Saori Onishi

Saori Onishi wasn’t looking for the spotlight, but ended up under it. In 2012, she voiced supporting characters in AKB0048 and Little Busters! without making much noise in the credits. That was the start of a career spent behind the microphone at I’m Enterprise studios.

In 2015, her situation changed dramatically when she played Eriri Spencer Sawamura in Saekano. That same year, she lent her voice to Ais Wallenstein in Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, and the industry began to notice that her range suited roles requiring high emotional intensity. There were no major marketing campaigns or fireworks to introduce her to the general public.

And the audience responded.

Industry Recognition in 2019

In 2019, the seiyuu reached a peak in professional visibility when she won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 13th Seiyu Awards. She shared the honor with her colleague Ayane Sakura (with whom she hosted a successful radio show at the time). This recognition validated years of intense recording work on long-running series such as Shokugeki no Soma, where she brought Hisako Arato to life.

But success didn't push her to chase lead roles desperately. She preferred to balance substantial supporting roles with lead parts in niche projects. In 2017, she had already shown this ability in Gabriel DropOut, playing Vignette April Tsukinose with a restraint that contrasted with the rest of the cast.

Because in Japanese voice acting, consistency usually matters more than the momentary spotlight of a single season.

In 2021, she took on the role of Mejiro McQueen in the second season of Uma Musume Pretty Derby. The project demanded a blend of aristocratic coolness and athletic vulnerability that few expected from her at that stage of her vocal career. The series became a sales phenomenon in physical and digital formats in Japan.

Maturity behind the mic

It was a quiet turning point.

In 2022, she starred in Fuufu Ijou, Koibito Miman, voicing Akari Watanabe. The role called for moving between romantic comedy and teen drama without falling into the genre’s usual clichés. During that period, her name appeared on the casting lists of Tokyo’s leading animation studios thanks to her technical reliability in marathon recording sessions.

In 2023, she worked on the production of The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent, playing Nicole, and maintained her presence in established franchises. During 2024, she took part in the film Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a New Era, reprising her usual role for the big screen. Her ability to sustain characters for more than a decade makes her a safe bet for the production committees that fund these works.

By the end of 2024, her schedule was still tied to exclusive contracts with I’m Enterprise. Official records show she has taken part in more than one hundred animated productions since her professional debut. Her current contract falls under the standard pay scales of the Japan Actors Union for voice actors.