SEIYUU LOUNGE

This year has been a rollercoaster of emotions: two big solo artists changed music labels - surprising everyone -, some 2D music projects announced their end or are going on a hiatus, solo debuts came out of nowhere (yet one was long overdue), some seiyuu released their first conceptual CDs and many more things.This is just a round up of everything that happened in 2026 so far and it seems this is the most destructive year for the seiyuu music/2D music industry.

Time to review Shouta Aoi's latest new album, LIMITLESS. This is the follow up to DETONATOR and comes after the release of the stellar mini-album Collage so expectations were super high.Did Aoi meet those expectations with LIMITLESS? Did this album bring new things to the table? This and more in this audio review of one of the most anticipated albums of the year.

Smart. Key. The core of a performance. While, on paper, it may not look like Kotaro Nishiyama will be key to any 2D music project he's a part of, the truth is, the groups he's a part of, without him, would sound completely unbalanced.Yes, Kotaro Nishiyama has a hidden power that he brings to his performances, and that has both made him essential for the 2D groups he's a part of and also, in his solo career, led to me labeling as a smart singer.Music suggestions:- ZOOL "4ROAR"- ZOOL "Stronger and Stronger"- QUELL "What do you see"- Kotaro Nishiyama "Time Machine"Thanks to M L for inspiring this series of episodes!

One of the most impressive growth spurts as a singer among male seiyuu belongs to Tetsuya Kakihara. While he struggled with pitch and control in 2010, now he's dazzling in acappella projects and even in his own music, delivering several iconic performances - demanding and extremely technical - on the vocal end that you would never expect he'd pull off back in the day.Music suggestions:- Tetsuya Kakihara "Samidare"- Lil Happy "Kaleidoscope"- Tetsuya Kakihara "It's time to"- Tetsuya Kakihara "Hikari - winter version"Thanks to M L for inspiring this series of episodes!

Owner of one of the effortlessly sexy voices among male seiyuu, Takuya Sato is no stranger to singing in 2D music projects and even had his own solo career (and it was genuinely solid). However, something was missing in his singing that acappella music - and namely, the Aoppella franchise - unlocked for him in 2019.Since then, he has been a show stealer in all 2D music projects he is a part of.Music suggestions:- FYA'M "Think about U"- TRIGGER "Triple Down"- TRIGGER "SOL"Thanks to M L for inspiring this series of episodes!

Makoto Furukawa has impressed since the start with his powerful vibrato and unique, fancy brand of jazz-pop. However, since his solo debut, he has been perfecting his control and bringing new tools to his arsenal that have elevated his singing from "good" to "stellar", making Makoto Furukawa one of the best singers among male seiyuu.Music suggestions:- BAD SKUNK "Violet Love"- Makoto Furukawa "Uso to Gekko"- RUBIA Leopard "Prisoner"Thanks to M L for inspiring this series of episodes!

Yuichiro Umehara has had one of the most impressive transformations as a singer in the past decade. Originally lacking confidence, he's evolved into a singer who steals the show if needed, going toe to toe with some of the best singers without disappearing in the mix. This was something we couldn't say a couple of years back but now, Umehara has managed to consistently impress with Sir Vanity, SolidS, Beit and BAD SKUNK.Music suggestions:- SolidS "Cross x Notes"- Sir Vanity "Home"- BAD SKUNK "Cheeky Girl"Thanks to M L for inspiring this series of episodes!

In this episode, we cover Shoya Chiba, popular seiyuu who has been a sought-after talent in 2D music, particularly since 2020. He is the perfect example of why vocal direction in 2D groups can make a seiyuu either shine or not.Music suggestions:- Shoya Chiba "Kanjouron"- Shoya Chiba (as part of SparQlew) "Criminal"- Shoya Chiba "You/Me"Thanks to M L for inspiring this series of episodes!

In this episode, we cover Tsubasa Yonaga, a popular seiyuu who has lent his talents to 2D groups such as IDOLiSH7 and HEAVENS, as well as a member of the iconic seiyuu unit, Trignal. We cover his struggles with dysphonia and how that may have hindered his singing since the start, when everyone assumed he was just struggling due to a lack of technique.Music suggestions:- IDOLiSH7 "DAY NIGHT DISCO"- Trignal "Musubi Ito" (Tsubasa Yonaga solo song)Thanks to M L for inspiring this series of episodes!

