How to Become an Anime Voice Actor in 2024

This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to become an anime voice actor.

We'll cover three topics:

• All About Anime Voice Acting – In this section I'll go through Q&A on becoming an anime voice artist. You'll learn what kind of experience is required, the benefits and costs of a career in anime voice acting, and even other kinds of voice artist jobs available.
• Technical Skills & Equipment Needed – Having a great voice is only the beginning. Here we'll discuss the best ways to get voice over training and I'll also show you how to set up a home recording studio with minimal investment. After all, the foundational part of working as anime voice artist is providing crystal clear recordings!
• How to Market Yourself – In this section, we'll go into detail on how to start getting work in anime and where to find jobs. We'll even discuss how to start getting people to find YOU so you can eventually stop auditioning.​

How to Become an Anime Voice Actor

As anime increases in popularity throughout the world, the need for more and more voice actors who speak all different languages continues to rise. There are more opportunities than ever to start a career in anime voice acting, and you can speak in almost any language you want!

Anime voice actor jobs are very specialized, and a bit different than voice acting for standard animation.  In this article, we'll discuss those differences so you can make a clear decision as to whether anime voice acting is right for you.

One of the first major distinctions is that unlike in the United States where voice over artists are typically unknown because they hide behind their characters, when it comes to anime (especially in Japan), the voice artists become extremely famous – anime magazines promote the artists a lot, and fans learn who they are and want to see them at public appearances, including theatrical shows, talk shows, etc.
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​That said, let's start off with some of the most commonly asked questions about anime voice acting:

• Can anyone do anime voice acting? For the most part, yes. Contrary to what most people believe, you don't need a super particular voice to get into anime. In fact, there are plenty of opportunities for people with regular voices!
• Is it hard to become an anime voice actor? No... but it does take hard work and a decent amount of time. Follow the guidance throughout this article and you'll be set!
• What qualifications do you need to become an anime voice actor? None! You should just get some training and invest in the proper equipment, all of which I'll cover in this article.
• How much do anime voice actors make? Most anime voice actors earn anywhere from $50-70k per year.
• Can you do anime voice over work from home? Yes! Later in this article I'll show you exactly how to set up a home recording studio for [almost] free.
• ​What are the responsibilities of an anime voice actor? You're responsible for the entire creation of your audio file, which includes recording, mixing, and editing before sending out. And of course you need to be highly-trained and deliver a great performance!

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At the end of the day, a successful career in anime voice acting is built upon a foundation of proper training and networking with the right people.

​The Benefits of Becoming an Anime Voice Actor

There are tons of reasons to become an anime voice actor:

• Amazing opportunities and fun jobs: Even though your first year might be bit challenging, if you stick with it and follow through, you'll eventually find yourself recording voiceovers for some pretty amazing projects including major anime feature films and television shows. It can be amazing to hear your voice in productions that will be seen and listened to by millions of people, especially when Japanese anime magazines write major profiles on you.
• The ability to meet famous people: As you work your way up the industry, you'll be invited to major events and have the opportunity to meet well-known actors and television stars. It might take 5-10 years, but you'll get there if you stick with it!
• Work from anywhere, on your own schedule: One of the biggest reasons people choose to go into voice acting work is the ability to do it from home and work on their own schedule. Productions just need the final recording and they don't care how you get there. That means if you love working at 2am, you can do it! If you want to move out of the country and live the 4-Hr Workweek lifestyle (where you live in a country that's super inexpensive while earning big money online), it's totally possible!
• Set your own rates: If you start getting too busy or just want to earn more money, you can quote your clients at higher rates. And as you start working with the same people more and more, they'll begin to trust you, which means they'll be willing to pay you more just to not have to deal with finding someone else.
• Splitting your eggs into multiple baskets: Eventually as you start to get lots of clients, working freelance actually becomes safer than having a regular job. This is because messing up with one client will only cause that one client to fire you – you'll still have all your other clients paying you!
• You'll likely become famous yourself: Unlike most animation voice acting work where the voiceover artist is hidden behind the characters they play, when it comes to anime, fans pay particular attention to the voice actors and want to meet them. You'll probably be invited to many red carpet events and have lots of fans lining up to see you!

