America. So she is somewhat resentful of her otaku status and makes comments about her love life to upset her fans (I'm guessing so her voice career will fail, so she can be an actress or singer). The industry thinks she's too "tacky" (her high pitch voice is too cutesy outside anime or idol groups) to be a mainstream actress and picked on her when she posed (gravure style) with her swimsuit top upside down. Her tv drama work was overly judged negatively online (from otaku and non-otakus). Her non-anime songs don't do well either; even though she has a good singing voice. All her attempts to go away from voice work, seem to backfire big time. In a way, she reminds me of Ariana Grande; someone who is a good singer but overly dramatic voice seems better suited for Broadway and voice over work than pop songs and tv shows.

However her recent stage work (doing Japanese versions of Westerner theater plays) has been well-received. So people think she may be quitting voice acting (leaving Japan, making her unavailable for jobs, and having a lawyer negotiate her voice acting contracts with company) to be a theater actress (not on Broadway but in Japan). While in New York, she may attend Broadway shows to get an idea how to better preform them in Japan. But I doubt her goal is to become a Broadway actress in America. The competition is still stiff even if you are a native English speaker and already famous in America. A many movie stars have flopped on Broadway and Japanese stars seems to accept the fact that American success isn't really realistic.
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enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14761
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 2:48 am Reply with quote
SWAnimefan wrote:
Sacto0562 wrote:

Well, if Hirsano-san can improve her English and become a good Hollywood actress, she could be earning a salary measured in the millions of US dollars for each role she plays--especially if she becomes popular on this side of the Pacific, where scandals are not as detrimental to an artistic career as it is in Japan, in my humble opinion.

Given Hollywood is more focused on Asia for boxoffice draw, it's a good time for her to do so. Especially when there is need for bi-lingual Japanese actors like Ken Watanabe and Rinko Kikuchi.


And Sailor Mars Laughing


archyteckie08 wrote:

In a way, she reminds me of Ariana Grande; someone who is a good singer but overly dramatic voice seems better suited for Broadway and voice over work than pop songs and tv shows.


Ariana Grande is the closest thing to Western kawaii to Japanese Laughing






archyteckie08 wrote:

While in New York, she may attend Broadway shows to get an idea how to better preform them in Japan. But I doubt her goal is to become a Broadway actress in America. The competition is still stiff even if you are a native English speaker and already famous in America. A many movie stars have flopped on Broadway and Japanese stars seems to accept the fact that American success isn't really realistic.


A recent one made it:

http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/ryoko-yonekura-makes-broadway-debut-in-chicago

http://www.japanculture-nyc.com/2012/07/20/hiro-sake-celebrates-japanese-actresss-broadway-debut-with-signature-cocktail/
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