Shinichiro Kamio and Rei Sakuma, who received the Kei Tomiyama and Kazue Takahashi Awards, given to voice actors who have been active in various fields, at the 20th Seiyu Awards, which honors the most active voice actors of the year, appeared at the awards ceremony held on March 15th at the Bunka Broadcasting Media Plus Hall (Minato-ku, Tokyo).
Sakuma is known for her roles as Batako in "Anpanman," My Melody in "Tenkuu Onegai My Melody," and Shampoo in "Ranma 1/2," and she drew laughter by saying, "I've been doing voice work, or rather, throwing faces at Anpanman, for 37 years now." She added, "This has given me an opportunity to reflect once again that the reason I've been able to continue this job for so long is not solely due to my own efforts, but also because of the guidance I've received from many people."
Sakuma said that when she started her voice acting career, "there's one thing I've decided from the very beginning," and explained her belief: "First, I love the role. I look for something lovable in the character. It's the same as with people; even if it's a villain, there's always something lovable about them. When I do that, affection wells up inside me, and once I've fully internalized that affection, I'll say even the worst things in the lines. I believe that if I do it that way, love will be poured into my voice, and there will be no venom in what I deliver."
She also said, "I believe that a person's true self comes through in their voice," and added, "If I don't have a strong sense of self, something terrible will come across. So I always record with love. This experience has made me realize once again that as long as I do this job, I want to live in a way that allows me to take responsibility for my own voice."
The Seiyu Awards, established in 2006, are co-sponsored by KADOKAWA, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions. Aside from the MVS (Most Valuable Seiyu, the most outstanding voice actor as chosen by fans), the awards are selected by the Executive Committee and the Selection Committee. The 20th awards covered works and voice actors that aired, streamed, or were announced between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025. To commemorate the 20th anniversary, Romi Park, who won the Best Leading Actress Award at the inaugural awards, and Aya Hirano, who won the Best New Actress Award, served as ambassadors.
