No Seiyuu No Life: Hiroshi Kamiya

Life from Japan is hard, there are typhoons, earthquakes, sometimes both in the same night. Thankfully, everything gets better when you suddenly stumble upon something really interesting. Like yakuza.

I can’t imagine doing a proper transition after what I just wrote so I am just going to say that today I am going to talk about Hiroshi Kamiya. I’m sure you know Hiroshi Kamiya. Everyone does.

Known for: Izaya Orihara (Durarara!!), Koyomi Araragi (Monogatari Series), Takashi Natsume (Natsume Yuujinchou), Levi (Attack on Titan)

My favorite: Itoshiki Nozomu (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei), Izaya Orihara (Durarara!!)

I feel it’s a bit strange that I’ve waited so long to write about Hiroshi Kamiya who happens to be my favorite seiyuu ever. I might even say he is the one who started my obsession about seiyuu in general. He’s just that good. And he played in som of my favorite anime series ever, which greatly helps his case. He is one of these people who could make me sit through every kind of bad anime. (I finished Brothers Conflict for him, it should tell you something.)

Either way, Kamiya is one of the best seiyuu. Just have a look at all the different kind of characters her played. They couldn’t be more different and yet, he has done a great job at any of them.

For example, I don’t think I would have enjoyed Durarara!! as much as I did if it wasn’t for Izaya’s craziness. Now, Izaya is a crazy character, you can see that from the books already but it takes some great talent to give him so much craziness just by using his voice. Izaya himself is a great example of everything Kamiya can do, because Izaya is constantly shifting his personality depending on who he talks to and not only can you see that in his attitude but you could guess just by hearing his voice alone. (Seriously, the Durarara!! drama tracks are some of the best ever.)

With Kamiya you have characters like Izaya and then you have characters like Natsume from Natsume Yuujinchou who are the complete opposite. Natsume is so calm and sweet and sometimes you wouldn’t even guess the same person is voicing both characters. Natsume Yuujinchou is actually one of the shows I watched because of him and I was so surprised to hear what kind of character Natsume was and so impressed because it was just so good.
And then I discovered his real crazy side with characters like Araragi from Bakemonogatari or Itoshiki Nozomu from Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

So basically, Kamiya could be in every single airing anime and I still wouldn’t get tired of him. I hope you wouldn’t either.