Creating “One-Stop” Value.
The Strengths of Voice Acting Management

In addition to the planning, production, and sales of visual content centered around animation, Avex Pictures (referred to below as API) is developing a wide range of businesses revolving IP, including MD, live performances, events, games, movies, and overseas development. In recent years, the company's voice actors have been the focus of particular attention. API has a management and production group that combines the functions of a voice actor management division and an “ani-song” label. The voice actor management division is staffed by actors with rich and unique personalities. We sat down with Hideaki Tamamushi, general manager of API, the unit leader of the first management unit Akifumi Matsuoka, and Anri Toyoda, a third-year newly grad, as well as the unit leader of the second management unit Marie Sasaki, and Nami Aizawa, a second-year newly grad. Together, we explored what lies at the core of the voice actor management business and its future prospects.

A New Management Personnel System
Comprised of Different Histories and Generations.

The word “management” is hard to explain simply. It covers a wide range of tasks. Unlike the traditional image of managing schedules for certain talented individuals, there is a strong branding aspect of how to attract and market said talent.

The five members joining us for this article manage voice actors at API who have been expanding their activities in the world of entertainment in recent years. First, let's take a look back at their backgrounds and the history of the organization.

Tamamushi "Our voice actor management business began with our voice actor course at Avex Artist Academy. We managed the actors we trained and produced there. After that, several divisions were loosely merged into a single department around the fall of 2018 when I was transferred to API. That gradually turned into the organization we have now. It wasn't until April 2019 that we became the independent management and production group that we are today."

Sasaki "After working as staff at Avex Artist Academy, I started voice actor management at the then APD (Avex Planning & Development) in 2009, but I wanted to focus more on this work and requested a transfer to API, which was focused on anime business."

Matsuoka "I've been with API since I joined the company back in 2015, in the Voice Actor Management Section, which was part of the Anime Production Department. Tamamushi-san transferred to this section in 2018, and we became the department we are now."

One outstanding name on Matsuoka's team is i☆Ris, a popular “voice-over idol unit” celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. On the other hand, Sasaki's team includes such signature artists as Chika Anzai, who plays Chisato Nishikigi, the main character in the hit anime “Lycoris Recoil”, Kiyono Yasuno, who is active as both a voice actress and singer, with major works such as “Macross Delta” and “Star☆Twinkle PreCure”, as well as Sora Tokui who is always receiving offers thanks to her overwhelming roster of content such as “Love Live!” and “Uma Musume”.

When we asked the young team members Toyoda and Aizawa about their backgrounds and reasons for wanting to work at the company, it was interesting to note that the images they had towards voice actors were, in a sense, completely opposite to each other.

Aizawa "I've always been very interested in anime content and the voice actors who work in the industry."

Toyoda "On the contrary, I honestly had no idea that voice actors sang and danced, or that they were active on stage, until I got involved in this job."

Tamamushi "In relation to what Toyota is saying, I was originally a long-time publicist at the label, and I didn't know we even had a voice-over division within the company until I was transferred (laughs). However, Avex is a company that has always supported artists who sing and dance. When acquiring new voice actors, we have a strong focus on their potential as artists."

Talent: An Elite Few.
Sales a la Avex

Next, we asked Tamamushi, Matsuoka, and Sasaki about what they have placed importance on regarding management and what is unique to Avex, based on their personal experiences.

Matsuoka "For example, i☆Ris, which I have been in charge of since I joined the company, is somewhat unique in that we double-managed the unit in cooperation with 81 Produce (Eighty-One Produce), a voice actor production company. We need to work closely with 81 Produce in things like sales, schedule management, and more, and plan strategically how to market the unit, and implement the PDCA (plan-do-check-act) cycle by utilizing the knowledge of both companies."

i☆Ris is a pioneer in their industry, which hardly existed ten years ago. According to Matsuoka, there were pros and cons and many opinions about a voice-acting idol unit when it first started, but their efforts to challenge themselves as idols, something other voice actors wouldn't do, has worked well with the management strategy, and they are still active at the forefront today.

Sasaki touched on the changes in the voice actor production environment from 10 years ago and today, and spoke of the differences between other production companies and Avex's management business.

Sasaki "I feel that the number of voice actor agencies has really increased compared to 10 years ago. Among these, Avex has a very small number of voice actors. We have a small elite group, and the managers work closely with everyone to plan on how to market each voice actor and show them to the world. This is something we are very aware of being unique to Avex."

Sasaki says that she always keeps in mind something which, though simple, is very difficult; rising to the challenge and developing what they want to do, together, rather than forcing the actors to do something. This has resulted in a positive outcome for many of the voice actors.

As for Toyoda and Aizawa, on the other hand, who look up to and follow their senior employees, their strength lies in the new ideas that only newly grads can bring as part of the next generation.

Toyoda "I work under Matsuoka-san, and I am in charge of i☆Ris and the junior unit Run Girls, Run!. In addition, based on the direction of their management strategy, which is decided by Matsuoka-san, I would like to come up with ideas that only our generation can come up with, like seeing if we can get a certain response generated by a certain kind of social media policy."