​​The Downsides of Becoming an Anime Voice Over Artist

• It takes time: As with any endeavor worth pursuing, you have to be willing to put in the time. Building a voice acting career is time consuming and can take years before seeing major payoffs. On top of that, your first year will probably be spent training and getting tons of "No's" from people you try to network with, so you'll need to have thick skin. Also, your hours will often be long because it can take many takes to get the recording just right!
• It can be very tiring: Most anime is filled with fight sequences that demand yelling and screaming. This can be tough on your vocal cords and quite fatiguing.
• It can be somewhat lonely: If you're the type of person who enjoys working from home and interacting with as few people as possible, this can be a benefit. But many people like getting out there and meeting people in real life, and if that sounds like you, a career as a voice actor might be a bit lonely, which can take emotional and psychological tolls over the years.
• It costs money to buy equipment: When you're first starting, you can get away with only spending a few hundred dollars. But after your first year or two, you'll probably feel tempted to invest in better gear, which can cost thousands of dollars. That said, the cost of microphones and isolation rooms is significantly less than what most production companies have to invest in – cameras, lighting, props, studio space – these are all things you won't need to worry about since you're only recording audio.
• You have to continuously pay for training: To keep your voice fresh and on point, hiring voice coaches and going to workshops and classes is a part of every voice over artist's monthly routine. Be prepared to invest about $150-350 (or more) per month on training.​

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Technical Skills & Equipment Needed

​In this section, we'll discuss the technical side of being an anime voice actor. We'll cover training and tips to perform better plus go into detail on how to set up a simple recording studio at home to capture high-quality, professional audio.

​How to Become an Anime Voice Actor – Training

There's a lot more that goes into being an anime voice actor than simply reading lines. It's important to get the proper training by taking classes and working with coaches. The more versatile you are, the more opportunities you'll get and the more satisfied your clients will be (leading to referrals and repeat business).

To improve your abilities as an anime voice actor, you should:

• Continuously practice. Find scripts online and practice reading them out loud. Record yourself with your smartphone and listen to the playback, asking yourself how it could be improved. Do you sound flat with no emotion? Do you sound like you're trying too hard and over-enunciating words? To get as much practice as possible, join a theater group, take improv or acting classes, or even read books out loud to your child and/or their friends. Here's a great way to practice acting from home.
• Hire a voice coach. Most coaches work online using Zoom and can help you with a wide range of voice-related challenges, including accent training or reduction, character voices, singing, and some can even teach you how to use your studio setup to record better-quality sound.
• Learn some Japanese. Since anime originated in Japan, having an understanding of some of the Japanese language can help you stand out and be more desirable to Japanese companies producing anime, even if you just plan to record English versions of the production. Being able to speak Japanese will improve your networking abilities and you'll make more connections, leading to more business down the line.
• Practice yelling and screaming. Most anime characters need large vocal ranges and the ability to yell for long periods of time, especially with croaky or intense voices. The more you can practice extending your vocal range and stamina, the easier it will be for you to make it through your anime recording sessions in one piece.
• Become a fan of anime. You should have a deep understanding of the world of anime, along with the different current shows and movies (and what the characters in them sound like). Watch these productions and ask yourself, "What did the actor do to get their voice sounding that way?" The more knowledgeable you become, the more intelligent and experienced you'll look in front of those deciding whether to hire you.

