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How to become a Voice Actor

Acts with their voice, for example voicing anime and games, dubbing foreign films and TV dramas, reading aloud and narrating.

How to become one

No education or qualifications are required. Generally people study on voice acting courses at a senmon gakko (vocational college) or similar, at voice acting schools or on training courses, then pass an agency audition to join a voice acting production company or talent agency and wait for work. Getting into an established agency is often very competitive, and even if you get in, work does not come straight away. Voice acting work is usually contracted per production, so you need to win work through auditions run by producers and similar. Until you are established your income is unstable and money is tight for a long time, so many people support themselves with other jobs or casual work, or move to other work early on. Some leave their agency after building experience and a track record, but only a very small number can make a steady living as freelancers. The characters voice actors play are extremely varied, including not only people but all kinds of creatures and imaginary beings. So as well as vocal expressiveness and steady delivery, understanding the world of the production and imagining the role are important. You work with a different team on each production, so you also need to communicate with fellow cast and staff and the flexibility to respond accurately to the producers' directions. A willingness to take on challenges to widen your range, and the ability to promote your own character and strengths, are also important. Casting depends not only on personal qualities such as voice and acting ability but also on fit with the role, so even after long preparation, auditions often do not go as hoped. You need mental strength and the ability to move on quickly to get through this.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Voice Actor?

No education or qualifications are required. Generally people study on voice acting courses at a senmon gakko (vocational college) or similar, at voice acting schools or on training courses, then pass an agency audition to join a voice acting production company or talent agency and wait for work. Getting into an established agency is often very competitive, and even if you get in, work does not come straight away. Voice acting work is usually contracted per production, so you need to win work through auditions run by producers and similar. Until you are established your income is unstable and money is tight for a long time, so many people support themselves with other jobs or casual work, or move to other work early on. Some leave their agency after building experience and a track record, but only a very small number can make a steady living as freelancers. The characters voice actors play are extremely varied, including not only people but all kinds of creatures and imaginary beings. So as well as vocal expressiveness and steady delivery, understanding the world of the production and imagining the role are important. You work with a different team on each production, so you also need to communicate with fellow cast and staff and the flexibility to respond accurately to the producers' directions. A willingness to take on challenges to widen your range, and the ability to promote your own character and strengths, are also important. Casting depends not only on personal qualities such as voice and acting ability but also on fit with the role, so even after long preparation, auditions often do not go as hoped. You need mental strength and the ability to move on quickly to get through this.

How much does a Voice Actor earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,439,800 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Musicians, stage designers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Voice Actor?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 54% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Creative Arts & Design degrees; Vocational college (専門学校) course: Theatre and film.

Will AI change the work of a Voice Actor?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026