Saved by anime in one of the darkest moments in his life, Kouhei Amasaki’s life would never be the same.
Kouhei Amasaki
KANJI: 天﨑 滉平
BORN: October 22, 1990
OCCUPATION: voice actor
HEIGHT: 173 cm
Seiyuu
Kouhei Amasaki was born on October 22, 1990, in Osaka and is currently represented by I’m Enterprise.
Kouhei Amasaki’s professional journey could have been completely different had he never fallen in love with anime when he was in high school.
Until high school, Amasaki was a model student with some of the best grades in his year however high school would end up being a time in which he fell out of love for studying – due to burnout in the entrance exams. He ended up falling in love with anime and radio hosting, something that set him on his journey as a voice actor.
Amasaki joined I’m Enterprise in 2013 and debuted in 2014.
2014 – 2017
The first steps
The first years in the voice acting industry are not kind, with seiyuu often being relegated to minor roles to build up their repertoire and slowly showcase their talents.
However, Amasaki took a bit longer than usual to “click” with anime directors, making the first 3 years in his career quite odd.
He made his debut as a voice actor in 2014 with a minor role in the OVA “Inui-san!“.
In 2015, Amasaki would get minor roles in anime series such as Charlotte, Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda., Noragami Aragoto, Starmyu, Shokugeki no Soma, Gundam Build Fighters, and more.
The standout role that year was Takaki Uno in the mecha anime Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.
This is a supporting role in the anime however one with relevance to the story – contrary to most characters Amasaki had voiced to this date.
The leader of the younger children of CGS, Takaki Uno is dependable, kind, and considerate of others, something that Amasaki was able to give life to, making quite the impression as a rookie voice actor.
In 2016, Amasaki would get his first long-running role in anime series.
He was cast as the unlucky merchant Otto Suwen in the isekai/adventure anime series Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu, ending up reprising his role 3 additional times (from 2016 to 2021).
A year later, Amasaki was cast as Neito Monoma in Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season.
There’s a lot behind Monoma’s personality that makes him quite complex to tackle from a voice acting perspective as his personality will completely shift from mocking and sarcastic in one second, provocative in another, and completely calm and collected.
Amasaki tapped into his nuanced personality, delivering a performance that many regard as among his best to date. He reprised his role as Monoma in the 3rd, 4th and 5th seasons of the anime (2017 – 2021).
Other anime series in which he voiced characters include:
- Persona4 the Golden ANIMATION (2014)
- selector spread WIXOSS (2014)
- Your Lie in April (2014)
- Sora no Method (2014)
- FAIRY TAIL (2015)
- Mob Psycho 100 (2016)
- orange (2016)
- Just Because! (2017)
- The Idolmaster SideM (2017)
- Marginal#4: Kiss kara Tsukuru Big Bang (2017)
- ID-0 (2017)
- Tsurezure Children (2017)
- Black Clover (2017)
2018 –
Slowly making a name for himself
By late 2017, things started to change in Amasaki’s career, and when 2018 arrived – in the dawn of the popularity boom that Hypnosis Mic, 2D music he had been recently cast in -, now everyone wanted to have him on board for their anime series.
Amasaki saw the number of roles he got rising and got his first leading roles in anime.
His first leading role was as Haruo Yaguchi in the comedy/romance anime series “High Score Girl“.
Yaguchi is a character you can safely say that doesn’t have any talents beyond being a gamer. However, he is attentive, something that helps him “read” other people.
In the same year, Amasaki was cast as Kirill Vrubel in the action/comedy anime series “Double Decker! Doug & Kirill“.
This was yet another comedy role with Kirill starting his hero journey with a menial task such as looking for the landlady’s lost cast.
Things quieted down for Amasaki in 2019. The number of roles in anime series returned to normal however he still had a presence in big-budget productions with star-studded casts.
Amasaki would return to voicing protagonists in anime with his role as Taichi Nishimura in the isekai/adventure anime series “Isekai Cheat Magician“.
With the anime industry crowded with anime in which the main character travels back in time (or gets in a game they were playing), it started to be noticeable the lack of innovation in isekai anime series.
“Isekai Cheat Magician” was such an anime series. Filled with overused ideas and tropes, boring characters, and lazy writing, this anime had it all.