​​The Five C's Scoring Card:

​The most efficient way to get better at voice acting in general is to get in your recording booth and record as often as you can. Each time you do so, listen back and grade yourself on the five C's:

• Clarity: You MUST be clear and easy to understand. Do not mumble! Be sure to practice extremely emotional scenes, because speaking clearly can be more difficult with those.
• Cleanliness: Our mouths make weird squishing sounds as they open and close, and as gross as it sounds here, it's even grosser when you actually hear it. Because the microphone is so close to your mouth, you have to practice opening and closing quietly so we don't hear those distracting sounds in the recording.
• Consistency: Directors often need just one or two lines changed out of entire paragraphs. You need to be able to deliver your lines almost identically in each take, while only varying up what the director asks to be changed.
• Connection: You must connect with the story and the character to avoid coming off flat. Make sure you're deeply connected to the emotional core of the text and really FEEL the emotions. The more you feel, the more engaging your voice will be!
  • Related: Natural Acting: The Ultimate Guide
• Control: The more control you have over your voice, the better. Whether that takes the shape of being able to control your breathing to deliver long, emotional passages, or it takes the form of being able to control your accent or do character voices, the more control of your voice you have, the further you'll go as a voice actor.

Use each of the five C's above as a grading rubric for your recordings. Score yourself 1-5 on each of them for every recording you do, with 1 being terrible and 5 being outstanding.

Then slowly work to improve the areas that need the most attention and pretty soon you'll be hitting 4's and 5's in each category, every time!

​​How to Set Up a Recording Studio at Home

​You MUST produce crystal clear, professional recordings every time. No client will take you seriously if your audio has background noise or is echoey.

That said, you definitely don't need to spend thousands of dollars to build a professional recording studio. In fact, all you need is a decent microphone and a closet.

Here's how to set up a professional recording booth for extremely cheap:

• A small, quiet space – the space MUST be absolutely free of background sounds like traffic, air conditioners, clocks, appliances, people, dogs, etc. The best places are bedroom closets because you can close the bedroom door AND closet door, giving you a double barrier of sound protection. Additionally, you can leave your clothes hanging inside because they will deaden the sound. If you're not using a closet, make sure to hang blankets or sheets everywhere (if possible on the floor and ceiling too) so there is no echo.
• A decent studio condenser microphone with a pop filter – A studio condenser microphone works best, and a pop filter is critical for clean audio. A pop filter goes in front of the microphone so when you say words beginning with the letter "p" the microphone doesn't pick up the gust of wind from your mouth. You should position the microphone so you can stand while recording (sitting can cause you to not speak as clearly – note this mistake in the image above). A decent studio microphone plus pop filter and microphone stand will probably set you back about $100-200.
• A computer with recording software – Your computer will need enough hard drive space to store all your audio files, and you'll need some basic software to edit your audio before sending out. When setting up, don't put your computer base in the same room as your microphone because it will pick up the fan noises of your computer. Here are some audio recording programs you can pick from:
  • Adobe Audition
  • Audacity (Free)
  • Pro Tools 
  • Sound Forge
  • GarageBand (included for free on Macs)
• A computer screen with a long wire – Your computer screen must be in the recording room so you can see and control it during recording sessions, so you'll need a long enough wire to reach the computer base outside the recording booth. A wireless keyboard and mouse will remove the need for lots of long cables.
• Microphone connection to the computer – Most microphones use XLR cables and some use USB cables. If you buy a microphone with an XLR cable, you'll likely need a simple audio interface to connect the microphone to the computer, otherwise a USB microphone can connect directly. Make sure to get long-enough cables to reach under the door to wherever your computer base is.
• Closed-back headphones – You'll often need to listen to music or certain sounds to ensure your performance is timed properly, so it's critical that you invest in a good pair of closed-back headphones that block out all sound (so the microphone doesn't pick up what you're listening to).

The closet studio setup is just a starting point, but will get you high-quality, professional audio. As you begin working more and more, you can look into spending money to upgrade your equipment.

Remember however, that the amount of work you get will be based more on who you network with and how much you market yourself than it will ever be on the equipment you buy.

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How to ​Find Anime Voice Acting Work

​Marketing yourself is critical! In this section, we'll discuss a few key strategies you can use to start getting anime voice acting jobs. As you meet more and more people, you'll be able to start raising your day rate to grow your business.

