Have you heard of "ACTORS," a content that's currently gaining momentum? It's a somewhat new type of content in which male voice actors sing popular VOCALOID songs! The male voice actors play characters such as teachers and students. It also includes a mini drama CD and singing parts, making it a pretty luxurious content! It has been popular up until now, and several album CDs have been released. Now, it has been decided that "ACTORS" will be made into an anime in November 2019! We're already excited to see what it will be like! In this article, we'll introduce the appeal of ACTORS! Let's do some research before the anime is released.
The appeal of ACTORS - Songs Collection- 1. The characters are amazing!!
First, and very importantly, the characters in "Actors" are all incredibly cool and unique. A wide variety of characters appear, from teachers to instructors, and their interactions are a joy to enjoy. Listening to the mini-drama parts as well as the song parts will help you get a better understanding of their personalities. With so many characters, you're sure to find someone you love!
For example, here are some characters! ① Shiro Nanao
What kind of characters will appear? Shiro Nanao is one of the most popular characters in Actors, voiced by Tetsuya Kakihara. He loves to move his body and his special skill is dancing. He seems to be skilled in a variety of dance genres, from hip-hop to breakdancing and animation. He studied abroad during middle school. This may be because his voice actor, Tetsuya Kakihara, is a returnee from Germany. Despite this, he actually has a narcissistic side. He loves fashion and seems to be more careful than most. However, even though he thinks he's cool, others often see him as cute. He also seems to enjoy shojo manga, influenced by his older sister.
For example, here's a character like this! ② Kakeru Iimori
Kakeru Iimori is also a popular character! His voice actor is Shintaro Asanuma. He's a very confident and playful guy. He's always carefree, humorous, and light-hearted, but he's actually serious and has a strong core. While picking up trash in the schoolyard and throwing it away, he was taken in by Rin, who was volunteering to clean up the school at the time. Through this connection, he became a member of the school's beautification club when it was established. He also participates in several clubs, participating in those he needs. He also adores his younger sister, so much so that he even uses her photo as his smartphone wallpaper.
Example Characters! ③ Ashihara Koho
He is the captain of the broadcasting club. He usually uses the club for his own purposes, hosting talk-focused broadcasts during lunch breaks. He is in charge of two of the three weekly broadcasts. He loves to be cheerful and lighten the mood. He also loves to talk and has a powerful voice, earning him the nickname "Tensho Academy's Natural Speaker." He is also a hard worker, actively participating in announcement competitions and earning points. He is also a member of the club presidents' association, which includes Suigetsu and Rin.
Example Characters! ④ Enjoji Mike
He has a caring personality and a gentle aura. However, when something unpleasant happens, his attitude changes completely. His sadistic switch suddenly flips on, and his personality changes drastically. When that happens, his words become more poisonous. Incidentally, Kai is his childhood friend, and for some reason, he's always been sadistic towards him. Incidentally, he hates bugs, so even though he's in the archaeology department, he makes the most noise during excavations. He also seems to dislike his cute name, so he hates being called by his first name and insists on being called by his last name.
The Appeal of ACTORS - Songs Collection- ② A Celebrity Cast! !
This is also a very important point! The voice actors in "Actors" are simply amazing! From veteran voice actors to up-and-coming young voice actors, they're a huge gathering of popular voice actors. With singing and drama by these voice actors, it's clear that it's a truly luxurious story. This makes the anime adaptation even more exciting! Another point worth noting is that the character designs are influenced by the voice actors.
For example, here's a voice actor! ① Hikaru Midorikawa
The incredibly popular veteran voice actor Hikaru Midorikawa also appears in "Actors"! Actors is the only place you can listen to Vocaloid songs sung by Hikaru Midorikawa. Midorikawa has appeared in a variety of famous works. He recently made waves for his role as Juzumaru Tsunetsugu in "Touken Ranbu." Hikaru Midorikawa sings songs like "Cantarella."
Examples of voice actors like this! ② Shouta Aoi
Shouta Aoi also appears in "Actors." He has a history of appearing in various anime and games aimed at women. Recently, he made quite a splash by appearing in "Pop Team Epic" as himself (?) as "Shouta Aoi." He's also actively pursuing a career as a singer under his own name. Shouta Aoi sings "Noro Jyo Sakuretsu Girl" in Actors. His dialogue with Toshiki Masuda is super cute, so be sure to check it out!
Example Voice Actors! ③ Noriaki Sugiyama
Noriaki Sugiyama also appears in "Actors"! He's a popular voice actor known for his screaming voice. He has voiced many main characters, including Sasuke in "NARUTO," Shirou in "Fate," and England in "Hetalia." This time in Actors, he plays a member of the Ghost Club and sings songs like "Karakuri Pierrot."