We start our series of 8 episodes focused on seiyuu who have improved their singing skills to a level that they are unrecognizable now (yes, because they now sing amazingly!).In this episode we cover Ryohei Kimura, one of the most popular seiyuu in the past decade and one of the most sought after seiyuu when it comes to portraying unique and wacky characters in 2D music projects.Music suggestions:- Lil Happy "Playlist"- NSFW "Crazy Nutrient"- TRIGNAL (Ryohei Kimura) "Siren Fairlady"Thanks to M L for inspiring this series of episodes!

I've been reviewing music and following the careers of male seiyuu for 16 years, and over time, I've noticed some seiyuu going from being a disaster as singers to becoming some of the best singers we now have in the industry.In this episode, inspired by regular viewer M L, let's talk about some of the male seiyuu who have improved a lot over time and what could be behind those improvements.This is the first of several episodes covering male seiyuu who have improved their singing skills over time.

Popular seiyuu, artist, and lyricist Shoya Chiba has announced the release of his first conceptual EP, Invention.This is his first-ever conceptual album that, according to King Amusement Creative, is packed with many brilliant ideas that showcase the evolution of Shoya Chiba as an artist.More details: https://www.handthatfeedshq.com/shoya-chiba-to-release-conceptual-ep-invention-in-june/

July 2026 is going to be packed with new music releases - and will cause some damage to your wallets. Makoto Furukawa, Shouta Aoi, Yuya Hirose and XlamV are just some of the artists that will be releasing music this month, making it the very first exciting - and incredibly busy - month this year.Are you excited about any of these CD releases?

It's been 3 years since popular seiyuu and solo artist Shouta Aoi has released a full length album. The wait is over as he has announced the release of "LIMITLESS", his 4th album, set for release on July 1.This is big news, as Aoi doesn't release albums that frequently, and if he is even remotely in the same vibe as he was in "Collage", we may have one of the standout albums of this year in our hands.More about this news: https://www.handthatfeedshq.com/shouta-aoi-to-release-4th-album-limitless-in-july/

When I started The Hand That Feeds HQ, seiyuu units were the big trend. 16 years later, we can count on the fingers of one hand the number of seiyuu units that are active.In this episode, let's talk about the probable reasons why seiyuu units aren't a trend anymore, what they could have done, missed potential and the biggest ones at the moment.

What a milestone! SEIYUU LOUNGE has reached 300 episodes since its launch in 2020 and this time around we celebrated that with a special livestream.In it, I talked about upcoming projects, website updates, potential podcast episode topics, 2D music projects that are ending, others that I'm excited about and are fairly new as well as the upcoming jam-packed summer that is ahead of us (filled with amazing music releases).This and more in this special viewable episode.Thanks to everyone who tuned in live and for watching/listening to this podcast.

In December 2025, Anthos* wrapped up its activities with the release of "Answer". And little did everyone know that this CD would wreck everyone with its final tone and perfect bittersweet ending.In this episode, let's talk about this CD and why I believe it is quite possibly the most heartwrenching CD I've ever heard.

I don't speak enough about Gray Sheep, so take this as my moment to gush about this franchise, and its amazing groups - GOAT and BAD SKUNK.To know more about this franchise - including detailed character profiles - check the article below:https://www.handthatfeedshq.com/gray-sheep-new-mixed-media-project-explores-cruel-destinies/

Yuya Hirose celebrated his 30th birthday in style with the announcement of his solo debut. He signed with Lantis and is set to release his first album "Focus" in July and kick off his first tour in September.In this episode, let's talk about why this solo debut was meant to be, how much it is deserved and go through some predictions because I have them (I have not watched the music video nor listened to any music because I don't want spoilers for when I get to listen and review the full album

Already a strong candidate for album of the year, Kent Ito's "ShAdow" is a perfect example of growth, experimentation, finding your own voice and that sometimes the wait for a new release is worth it.This is an unscripted episode with a video snippet from an episode of Monthly Review.