​Your Voice Demo: An Absolute MUST

​​A voice demo is critical to marketing yourself. Just like an actor needs a demo reel so casting directors can get a sense of their acting ability, an anime voice actor needs a demo so people can know what they sound like.

You MUST have a solid voice reel before you can expect to book even your first job. But the good thing is you can do this for free at home using your new recording booth!

​Check out the example below:

​Here are some tips for a great voice reel:

• It should be no more than two minutes and show range. Keep it short and to the point, with about 4-6 segments showing you in a wide range of performance styles (different types of anime character voices, some talking, yelling, laughing, crying, etc.). You should also show your language and accent ability.
• Choose great scripts. Make sure to choose scripts you enjoy and feel comfortable performing. Clients don't care about the content of the script so much as they care about how you say the words, so be sure to use scripts you find easy to perform that are in typical anime style.
  • Related: How to Find the Perfect Monologue for You
• Do not slate or include an intro. Just go straight into the voice work and put your best performance first.
• Make sure your recording levels are properly set! If the sound is over-modulated or way too low, your demo will instantly be tossed.
• Consistently ask clients if you can use samples from the work you did for them. You can set a weekly reminder for yourself so you never forget to reach out. It's way better to use REAL productions in your demo if possible, and after your first year you should have plenty of those!
• Eventually as you get more and more content, you can create separate demos. Each demo will be 1-2 minutes and highlight a different ability. You'll submit whichever one you feel is most relevant to the job you're applying for.

When promoting your demo, instead of making celebrity references, it's better to look up descriptive words online and give your voice a description such as, "I have a warm, soothing, and smooth voice." Or "I have a strong, direct, and brash voice." And remember – you can slightly customize these words with every acting cover letter you send out, based on what you think they're looking for (as long as you can actually do the voice you're describing).

Keep in mind that the wider the range of convincing voices you can do, the higher the likelihood of you behind hired for an anime production because hiring you over another actor with fewer voices will likely be cheaper or easier when you can play WAY more characters.

​Start with Outbound Marketing

​To find work, you'll need to start with outbound marketing, which essentially means going out and finding opportunities by submitting yourself. Eventually, you'll get people reaching out to you (inbound marketing), but that only happens after your first few years.

You should start by doing some pro bono voice acting jobs for small, independent anime productions to get a sense of how the industry works and start making connections. This is the fastest way to begin building your resume, which is extremely important.

As weird as it sounds, you'll also need a good actor headshot that makes you look competent and trustworthy. Even though people hiring you don't technically need to know what you look like, they still want to put a face to the name so they feel comfortable talking to you. Most anime voice artists have a much harder time getting auditions without a professional headshot.

To find paid work, create profiles on websites like www.voices.com, www.actorsaccess.com, and www.backstage.com. There you can submit yourself to anime auditions and start building a name for yourself.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Auditions

As you submit through casting sites, you also need to build your own network. Keep in touch with anyone you audition for or work with because you never know when they might want to hire you in the future!

​Eventually Move to Inbound Marketing

​After you've worked a few years with an outbound marketing strategy (reaching out directly by responding to casting calls or cold emailing production companies), you'll be able to transition to inbound marketing, where people start contacting you for job opportunities. It's amazing to be cold-emailed by someone saying they found you online or were referred to you by a friend!