ACTORS - Songs Collection -'s Charm #3: The Worldview is Intriguing!
The story is set in the massive academic city of Thrive Central. Each voice actor is assigned a character, such as a student or teacher. These characters then sing and act in dramas. Furthermore, the character's profile is sometimes incorporated into the voice actor's profile, a delight for voice actor fans! By the way, the character designs are by Meka. The drama is generally a heartwarming school-themed story. However, the worldview and setting are often shrouded in mystery, sometimes creating a mysterious atmosphere. On November 10, 2018, it was announced that the series would be adapted into a TV anime, making it a very popular title right now!
ACTORS - Songs Collection-'s Appeal 4: The Great Songs!
All of the songs used in ACTORS are popular VOCALOID songs. VOCALOID, or "VOCALOID" for short, is software that allows you to create original songs with popular characters like Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin & Len, and GUMI. It's a very popular piece of content, and Nico Nico Douga is constantly updating its catalog with great songs. With popular voice actors singing these VOCALOID songs, ACTORS has also attracted attention. The CD contains many songs, all of which are masterpieces! They perfectly match the voice actors' voices, making for a captivating listening experience. Be sure to find your favorites!
For example, here's a song! ① Senbonzakura
It's a pretty famous song! It's popular not only in Japan but also overseas. It's been used in commercials, isn't it? The music video is also worth watching; you'll be drawn into the sophisticated worldview. Several members of Actors sing this duet, and each member's unique voice shines through, making it truly beautiful. It's a karaoke staple, so be sure to give it a try! By the way, the song was produced by Kurousa-P.
Kurousa-P has produced a variety of hits. Other songs he's renowned include "Cantarella" and "Renai Philosophia." By the way, "Cantarella" is also available on Actors, so be sure to check it out.
Example Songs! ② i-aru Fan Club
This is another huge hit from Mikito-P! "i-aru Fan Club" tells the story of someone's struggle to learn Chinese. It really conveys their dedication and is just so cute. The music video for the original is also super cute, so be sure to check it out! Incidentally, there's also a music video for Actors, which is incredibly cute and inspired by the original work! Be sure to check it out as well. In fact, many of Mikito P's songs have been used in Actors, including the hugely popular "Loki" and "Balerico." They're so cool, be sure to give them a listen! The captivating, unique worldview and catchy melody and lyrics are a highlight.
For example, this song! ③ Happy Synthesizer
This is also a very well-known song! The lyrics and melody are popular, as they're uplifting to listen to. Incidentally, this song is also very popular in the "Dance Cover" category. The choreography is also super cute, so be sure to check it out! By the way, this is a duet song between Kakeru (Shintaro Asanuma) and Shiro (Tetsuya Kakihara). "Happy Synthesizer" is an undeniably joyful song. Other songs by the same Vocaloid producer include "Hi-Fi Raver," "Girls," and "So I Told You, Didn't I?"
ACTORS - Songs Collection-'s Charm ⑤ The Four-Panel Comics Are Also Attractive!
ACTORS is also being serialized as a four-panel comic on pixiv Comics! The deformed characters are incredibly cute and instantly soothing. Because it's a four-panel comic, the tempo is good, allowing you to follow the characters' relationships, so it's highly recommended. There are currently quite a few chapters updated, so if you want to read them all, it's quite a satisfying read!
The Appeal of ACTORS - Songs Collection- ⑥ Pay Attention to the Relationships Between the Characters!
"ACTORS" isn't just about the individual characters. Pay attention to the relationships between the characters! Each character belongs to some kind of club, and it's fun to follow the relationships within that club, as well as those that extend beyond the club, and find out, "Which characters are best friends with which characters?" and "What unexpected relationships are there!?"
Pay attention to the duet songs!
During the singing parts, characters with related characters sometimes sing duets together! For example, "Nousyou Sakuretsu Girl," a duet between two members of the broadcasting club, is especially recommended. The voice actors are Shouta Aoi and Toshiki Masuda, two young voice actors currently garnering a lot of attention, and their interplay is simply adorable! The singing parts are, of course, wonderful, but the intro and interlude sections feature conversations that are uniquely theirs. It's so cute and soothing, so be sure to give it a listen!
"IA Fan Club" is also adorable!
"IA Fan Club," sung by Takuya Eguchi and Yuki Ono, is also super cute! The lyrics are about studying Chinese, but in ACTORS, the two characters go to Chinatown. The music video is available on the official YouTube channel, and the illustrations are, of course, adorable, and the dialogue between the two characters is also a highlight of this song.
A Summary of the Appeal of ACTORS - Songs Collection-!
That's it for the appeal of ACTORS! We've learned that it has many appealing aspects. I'm sure more information will be released as the series approaches its anime adaptation. I can't wait for autumn!
