81 Produce

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History

In the late 1970s, when the term "seiyū" was just beginning to take root, some actors were against this, arguing they were full time actors and not just voice actors, a term that sometimes hindered the types of events they could be hired for. Among these people were Toyama Kei and his staff, and this led to the major agency Aoni Production being divided into two camps.

Michiyoshi Minamisawa (born in 1952) joined Aoni Production in 1976, and at the age of 28, he became a figurehead at its forefront. In February 1981, he established 81 Produce (the company's name comes from the year it was founded) with some staff from the planning and production department of Production Baobab. Minamisawa did not aim to become a company president, but he wanted to manage voice actors and produce programs, so he decided to leave the company in order to allow young talents to do their best in a free environment.

It started out as a production company whose main business was producing plays featuring voice actors, such as the musical Fly! Keihin Dracula; and in 1983, it added an acting department and began operating as a voice acting agency.

The company's voice actors often appear in NHK Educational TV productions such as documentaries and school broadcasting programs, and some school broadcasting programs have featured live-action actors (with their faces shown). In addition, the company's affiliated sound production company, HALF H・P STUDIO, is responsible for many of the Japanese dubbing of foreign TV dramas and sound production for anime broadcast on NHK, and for works with episodes of about 5 to 10 minutes, it often casts voice actors affiliated with 81 Produce. It also cooperates with casting for most of the anime produced by Shogakukan's Shueisha Productions. Although not as strong as Aoni Production, it also has strong ties with Toei Animation. It also has strong ties with Avex, and is involved in collaborative activities.

On 19 October 1997, a hybrid CD-ROM featuring voice talent data from members of 81 Produce was released.

In 2015, the "Seiyuu Museum" and "81 Live Salon" were opened in the building where the agency's voice actor training institute, "81ACTOR'S STUDIO" is located.

In 2022, the company held a new "SUN AUDITION" in collaboration with Universal Music.

Attached talent

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