Aizawa "I look after an entire team of about eight actors who are mainly involved in voice acting in particular, including Chika Anzai, Kiyono Yasuno, and Sora Tokui, whose names were mentioned earlier. Although we work together as a whole, I am mainly in charge of the on-site work of Sora Tokui and Minori Fujidera, who won the grand prix at the auditions. For example, in the case of Sora Tokui, she’s active in multiple fields, including virtual avatars, and she has a lot of potential for the future, so we are working to expand her work into new areas as we go along."

We also asked the two about some of the more unexpected aspects of their field experience.

Toyoda "i☆Ris and Run Girls, Run! are also challenging themselves with solo work in addition to their unit activities. Many of the voice actors have their own dreams, not only as voice actors or idols, but also as solo artists or actresses, for example. It was surprising to see so many people who have the title of voice actor or idol who also have prospects in many other fields besides the animation industry. I was never familiar with the animation or voice-over industry, so in that respect, I can help in a way that is similar someone from the general public."

Aizawa "For me personally, until I was assigned to this position, I had this strong preconception that a manager's main job was scheduling, administration, carrying luggage to and from work sites, that kind of stuff. But that wasn't the case at all. The voice actors I am in charge of are involved in a wide variety of activities, so I feel that it’s important to be able to communicate with them in a variety of ways, depending what, where and when the job is, by anticipating what is going to happen ahead of time. I also think it is important to think about approaches that will lead to more and more work in the future."

Creating Undeniable Hit Content.
The Keys: Flexible Thinking and New Wind

What are the future prospects for Avex's voice actor management business, and what strengths will it leverage to establish a solid position in the voice actor industry?

Tamamushi "We do not intend to change our 'elite few' style of working closely with each and every voice actor. However, when we think about the future growth of our organization, the development and training of newcomers will become an important theme. That's why I often talk about not focusing on anything and everything, but rather doubling down on the talent that makes you go, 'This is it!' It's better to find really talented new voice actors and artists and help them grow through trial and error. It's my aim to find more of those talents. In fact, we have welcomed four new teenagers in the last two years. We also have a label within our management division, and we would like to increase the number of new voice actors and new artists to our roster at API and take on challenges in various businesses together with them from a broad perspective. At the same time, we're inevitably limited in what we can do with our current resources, so we'd like to increase our number of colleagues (employees) who are willing to take on challenges together. If anyone is considering a career path, I would be very happy if you consider working with us."

In addition to training new employees and increasing the number of new artists, Matsuoka mentioned having a flexible approach to thinking as an important aspect of management. This is partly due to the influence of the two new employees who joined the company right out of college.

Matsuoka "I can say without a doubt that Toyoda and Aizawa are more flexible in their thinking than we are. When it comes to marketing, for example with social media, our generation tends to first think, 'What if we do this?' But the girls are more flexible and say, 'We should just do it! More of it!' They are always positive. For example, not many voice actors are on TikTok or Instagram, and after being in the voice acting industry for such a long time, I thought that was normal, but the two of them can see it from a fresh perspective. Instead, they're like, 'Why aren't we doing it? If you want to get known, you have no choice but to do it.' I would like to continue incorporating that sense of flexibility in the future."

In discussing future prospects, it is impossible to ignore the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic has had on the voice-over industry ever since it overtook the world in 2020. It was an impact that changed the business itself, for voice actors, for customers, and for Avex.

Tamamushi "From an organizational standpoint, the pandemic occurred about a year after the department was established, which put a tremendous brake on things. In the beginning, there were situations where we couldn't speak, and we couldn't do post-recording, which we had been doing together. Even for live performances, there were more and more places where we were asked to perform at half capacity or without an audience. The awareness of the audience has changed, and some existing business practices are no longer applicable. In this context, as I mentioned earlier, there is a strong desire for the next generation to break the old traditions of the voice-over industry and stereotypes in the business. I want to create an organization that keeps the windows open for new winds to blow. I would also like to make it a strong management organization that can stand up to the likes of AMG and AEI within Avex."

After taking in the thoughts of their leader, Matsuoka and Sasaki expressed even more vision and ambition.

Matsuoka "API is a single company with so many different departments that we can complete everything in-house. We have a particular strength that other voice actor agencies do not have, which is that we have both production and management. We are able to manage and produce related content, as well as produce goods and perform live shows, which is something that only API can do."

Sasaki "We would like to leverage the power of anime content, a powerhouse itself, to further enhance the value of voice actors. I would be more than happy if we make use of API's strength of having a solid business pipeline overseas, to create voice actors and artists who can be active not only in Japan but also throughout the world."

"Whether it's in the Metaverse, or not, I want to actively participate in things that make people think, 'What the heck is this?’" says Aizawa. "We don't want people to think that voice actors are just trying to be an artist on the side," adds Toyoda. The two newly grads showed their enthusiasm by expressing their unique ideas.

The key to bringing new winds into the voice-over industry, not to mention the potential of the talent themselves, seems to lie in the ability and capacity of management to maximize it. Making this possible is the strength and the foundation of API. In these regards, it was only a few years ago that the management department was properly organized and it is only recently that the company has begun to discover and nurture new talent, following in the footsteps of the voice actors who have had a career at the company for many years. At this point, the company may still be in the process of planting and steadily nurturing the seeds of voice acting talent, but when that talent blossoms into a major success, it will be accompanied by the creation of hit content that only Avex can produce.