It has been announced that the 20th Seiyu Awards ceremony, which recognizes the most accomplished voice actors of the year, will be held on March 15, 2026. Winners will be announced in 14 categories, including the Best Voice Actor and Best Supporting Voice Actor awards. To mark the milestone, it was also announced that Park Romi, who won the Best Actress award at the first awards ceremony held in 2007, and Aya Hirano, who won the Best New Actress award at the awards ceremony, have been appointed as ambassadors. On the day of the ceremony, Park and Hirano will present trophies and provide information about the Seiyu Awards.
Park commented, "When I received the first Best Actress award, I was so nervous about winning such a big award for the first time that I remember not being able to sleep the night before. It has been 20 years since then, and this award has continued to be given thanks to the warm support of so many people who support the voice acting world. I am truly grateful. The expression of voice actors now has the power to reach the world, and has become a culture that Japan can be proud of, allowing generations to compete and hone their skills. I will continue to challenge myself to express myself in ways that are not bound by convention, and I will give back to this award."
Hirano said, "I still vividly remember when I won the first New Actress Award 20 years ago. I was proud to be able to play a part in laying the foundation for the future of the voice acting industry, and when I received the second Best Actress Award the following year, I vowed to do everything I could to contribute to the development of this industry. The changes in 20 years have been truly enormous, and the popularity of the anime and voice acting industries has now grown into global content that knows no bounds. This is all thanks to the development of art and culture that my predecessors have built up, and the support of all the fans who support it. I will do my best as the 20th anniversary ambassador in order to aim for further development. I appreciate your support."
It was also announced that voting for the 20th MVS (Most Valuable Seiyu, the voice actor chosen by fans) will begin on October 1st. Voting is open to voice actors who were active between October 1st, 2024 and September 30th, 2025.
The Seiyuu Awards were established in 2006 and are co-sponsored by KADOKAWA, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, and Shogakukan Shueisha Productions. The executive committee and selection committee select the winners in all categories except for MVS.