Unfortunately for Kouhei Amasaki, despite this being a leading role, it brought the wrong kind of exposure to himself as even the finest of voice actors couldn’t have made that dialogue shine.
2020 kicked off with a leading role in the action/adventure special animation “Tales of Crestoria: Toga Waga wo Shoite Kare wa Tatsu“.
This was a tie-up for the game “Tales of Crestoria” in which Amasaki voices the protagonist Hjuger Kanata.
Undoubtedly the biggest role in 2020 was his reprisal of Saburo Yamada in the anime adaptation of the Hypnosis Mic franchise, Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle – Rhyme Anima.
In 2021, Amasaki reprised his role as Runa Kagurazaka in the anime adaptation of I-CHU titled I★Chu: Halfway Through the Idol.
His role was far from being in the spotlight, still, it was a treat for longtime fans of his to finally watch Kagurazaka animated.
2022 kicked off pretty quietly for him. Amasaki got supporting roles in anime series such as Requiem of the Rose King and Koroshi Ai.
He reprised his role as Aira Shiratori in the special movie in the Ensemble Stars!! franchise, Ensemble Stars!!: Road to Show!!.
Later in 2022, Amasaki is going to voice characters in Mori no Kuma-san, Toumin-chuu. and Shijou Saikyou no Daimaou, Murabito A ni Tensei suru.
Other anime series in which he voiced characters include:
- The iDOLM@STER SideM: Wake Atte Mini! (2018)
- High School DxD Hero (2018)
- Tsurune: Kazemai Koukou Kyuudoubu (2018)
- Sword Dynasty (2018)
- Rokuhoudou Yotsuiro Biyori (2018)
- Dororo (2019)
- Namu Amida Butsu!: Rendai Utena (2019)
- Hoshiai no Sora (2019)
- Try Knights (2019)
- Houkago Saikoro Club (2019)
- Pokemon (2019)
- number 24 (2020)
- Runway de Waratte (2020)
- Major 2nd (2020)
- 2.43: Seiin Koukou Danshi Volley-bu (2021)
- Isekai Shokudou 2 (2021)
- ONE PIECE (2022)
Awards
In 2019, at the 13th Seiyuu Awards, Kouhei Amasaki and the main cast of Hypnosis Mic – members of Buster Bros!!!, MAD TRIGGER CREW, Fling Posse and Matenro – received the Singing Award.
Kouhei Amasaki attended the ceremony alongside Show Hayami, Subaru Kimura, Yukihiro Nozuyama, Ryuichi Kijima, and Haruki Ishiya.
Also in the same ceremony, Amasaki won shared the Best New Actor Award with fellow male seiyuu Shugo Nakamura, Mark Ishii, and Fukushi Ochiai.
Radio
Hosting radio shows is second nature to Kouhei Amasaki.
Since early on in his career he has been working in this field however, it was only in 2017 that fans started to see him getting more radio airtime than ever before.
As a host, Kouhei Amasaki is energetic and bubbly. At times he clumsily stumbles upon his script, something that others – guests and co-hosts – find incredibly endearing.
Given his experience hosting radio shows, you can expect him to be a good interviewer as well as a talker.
Below are some of the radio shows that have marked his career.
RADIO M4!!!! (2017 -)
This is one of Amasaki’s longest-running radio shows.
RADIO M4!!!! kicked off in 2017 and counts with the entertaining quartet – Daiki Hamano, Kouhei Amasaki, Takuma Nagatsuka, and Taichi Ichikawa – hosting the show.
The radio show ended up leading to the quartet’s debut as M4!!!!, a dance-pop group with some sprinkles of rock on top.
Amasaki Kouhei, Otsuka Takeo no Bokutachi Mou Friend Desuyone? (2017 -)
In 2017, Kouhei Amasaki teamed up with fellow seiyuu Takeo Otsuka to co-host the radio show “Amasaki Kouhei, Otsuka Takeo no Bokutachi Mou Friend Desuyone?” (天﨑滉平、大塚剛央の僕たちもうフレンドですよね？).