Here are some techniques you can use to improve your inbound marketing:

• Establish a connection with production companies. Anime artists and anime production companies work with tons of places around the world for video and audio production, and if you establish yourself as a voice actor for them, they'll refer all their voice acting and voiceover work to you when they need someone with your voice. Making connections with multiple production companies can quickly create tons of work opportunities for you!
• Consider trying social media if you enjoy it. Uploading your own anime videos to video-focused social channels such as YouTube or TikTok can be a great way to not only practice your voice acting work but also start building a following. Many anime voice actors have gotten their start this way, by uploading anime videos and redoing all the character's voices and sound themselves (as long as they have the rights to use the footage).
• ​Find an agent. An agent is critical to get major job opportunities, and you can start looking for an agent as soon as you've got your reel made. Agents can submit you for bigger anime projects and they have the ability to fight to get you higher pay rates. Although you still need to hustle when you have an agent, life becomes easier because you'll suddenly start getting calls or texts each week from your agent with new opportunities to audition. The best way to find an agent is to just use Google to search for voice acting agencies and then submit your materials to them (following their submissions process).
  • Related: 15 Acting Agencies I Recommend

Eventually, you can offer more than just anime voice acting. By offering other services including voice acting for other types of productions, you'll increase the number of opportunities for work. Specialty skills like audio mixing and mastering can command even higher rates ($300-600/hr).

​Raising Your Rates

​At first you'll probably find yourself doing 3-5 projects for free just to build your portfolio and resume. Then you'll probably find yourself charging $30-50/hr for a few months, and eventually you'll be making $200-300/hr.

Keep in mind that this pay rate is only for hours worked, meaning you're not getting paid for all the time you spend marketing yourself, emailing, and auditioning.

Undercutting yourself will only serve to hurt you in the long run because people are less likely to refer someone who charges cheaper rates. Why? Because they'll worry you'll increase your rates on them if they send you too much business.

Keep slowly raising your rates over time and pretty soon you'll find yourself making plenty of money from the comfort of your own home!

​​In Summary

​​It's critical to keep a positive mindset if you decide to get into anime voice acting. You're in for a long, difficult road for the first 1-2 years, so you need to believe it's possible and keep working to get better and better, making sure to deliver a fantastic product for your clients every time.

Most people give up before they break through, so don't let that be you. Don't let the rejection get you down! It's all part of the process of becoming a successful anime voice actor., and since the number  of anime opportunities is rising fast, I'm sure you'll be successful!​

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Enjoyed this article?
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Book more work by thinking "Outside the Industry."
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​​Knowing how to become an anime voice actor and how to book work in the field is just one part of growing your acting career.

​As someone who has worked with people in thousands of industries (through my headshot business), I've been able to take growth strategies that work for businesses and apply them directly to actors – to help them grow their careers faster than most would think possible  (examples: one of my clients landed his first-ever Broadway role in just 4 weeks of working with me, and a brand-new actress signed with a high-level agent in just six weeks of working with me).

I'd like to invite you to my free insider newsletter where I share my best material, including:

• How to network easily and authentically with casting directors – even if you hate self-promotion.
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​Martin Bentsen (author of this guide) is an actor marketing coach who uses “outside the industry” thinking to help actors book more work. He’s helped over 6,000 actors with their careers and actor headshots since 2009 and his photography studio City Headshots is ranked #1 on Yelp. He’s spoken at NYU, The New England Theater Conference, The Actor’s Green Room, and other venues.
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Want to book more acting work by thinking different? Start with his free Actor’s Toolkit to create new opportunities right away, or visit his website at www.martinbentsen.com.

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Some Additional Q&A

"Can a Foreigner be an Anime Voice Actor?"

Yes, anyone can become an anime voice actor!

​"Where Do You Find Anime Auditions?"

You can search Google for terms like "anime voice acting auditions" or read my guide called How to Find Auditions without an Agent.

​"How to Become a Voice Actor for Anime as a Kid?"

Follow the same steps outlined in this guide, but be aware that you should focus primarily on films instead of television shows.

​Kids' voices change too much as they grow older, meaning you can perform for a few months in a film, but no television show would hire you since by the following season your voice might sound entirely different.

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​​Further Reading:

​If you enjoyed this article (How to Become an Anime Voice Actor, Step by Step), you might be interested in some of these:​
​​

• A Guide to the Different Types of Acting Techniques
• How to Learn Acting Skills at Home
• The 5 Best Apps for Memorizing Lines Fast
• How to Be a Voice Actor