The 2D rock + drama CD franchise Dear Vocalist announced in February 2026 it's return with the 9th CD season, Rise.With the announcement came the long-awaited news of CIEL's (CV: KENN) return to the franchise and the cast that gives voice to the members of Die Flidemaus, band fronted by CIEL.Are you excited about Dear Vocalist's comeback, almost 2 years since the last season? What do you expect from CIEL's return?This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

After covering some of the most iconic collaborations between male seiyuu artists in the past 16 years, it is time to go crazy and talk about collaborations I'd love to see happening and also explaining you a little bit why they'd be awesome.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

In 2023, Wataru Hatano released the conceptual EP "Dawn". This unique release featured a collection of songs intertwined with the drama/narration tracks that further developed the story. And teaming up with Hatano was Kotaro Nishiyama, making this a rare collaboration between male seiyuu specifically for a conceptual EP.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

In the crazy year of 2020, Tetsuya Kakihara and Nobuhiko Okamoto teamed up to release one of the most interesting releases of the year, a mini-album titled "trust and play" that, to this date, is one of the best examples of what an awesome collaboration between male seiyuu artists can be.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

In 2017, Nobuhiko Okamoto and Trignal teamed up for one of the most surprising and iconic collaborations you can find among male seiyuu artists.In this episode, let's cover this collaboration and the mini-album "Trust and play".

One of the most exciting collaborations in this decade is that of Daiki Yamashita and Tasuku Hatanaka. They performed together in 2025 and released the joint mini-album "Share" and impressed everyone.In this episode, let's talk about this collaboration and why I and many of you love it!

Collaborations between male seiyuu artists and seiyuu units are still few and far between, but the ones we've gotten so far have been amazing.In this episode and the coming ones, let's explore some of the most exciting collaborations in the last 10 years.

Are we going to cover Soma Saito's 4th EP, Nuance? Yup! In this episode, let me dive once again into one of the albums I was most excited about in 2025, and share my impressions soon after the CD was released. This is a snippet from the upcoming Monthly Review episode coming this month.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

After years of hiatus, the 2D visual-kei rock project Executioner made its return in 2025. And while this could have been good news the problem is... the project changed 70% of the cast, including 2 out of the 3 main vocals for the 3 bands in the project, all in the name of "improving the project's quality" and "delivering the best experience".In this episode, let's dive into what Executioner is, the odd hiatus the project immediately went on, not even 3 months after its launch, its return, changes in the cast and my take from a business perspective as to why things have changed.This is an unscripted episode.You can find more about Executioner here: https://executioner.jp/post_news/%e3%80%90%e5%a4%a7%e5%88%87%e3%81%aa%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b%e3%80%91/

It's time to revisit my expectations for 2025 and see if any of them came true, as well as share my expectations for 2026 - from live shows I want to see, albums to be released, surprises, new 2D projects, and more.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

Time to talk about the male seiyuu artists who have impressed me the most in 2025 - either because they've leveled up as singers, were part of a wide variety of projects showcasing their versatility, released amazing CDs and everything in between.This is an episode to celebrate the 7 male seiyuu who impressed me in 2025 (and geek yet again about some of them :)

2025 was a slower year, but it didn't stop it from delivering absolute bangers, especially when it came to loungy, relaxing, city pop-meets-disco type of music.Well, for this episode, I bring you 7 songs that I know for sure were underrated - either because they're b-sides, not the title tracks in their respective albums, or the artists are either too niche or underrated. This is a personal list and in no way exhausts all the songs I feel deserved much more love in 2025.

THTFHQ AWARDS 2025 counted with your votes on the website during December and oh boy, the results this year caught me by surprise!Thank you so much to every single one of you who took the time to participate in this year's edition.Congratulations to all the winners!

Time to kick off this episode of Seiyuu Lounge, where we celebrate the best of Japanese voice actors and 2D Groups. In this episode, we're diving into Makoto Furukawa's "Catch Me If You Can," which is my album of the year for 2025, as well as recognizing him as the best artist of the year.

Time to talk about the albums (and mini-albums/EPs) that impressed me this year! There's still a lot of music I've yet to review from 2025 - currently working on some reviews. Starting on December 24, reviews will start dropping on the website every day until early January. I hope you enjoy reading them!

2025 was a jam-packed year with quality music, plenty of surprises - songs we'd never expect to come from some artists -, awesome comebacks, and more.And in this episode, let's cover some of my songs of the year.The final playlist will be shared in the community tab in the next couple of days.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

Time to start the yearly roundup! 2025 was a year of collabs, special anniversaries, new adventures and plenty of awesome live shows for male seiyuu artists and 2D group/franchises.In this episode, let's cover some of the biggest news of the year.

