81 Produce

81 Produce
Name	81 Produce
Native name	株式会社81プロデュース
Founded	1981
Type	Talent management
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Industry	Voice acting
Key people	(founders) Seizō Katō, Nachi Nozawa

81 Produce

81 Produce is a Tokyo-based Japanese talent agency specializing in voice acting and voice actor management. The company represents a wide range of performers active in anime, video games, radio, dubbing, and stage work, and has contributed talent to major productions in the Japanese entertainment sector. Through long-standing relationships with studios, publishers, broadcasters, and event organizers, the firm has become a recognizable name in the contemporary voice acting landscape.

Overview

81 Produce operates within the animation and gaming ecosystems, supplying voice talent for studios such as Toei Animation, Sunrise, Bones, Studio Ghibli, and Madhouse. The agency places actors into projects with publishers and developers including Bandai Namco Entertainment, Capcom, Square Enix, Sega, and Koei Tecmo. Broadcast collaborations have included networks like NHK, TV Asahi, Fuji Television, and Tokyo MX. The company also interacts with event organizers and concert producers such as Animate, Comiket, Tokyo Game Show, and Animelo Summer Live to promote talent.

History

Founded in 1981 in Tokyo by veteran performers and industry figures, the agency emerged during the expansion of television animation and the video game market in Japan. Early decades saw talent placed in works from studios like Sunrise and Toei Animation during the 1980s mecha and tokusatsu era, and later in 1990s productions from Production I.G and Madhouse. During the 2000s, the agency adapted to the multimedia boom driven by companies such as Sony Interactive Entertainment, Nintendo, and Bandai Namco Entertainment, enabling its actors to appear in high-profile console and mobile titles. The firm navigated industry shifts tied to shifts at broadcasters like NHK and streaming partnerships with platforms such as Netflix and Crunchyroll. Over time, relationships with theaters, dubbing houses for international films from Warner Bros., Disney, and Universal Pictures, and audiobook publishers expanded the agency's scope.

Talent Roster

The roster has included numerous notable voice actors who have performed in adaptations of works by authors and franchises like Masami Kurumada, Rumiko Takahashi, Eiichiro Oda, and Tite Kubo. Casts featuring agency talent have worked on series such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Mobile Suit Gundam, Sailor Moon, and Detective Conan. Performers affiliated with the company have provided voices in video games from development houses including Capcom, Square Enix, Konami, and PlatinumGames. The agency's alumni and current members have been credited in productions tied to directors like Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, Mamoru Hosoda, and Makoto Shinkai. Many have appeared in stage readings, radio programs on stations such as Nippon Broadcasting System, and dubbing of international projects for distributors like Toho and Kadokawa Corporation.

Services and Divisions

81 Produce offers talent management, audition coordination, career development, contract negotiation, and media liaison services for clients working with animation studios, game developers, publishers, and broadcasters. The company interfaces with casting directors at entities such as Aniplex, TV Tokyo, Kadokawa Corporation, and Avex Group to place actors in anime, drama CDs, and commercials. Training programs and workshops often reference methodologies used in veteran institutions like Takarazuka Revue and formats common to theatrical schools linked with NHK Drama School-style production pipelines. The agency also manages dubbing assignments for international film distributors and localization teams working with companies such as Netflix and Disney+.

Multimedia and Productions

Actors on the roster have participated in cross-media franchises encompassing anime, video games, drama CDs, stage events, and music releases tied to labels such as Lantis, King Records, and Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Agency talent has contributed to soundtrack recordings and character songs produced for series from Aniplex and Bandai Visual. The company has supported appearances at conventions like AnimeJapan, Japan Expo, and Crunchyroll Expo, and coordinated live readings, concerts, and promotional campaigns for multimedia projects associated with studios such as Bones and A-1 Pictures.

Industry Impact and Recognition

Through decades of collaboration with major studios, broadcasters, and publishers, the agency has influenced casting patterns across anime and game productions, helping launch careers that have shaped popular franchises in collaboration with creators like Eiichiro Oda and Masashi Kishimoto. Its talent have earned awards and nominations at industry events and ceremonies connected with organizations such as the Seiyu Awards, broadcasters like NHK, and festival programs at venues including Annecy International Animation Film Festival and national film festivals. The agency's presence in dubbing for international distributors like Warner Bros. and Disney has reinforced standards for localization casting within the Japanese market.

Category:Japanese talent agencies Category:Voice acting agencies