Anime is huge in Japan so it’s only natural that seiyus (voice actors) get to be in the limelight too. One of the most popular seiyuus these days is Kaji Yuki. He’s not only a household name in Japan but is also recognized internationally since he voiced characters in worldwide hits such as Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan), One Punch Man, Tokyo Ghoul, and My Hero Academia.
【梶】本日発売のFLIX2月号に「MARVEL」作品についてのインタビュー記事が掲載されております！
「アベンジャーズ」はじめ、いくつかの作品についてお話させていただきました！
いつか…
俺だって MARVELヒーローに…！！ pic.twitter.com/h6pMVXQiOZ
— 梶裕貴@staff (@KAJI_staff) 2018年12月21日
Born September 3, 1985 in Tokyo, Kaji Yuki started his career in the 2004 Playstation game Teikokusensenki. Two years later, he debuted in anime with some minor roles. He landed his first lead role in the 2007 sports anime Overdrive but he caught the fans’ attention when he played Finnian in Kuroshitsuji. In 2009, he won the Best Rookie Award in the 3rd Seiyu Awards. 2012 was a great year as he starred as Issei Hyodo in High School DxD and Alibaba Saluja in Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.In 2013, Kaji Yuki’s popularity skyrocketed when he took the role of Eren Yeager in the phenomenal Attack on Titan series. He became the first ever seiyu to win a back-to-back Best Voice Actor Award in the Seiyu Awards in 2013 and 2014.
This 2018, he reprises his role as Eren Yeager in the third season of Attack on Titan and Todoroki Shoto in My Hero Academia. Aside from these, he also appeared in other new releases. Check out some of the many works of Kaji Yuki this year:
Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san, Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K, Pop Team Epic, Nil Admirari no Tenbin: Teito Genwaku Kitan, Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Hisone to Masotan, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Senjyuushi, Lord of Vermilion, and Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS.
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, Batman Ninja, Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle, Godzilla: The Planet Eater, My Hero Academia The Movie, The Seven Deadly Sins the Movie: Prisoners of the Sky, Servamp: Alice in the Garden
Dubbing
Early Man- Kaji Yuki voiced the main character Dug in this 2018 British animated film. His character is originally played by Eddie Redmayne.
【梶】「いつかすべてが君の力になる」
おかげさまで、発行部数５万部を突破したという報告をいただきました！
あらためて…
出版にするにあたり御尽力いただいた皆様、そして拙著を手にとってくださった皆様に感謝を！本当にありがとうごさいます！！ pic.twitter.com/0y7G2mdmuC
— 梶裕貴@staff (@KAJI_staff) 2018年6月8日
In May 2018, Kaji Yuki released the book Itsuka Subete ga Kimi no Chikara ni Naru (Everything Becomes Your Power Someday) where he reveals that he had his dream of becoming a voice actor at the age of 14. In this autobiography, he talks about the struggles in his journey towards achieving his goal of becoming a successful seiyuu. The book was well-received and was ordered for a reprint just one day after its release.
Mini-drama
In June 2018, acting alongside Iida Riho, Kaji Yuki appeared in a TV Tokyo-produced mini-series called In the Living Room. The drama has 9 episodes with a 15-minute running time and was broadcast in TV Tokyo’s official Youtube channel.
【CM公開！】2019年3月27日発売「AD-LIVE 2018」Blu-ray&DVD vol.4（梶裕貴・羽多野渉）発売告知CMを公開致しました！ぜひ奇跡の瞬間をご自宅でもお楽しみください♪詳細はこちら→https://t.co/sVMbjz0bji #ad_live pic.twitter.com/TRhP7x8F0S
— AD-LIVE Project (@AD_LIVE_Project) 2018年12月20日
Along with other talented voice actors, Kaji Yuki showcases his wit and ad-lib skills in Ad-Live, an improv theater, stand-up comedy show produced by Kenichi Suzumura. In celebration of its 10th year anniversary, AD-LIVE 2018 will be released on Blu-Ray and DVD in 2019.
Ad-live Project official Website*Japanese Only
Radio
Since 2014, Kaji’s been hosting a web radio show called Kaji Yuki no Hitorigoto. Hitorigoto means monologue so basically he just talks about various topics for 30 minutes. He sometimes reads listeners’ letters or invites guests on his show. The program is broadcast on internet at JOQR.
Kaji 100! Is a monthly variety program on Nittele Plus where Kaji Yuki, along with his seiyuu friends, attempts to accomplish a list of challenges which he think are essential in widening his skills as a performer and voice actor. The show will be released on DVD on the following dates:
Volume 1 Calligraphy with guest Nobuhiko Okamoto on October 26, 2018
Volume 2 Mini 4WD with guest Showtaro Morikubo on November 30, 2018
Volume 3 Picture Book with guest Hiro Shimono on December 21, 2018
Calendar
Kaji Yuki has posed for photo books and has graced the covers of magazines but by the end of this year, he is set to release his first ever calendar for 2019.
2018 is indeed an eventful year for Kaji Yuki. He is one of my all time favorite voice actors and I was happy to see him in a lot of projects. Even though I live outside Japan, I was able to watch his films Maquia and My Hero Academia the Movie on the big screen. Not only did he give me an exciting 2018, he also offers more things to look forward to in 2019 as I wait for the second cour of Attack on Titan Season 3, the start of My Hero Academia Season 4, One Punch Man Season 2, and the release of the new animated movie Ashita Sekai ga Owaru to Shitemo (Even if the World Ends Tomorrow).