Voice actress Ayane Sakura

Using the "information about people" gained through human observation to enhance expressive abilities.

Voice actress Ayane Sakura

■ Profile
Born in Tokyo in 1994. Debuted as a voice actress in 2010. Her major roles include Ochaco Uraraka in "My Hero Academia" and Yotsuba Nakano in "The Quintessential Quintuplets," among many other popular characters.

■Please tell us what led you to start your current job.

During my student days, there was a period when I couldn't attend school. While I was exposed to various forms of entertainment during that time, I became curious about the behind-the-scenes world and started attending a theater troupe. Although I grew to enjoy expressing myself, I felt uncomfortable standing on stage or in front of the camera. It was at that time that my voice training teacher told me that "voice work might suit you," which became a major turning point in my decision to pursue a career as a voice actor.
I believe voice acting is a profession that exists in a "gradient" between technical work and expressive work. You have to perform without moving in front of the microphone, and sometimes it requires even more imagination and expressiveness than live-action acting. That's one way of being an actor, and I find it appealing about the job of a voice actor.

■"Ayane Sakura: Logic x Lonely"What kind of program is it?

Although the title includes the word "logic," not everything is explained logically; sometimes it can get very emotional. It's a program that's like a "way of life media," where the host shares their way of living as it is.
While "lonely" can also mean talking to oneself, it refers to a process of continuously throwing one's logic into an empty void with no response, raising questions, thinking, and drawing conclusions—all done alone. Therefore, a lot of effort is put into creating topics for discussion.

■Please tell me how to improve my expressive abilities.

I enjoy observing people, and even during the period when I couldn't attend school, I observed all sorts of people, from those close to me to those on the other side of the internet. I think it was precisely because I was separated from the group that I had so much time to observe groups.
Up until now, I've observed people closely, cherishing small successes through trial and error.
I feel that the "information about people" that I've accumulated in this way has shaped who I am today. The reason I continue to engage with acting is because I believe that the only way to expand my repertoire is to observe how people live. I want to continue building upon this carefully in the future.

■Message to students

For me, getting into university was a huge success. We live in an age where answers are readily available for everything, and it's easier than ever to see what others think of us through social media. In this environment, I hope you'll live your life letting your own feelings and emotions always take precedence, rather than worrying about what others think of you.

Student Newspaper, October 2026 Issue: Ryo Ishikawa, 3rd Year Student, Kansai University of Foreign Studies

Mio Ozawa (2nd year, Seijo University) / Ryo Ishikawa (3rd year, Kansai Gaidai University) / Kyohei Nakazawa (3rd year, Waseda University) / Tatsushi Harada (2nd year, Nihon University)