The radio show kicked off with the concept of “Two new voice actors with few friends make a lot of friends in the industry“, with each guest, initially, having a “friend card” to fill in according to certain conditions.
After making a total of 10 friends, something they achieved in 2020, the radio show changed its focus from making friends to a regular friendly radio show that has, from time to time, crossover episodes with other radio shows hosted by seiyuu.
IDOLMASTER SideM Radio 315Night! (2016)
Kouhei Amasaki has co-hosted the radio show IDOLMASTER SideM Radio 315Night! several times.
He’s got to host this radio show in 2016 alongside fellow Café Parade member Daiki Kobayashi as well as High x Joker’s Yusuke Shirai and Hiroshi Watanabe.
As per usual with this radio show, it was entertaining and filled with a great, warm vibe, fun corners, and a lot of crazy shenanigans.
MAN TWO MONTH RADIO: Amasaki Kouhei no Otaku Tanbo (2018)
In 2018, Amasaki was invited to be the host of MAN TWO MONTH RADIO, show in which seiyuu can handle their own radio show for two months before switching with the next seiyuu.
MAN TWO MONTH RADIO: Amasaki Kouhei no Otaku Tanbo (MAN TWO MONTH RADIO: 天﨑滉平のオタク探訪) was a show all about Amasaki trying his best in quizzes, tackling tongue-twisters and talking about the things he loves to geek about.
The show aired from August 2018 until late September 2018.
Tomohito Takatsuka ・ Kouhei Amasaki LOVE TRAIN 2522 (2018 – 2019)
From 2018 until 2019, Kouhei Amasaki and Tomohito Takatsuka co-hosted the viewable radio show Tomohito Takatsuka ・ Kouhei Amasaki LOVE TRAIN 2522.
In this show supported by Seiyuu Grandprix, Amasaki, and Takatsuka talked about all things railways, trains, and travel.
Matsuoka Hamburg (2018 – )
In 2018, Kouhei Amasaki got to make another dream of his come true: to work with Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (who he admires a whole lot).
He’s one of the assistants in “Matsuoka Hamburg”, adding a unique dynamic to Matsuoka’s radio show all about his love for hamburgers.
Kawanishi Kengo Amasaki Kouhei Tenkaippin (2019 – )
Since 2019, Kouhei Amasaki has been working alongside fellow seiyuu Kengo Kawanishi. The duo co-hosts the radio show “Kawanishi Kengo Amasaki Kouhei Tenkaippin” (河西健吾 天﨑滉平 天河一品).
A&G TRIBAL RADIO (2021 – )
In 2021, A&G TRIBAL RADIO (エジソン) changed its pair of hosts, bringing in two new faces to co-host this music/talk radio show.
Kouhei Amasaki replaced fellow seiyuu Takuya Eguchi in this radio show, sharing the microphone with Minami Takahashi.
Other radio shows he’s hosted or guested in include (list not exhaustive):
- Mayoiga Nanaki Mura Mura Yakuba Kouhouka (2016)
- Gekkan Otokomae Tsushin (2017)
- 3-Nichi-go kareshi Supported by Amasaki Kouhei (2018)
- Hi Score Girl Dojo (2018 – 2020)
- Ensemble stars!!『ALKALOID』&『Crazy:B』no Radio Square (2019)
- Isekai Cheat Housoukyoku (2019)
- Hypnosis Mic-Division Rap Battle- HPNM Hangout！After Talk Podcast (2020)
- Sen Photo Radio (2021 -)
Games
Amasaki is quite active voicing characters in games. Fans can usually find him voicing characters in otome games – romance games – as well as 2D music games (not necessarily rhythm games).
He’s also got credits in a couple of action and RPG games, showcasing his versatility as a voice actor.
He’s lent voice to a couple of iconic characters such as:
Runa Kagurazaka in I-Chu (2015 – 2019) & I★CHU: Étoile Stage (2020 – 2021)
In 2015, Kouhei Amasaki joined the cast of the idol grooming/rhythm game I-chu. He voices Runa Kagurazaka, member of the idol unit POP’N STAR.
Runa Kagurazaka is a well-mannered and diligent teenager that joins POP’N STAR on Kokoro Hanabusa (CV: Ayumu Murase)’s invitation.
