Yuma Uchidais a Japanese singer and voice actor, renowned for voicing an array of differentanimecharacters, most notably those teenage, heartthrob, delinquent types who never fail to make us swoon. What’s interesting about the characters that Yuma voices is that although they are feisty, adolescent young males, they also have a hidden soft side that just wants to be loved, and Yuma’s vast vocal range is able to personify not only his character’s fight scenes and outbursts, but also their modest and vulnerable moments. Yuma’s voice acting harbors a passion and emotion that gives you a real sense that he identifies with his characters and that’s why many of them have become so enchantingly iconic in the world of anime.
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5Kudou Chika, ‘Kono Oto Tomare! Sounds of Life’ (2019)
Kono Oto Tomare! Sounds of Lifeis a lesser known anime but one that is definitely worth getting into, especially if you’re a Yuma Uchida fan. The series follows a group of teenagers who play the Koto, a Japanese string instrument. Yuma voices the character of Kudou Chika; at first a hostile teen who gets into fights, but then comes to find solace in the Koto club. It’s hard not to love Chika — with his tall and lean stature and his platinum blonde hair — but it’s his voice thatreallybrings all the charms. A voice that’s tough but kind, commanding but protective… Yuma’s got his cadence of the troubled teenager down to fine art.
4Kyo Sohma, ‘Fruits Basket’ (2019)
Kyo Sohma is a popular character fromFruits Basket,a romance series that follows the Sohma family who are possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac. Adding to Yuma’s category of voicing the brash but charismatic young male characters is Kyo Sohma, whose biting and stubborn personality makes you equally love and hate him. But Yuma never voices the one-dimensional characters, and Kyo’s tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve shows a different and more likable side to him, and soon we come to love his irritable traits too.
3Megumi Fushiguro, ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ (2020)
Another detached and stoic teen character voiced by Yuma is Megumi Fushiguro fromthe popular anime series,Jujutsu Kaisen,which follows an organized group of Jujutsu sorcerers who work to eliminate powerful curses. Aside from being an aloof teenager, Megumi also shares similar qualities with other characters that Yuma voices: Kudou Chika, Ritsuka Uenoyama and Ash Lynx are akin to Megumi in regard to their unyielding determination towards achieving their goals. Whether it’s learning to play the Koto or guitar, defeating evil curses, or taking down the Corsican mafia, Chika, Uenoyama, Ash and Megumi take their goals very seriously. The unyielding resolve of these characters are brilliantly embodied by Yuma, whose strong and powerful voice awakens the inner strength of his characters.
2Ritsuka Uenoyama, ‘Given’ (2019)
Givenis a widely popular anime seriesfalling into the ‘Slice of Life’ and ‘Boys Love’ genres. Yuma’s character, Uenoyama, is a young guitarist who develops feelings for his new friend, Mafuyu. Initially, Uenoyama is a cool and collected, mostly indifferent teenager who prefers to nap at any given chance. But as his feelings grow stronger for Mafuyu — feelings that he can’t understand — Uenoyama is not so one-dimensional. And again, we see Yuma at his best, portraying an outwardly cool character who is really just as awkward as everyone else, trying desperately to keep it together. The voice that Yuma gives Uenoyama is deep and alluring, but when he faces his gay crisis, his impassive voice transforms into gasps of hilarious gay panic.
1Ash Lynx, ‘Banana Fish’ (2018)
Yuma’s best voice acting performance is his portrayal of Ash Lynx inBanana Fish.Ash is one of the most complex and multifaceted characters of all time, equally hardened as he is endearing, and when he was brought to life in theBanana Fishanime, Yuma personified him perfectly. Yuma’s broad vocal range and his knack for portraying the lovable rash teenager was certainly put to the test, because Ash is no ordinary teenager - unwillingly snatched up by the mafia, wounded by childhood trauma, a killer, New York gang boss, IQ of over 200, and only 17 years old… and yet, Yuma skillfully characterized every different side of Ash, from his commanding leadership voice, to his soft and playful tone when he was with his best friend, Eiji. Yuma voiced Ash as a strong and determined fighter, but also as a vulnerable and humble kid who simply longed for freedom. The emotive passion that Yuma brought to Ash’s character continues to have a profound effect onBanana Fishfans.
