Masaya Onosaka

The Osaka Accent as a Work Tool

Masaya Onosaka was born in Osaka in October 1964. His career can't be understood without this geographic origin. The Kansai dialect is his most powerful work tool, allowing him to move between comedy and drama with a natural ease that few reach in Japanese voice acting.

He trained at the Aoni Production school. He joined the agency in the mid-1980s after going through a very tough audition process. There he learned that voice is only one part of an actor's job.

Everything changed with a blond gunslinger.

In 1998, he voiced Vash the Stampede in Trigun. It was a difficult assignment. He had to sound like a complete idiot and a tortured warrior in the same episode. The sound directors were looking for exactly that duality in the lead character.

That same year, he was voicing Kero in Cardcaptor Sakura. It's a total contrast. Going from a Western-style action hero to a greedy yellow plush toy shows his true technical range.

In 1999, he joined the cast of Hunter x Hunter to voice Leorio. But his connection to the major hits of the teen action genre didn't end there.

Laughter as a shield in the studio

Onosaka is well known for his appearances at live events. He is not the typical shy actor who hides behind the recording booth. In 2001, he started his career in The Prince of Tennis as Takeshi Momoshiro, and his energy exceeded the production company's expectations.

And Japanese audiences adore him for it.

Her performance as Shinji Hirako in Bleach began in 2004. It's a character who leans fully into his Osaka accent. The tone is cocky and laid-back, because Onosaka knows audiences connect with authenticity.

In 2009, he took on the role of France in Hetalia: Axis Powers. Here the register is different. The tone is more seductive and parodic, requiring complete control of breathing. The series ran for several seasons, and he remained firmly in the cast through the episode 2021 titled Hetalia World Stars.

He won the Best Personality award at the Seiyu Awards 2010 for his work on radio programs and events.

In 2022, he returned to record for the Shinigami saga in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. The production required a vocal maturity that Onosaka already had in abundance. He didn't need many takes to recapture Hirako's tone after years of the character being silent.

But his work isn't limited to the big anime franchises. He has taken part in dozens of video games and variety shows, where his quick wit for a joke is the key to his success.

He has been tied to the Aoni Production agency since his professional debut.