He’s not totally comfortable with the idea of crossdressing as a member of the group but after being invited, he’s curious to see how far he can go.
Saburo Yamada in Hypnosis Mic – Alternative Rap Battle – (2020 -)
Amasaki reprised his role as Buster Bros!!!‘s Saburo Yamada in the smartphone game, Hypnosis Mic – Alternative Rap Battle –.
Saburo is incredibly smart and quick-witted and despite how calm he usually is, he’s quickly ticked off by his brother Jiro Yamada’s antics, with both bickering to no end.
The game features a short introductory story for each crew, with Ichiro’s love for his brothers and passion for hip-hop being highlighted in all story parts.
Aira Shiratori in Ensemble Stars!! Basic / Music (2020 -)
Ensemble Stars!! is a story-driven game – also with a rhythm game component since 2020 with the launch of the dual game Ensemble Stars!! Basic / Music – that easily shot to popularity with its solid story and rich music released outside of the game.
In the game, Kouhei Amasaki voices ALKALOID‘s Aira Shiratori. Before becoming an idol, Aira already loved idols, being starstruck as he gets to interact with other members of the Ensemble Stars!!’s franchise.
Because he feels like he’s lacking in comparison with other idols, he always practices hard.
Kanata Hjuger in Tales of Crestoria (2020)
In 2020, Amasaki was cast as Kanata Hjuger in the newest installment of the wildly popular RPG franchise “Tales of” – Tales of Crestoria.
Pure-hearted and passionate, Kanata is the game’s righteous – and slightly vain – protagonist.
He will go to great depths just to protect others, kicking off the game running away after committing a crime to save a loved one.
This is a role in which Amasaki’s youthful voice shines, giving this young hero the exciting, passionate, and innocent demeanor that makes the player root for him.
He also voiced characters in the following games (list is not exhaustive):
- Prince of Stride (2015)
- Re: BIRTHDAY SONG ~ Shinigami singing love ~ (2015)
- Ikemen Bakumatsu ◆ Unmei no Koi (2016)
- Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana (2016)
- Kizuna Striker! (2017)
- Sengoku Night Blood (2017)
- LORD of VERMILION IV (2018)
- Piofiore: Fated Memories (2018)
- World end Heroes (2018)
- Choice×Darling (2018)
- Op8♪ (2019)
- DRAGON QUEST X (2019)
- A3! (2019)
- SD Gundam GGENERATION CROSSRAYS (2019)
- Digimon Survive (2020)
- Magia X (2020)
- Shadowverse (2020)
- Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World: Lost in Memories (2020)
- SAMURAI SPIRITS (2021)
- Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker (2021)
Narration / Dubbing
Although with few credits, Kouhei Amasaki is active in narration. Since his debut as a voice actor in 2014, he has lent his narration talents to TV commercials and anime series promotional videos, and TV shows.
As far as dubbing goes, Amasaki is still taking his first steps, counting only 3 credits: Shameless, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and The Loud House season 2.
Drama CDs
When it comes to drama CDs, Kouhei Amasaki has his fair share of credits but not all leading ones.
Fans can expect to find him reprising his roles from 2D music projects or games in drama CDs, situation CDs (otome), or boys love (BL) drama CDs.
As of recently (2022), Amasaki is more commonly found voicing characters in BL drama CDs.
He’s voiced characters in drama CDs such as:
- Nijiiro Days (2014)
- THE IDOLM@STER SideM ST@RTING LINE 09 & 10 (2016)
- Private Tactics (2016)
- My Hero Academia Original Drama CD② (2017)
- Hypnosis Mic-Division Rap Battle- (2017)
- DOUBLE DECKER! Doug & Kirill Volume 1 SPECIAL CD (2018)
- Watashi no Concierge Part.3 Amane (2018)
- Otogi no Uta 〜CHRONICLE〜 (2019)
- Mics!! (2020)
- Nidaime! Jigoku Brothers (2020)
- Kono koi, kamisama ni go houkoku!? (2020)
- Love on Ride 〜 Tsukin kareshi Vol.15 Oba Hayato (2020)
- FABULOUS NIGHT (2021)
- Fukutsu no zono (2021),
between many. