Aya Hirano had a proper milestone moment at Hyper Japan Manchester 2025, where the voice actress and singer held her first Manchester concert alongside a press conference and fan Q&A.
For anime fans who grew up in the 2000s, Hirano is not just another seiyuu name on a cast list. She voiced Haruhi Suzumiya in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Misa Amane in Death Note, Konata Izumi in Lucky☆Star, Lucy Heartfilia in Fairy Tail, and more recently Vegapunk Lilith in One Piece. That is a seriously stacked CV, bro.
Her live set leaned into that legacy too, with fans singing along to Haruhi favourites including Super Driver, Bouken Desho Desho? and God knows…. The last one apparently got performed twice during the convention, which honestly makes sense — that song is still anime karaoke final boss material.
During the press conference, Hirano spoke about meeting fans across different countries, including China, Malaysia, Korea and Russia. She said touring internationally has made her feel the strength of Japanese anime even more, and that fans overseas have given her a lot of energy. One fan even reminded her to get enough sleep because of her packed schedule, which she found touching.
That Malaysia mention is small, but it matters. For SEA fans, it is another reminder that anime fandom here is not invisible anymore. Whether it is ACG events in KL, cosplay weekends, cinema screenings, or fans travelling overseas for conventions, Japanese artists are increasingly seeing this region as part of the global conversation.
Hirano also reflected on how she entered voice acting. She originally imagined herself in theatre and thought voice work might be a one-off experience. Instead, it became a long-running career. She explained that voice acting appealed to her because it allowed her to become anyone — not limited by gender, species, or even reality. That freedom was what pulled her in.
One fun highlight came when she was asked about Lucky☆Star, where Konata famously cosplays as Haruhi. Hirano said switching between the two voices was done in one take because, in her head, the characters were completely separate. She also mentioned being inspired by Dragon Ball legend Masako Nozawa, who could perform Goku, Gohan and Goten in a single recording flow.
With Haruhi Suzumiya approaching its 20th anime anniversary in 2026, Hirano said she has now played Haruhi for more than half her life. She was only 18 when she first took on the role, and she never expected the character to remain this important for so long. The recent revival news in Japan also made the Manchester fan response feel even more special.
On Death Note, Hirano revealed that she was already a fan of the manga before auditioning. Although she was initially called in for another character, she asked to try for Misa Amane because she loved the role so much. According to her, the production team felt her interpretation matched what they had imagined.
Beyond anime, Hirano continues to work in theatre. She discussed playing Makima in the Chainsaw Man stage play, describing Japan’s “2.5D” theatre scene as a different challenge from voice acting. Because Makima had already been performed in the anime by Tomori Kusunoki, Hirano tried to respect that version while still bringing her own performance to the stage.
She also touched on music, including her 2025 song evolutions, and said she hopes to tour again in 2026 — possibly with a new album. With her 20th anniversary as a singer, 25th year as a voice actress and 30th year as an entertainer all coming up, Hirano’s next chapter looks busy.
For Malaysian anime fans, the takeaway is simple: the legends from our old hard drives and late-night fansub days are still active, still evolving, and still connecting with fans worldwide. If more Japanese artists start putting SEA properly on their tour radar, we are absolutely ready.
Source: Anime Corner