Bungo Stray Dogs is famous for featuring characters based on real-life authors such as Nakajima Atsushi and Akutagawa Ryunosuke. The anime is so popular that it has aired up to three seasons. Now, in 2023, it has been decided that the fourth season will finally air, and it is becoming even more popular. Speaking of new characters in the new season, many people are probably wondering who the new characters will be, and speaking of new characters, who the voice actors will be. In this article, we would like to introduce the voice actors who will be playing the new characters!
Introduction: What kind of story is it?
The protagonist, Nakajima Atsushi, was kicked out of his orphanage and was at a loss. After saving Dazai Osamu from drowning in the Tsurumi River, he joined the Armed Detective Agency, a group of people with special abilities. Atsushi couldn't hide his confusion at the Armed Detective Agency, which is full of eccentrics, but he realized that he himself had a very combat-oriented special ability called the Moon Beast. After that, he was drawn into a fierce battle against the Port Mafia, which claims Yokohama as its territory.
Fukuchi Sakurachi: Akio Otsuka
Fukuchi Sakurachi is played by Akio Otsuka. Speaking of Otsuka, his father, Norio Otsuka (deceased), was also a famous voice actor. Before he started working as an actor, he did not get along with his father and had no intention of becoming an actor, but after being rejected by a woman he loved, he decided to become an actor. He joined a theater company, but was struggling to make ends meet, and during that time, Norio introduced him to a job as a voice actor, which has brought him to where he is today. Speaking of Otsuka, he is known for his mellow, dandy voice, and many people may think of Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series. Otsuka himself has said that the Metal Gear series is a work that he is very attached to. Snake's line "Sorry to keep you waiting" is one that anyone who has played the game has heard at least once, and it is sure to leave a lasting impression on many. He also co-starred with his father, Shujiro, in the series. The hidden theme of the Metal Gear series is "surpassing your father," and since Snake's father, Big Boss, also appears in the series, it seems that Shujiro was chosen to play the role of Big Boss.
Akira Okura child actor: Makoto Koichi
The role of Akira Okura is played by Makoto Koichi. In addition to voice acting, she is also active in a wide range of fields, including as a stage actress and choreographer. The reason she aspired to become a voice actress was when she appeared in "Lucky Star" as a stage actress and watched the anime version to study her role. She will be appearing as a substitute for Mariya Ise, who was absent due to poor health in the stage production of "Persona 4". Standing in for a stage performer requires not only singing and voice skills, but also action and dancing. Nakakoichi made the most of her experience as a stage actress and gave a brilliant performance. What's more, she was selected as a stand-in just nine days before the show. It's truly amazing that she was able to take on the role with only a week until the show. I'm sure the people who selected her knew her abilities before offering her the role. Incidentally, Koichi voices Yuki Haru in The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls. In fact, she had been open about being a fan of Yuki Haru on Twitter for over two years before it was decided that she would be taking on the role. It's extremely unusual to end up voicing a character that you supported, so it must have been a very happy experience for Koichi.
Gogol: Takehito Koyasu
The role of Gogol is played by Takehito Koyasu. As a child, he wanted to be an actor and spent his days watching movies. One day, he happened to see "Galaxy Express 999: Andromeda Terminus" and was so impressed that he decided to become a voice actor. This experience had a great impact on Koyasu, and it also influenced his acting stance. Due to his unique voice quality, he often plays villains, and Koyasu himself has said that he likes playing villains. He commented that the reason for this is that "villains have a reason to be evil, and they live with that reason, so I am attracted to the depth of that." A typical villain is DIO from the "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" series. Many people may have learned about Koyasu because of DIO. A famous character other than villains is the voice of Snufkin in "Moomin." He said that he had a hard time playing Snufkin because he overdid his voice, but he gradually corrected it and made it closer to his natural voice. This is an episode that shows the amazing skill of voice actors.
Mushitaro Oguri: Takeshi Kusao
The role of Mushitaro Oguri is played by Takeshi Kusao. During his school days, he was a brilliant student who was accepted into a preparatory school, but after that, he didn't study well, and when he was wondering what to do, he learned about the profession of voice acting. He often plays characters with a strong sense of justice and hot-blooded men, such as Sakuragi Hanamichi in "Slam Dunk", Trunks in the "Dragon Ball" series, and Sanada Yukimura in the "Samurai Warriors" series. Sakuragi Hanamichi's "I'll just put my left hand on it" is a famous line that everyone has heard at least once. It seems that playing Hanamichi required a lot of physical strength, and it was very difficult for the young Kusao at the time. Hanamichi is a character that is the epitome of a hot-blooded man, so it seems difficult to even imagine playing such a character for a long period of time. On the other hand, he has a very wide range of acting, not only playing hot-blooded characters, but also playing characters who are full of madness or are weak.
Summary of the voice actors for the new characters
Knowing who the voice actors are will give you an opportunity to learn about other works and make you want to watch them. Furthermore, by learning about the other characters they play, you can make some very interesting discoveries, such as being shocked by the gap in their voices, such as "Wow, they can do that kind of voice too!" Since Bungo Stray Dogs is a work that features a large number of characters, please be sure to check out the voice actors other than those introduced in this article! That's all for now. Thank you for reading.