And we wrap up this feature of me recommending 2D groups that newcomers should check out. In this episode, let's cover groups and bands that have a repertoire filled with fast-paced, intense, and passionate songs.Groups mentioned:- SolidS (Tsukipro)- KAGARIBI (Dear Vocalist)- Veronica (Dear Vocalist)This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

If you're looking for music perfect to chill out to, these three 2D groups are perfect.In this episode of SEIYUU LOUNGE, let's talk about Anthos*, XLAMV, and HOUND ROAR, groups that anyone trying to get into 2D music can check and slowly get familiar with unique music genres, group dynamics, as well as distinguishable voices.

If you're looking for 2D groups that have a unique sound both within the 2D franchise but also when you compare with all other groups out there, I've got some recs for you!Jazz-rock and lyrical music still don't have a big expression in 2D music but these groups have been doing awesome things, let's talk about Undead, Growth and Loulou*di.

If you're trying to get into 2D music and don't know where to start I've got you! In this episode, let's talk about two 2D groups that are considered royalty for the records they set and the doors they opened for other 2D groups as well for bringing more visibility and recognition to seiyuu and 2D music in general.If you're a pop music fan, this is the episode for you, the best way to ease into 2D music in my opinion.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

The "sophomore album curse" is a well known worry for musicians around the world. After a strong debut album, expectations rise, labels start being attached to an artist and there's a lot of pressure to perform on the same level to avoid disappointing fans. And while most 2nd albums face that curse or a difficult release, these seiyuu artists actually turned things around and ensured their 2nd album was not only better than their first, but easily one of their best albums ever.Join me for this episode of SEIYUU LOUNGE covering:- Yuma Uchida "Equal"- Soma Saito "in bloom"- Toshiki Masuda "Origin"- UMake "Tripper"This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

He dazzled with a beautiful acappella for the anime NO.6, he was dazzling everyone performing live songs from the Prince of Tennis character song series, he was impressing everyone for Rejet's Wolves Saga character song CDs. He was on par with Mamoru Miyano and KISHOW in his prime, before a health scare pushed him away from singing for years to focus on recovery after a particulary sensitive procedure to his vocal chords.In this episode, join me as I revisit what made Hosoya Yoshimasa, my favorite singer among male seiyuu in the early 2010's and how I believe he was bound to get a solo debut and that, today, he'd be the face of aoppella?!.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

Time to talk about Sir Vanity's first compilation EP, "Timeless". This collection of rock tunes featured as the theme songs for the stage play for "Tokyo Revengers" is filled with bangers and some of the coolest rock songs the band has released so far.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

Let's dive into Shoya Chiba's 1st album and explore why it's one of my favorite releases of 2025! Get ready for an laidback album review that highlights the standout tracks and must listen moments (but really, go check the album out, it's amazing!)

We're already well in the last three months of the year and there are so many artists I hope will grace us with new music before we welcome 2026.This episode was recorded a week before Soma Saito announced the release of "Nuance", his 4th EP - so you'll hear a ton of excitement there but little did Vanessa from the past know that, in the week after, Saito would announce the EP hahahaThis is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

What if you could listen to your favorite seiyuu artists for the first time? A pity that is not possible so the closest thing I can bring you is my friend Kotaro Nishio  @konbini.nihongo.podcast  to discover seiyuu artists and 2D groups and share what he feels about them, details about the writing, the music composition and even cultural details that may have gone under the radar for most of us.This is part 5 of 5.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

What if you could listen to your favorite seiyuu artists for the first time? A pity that is not possible so the closest thing I can bring you is my friend Kotaro Nishio  @konbini.nihongo.podcast  to discover seiyuu artists and 2D groups and share what he feels about them, details about the writing, the music composition and even cultural details that may have gone under the radar for most of us.This is part 4 of 5.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

What if you could listen to your favorite seiyuu artists for the first time? A pity that is not possible so the closest thing I can bring you is my friend Kotaro Nishio  @konbini.nihongo.podcast  to discover seiyuu artists and 2D groups and share what he feels about them, details about the writing, the music composition and even cultural details that may have gone under the radar for most of us.This is part 3 of 5.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.

What if you could listen to your favorite seiyuu artists for the first time? A pity that is not possible so the closest thing I can bring you is my friend Kotaro Nishio  @konbini.nihongo.podcast  to discover seiyuu artists and 2D groups and share what he feels about them, details about the writing, the music composition and even cultural details that may have gone under the radar for most of us.This is part 2 of 5.This is an unscripted episode of the podcast.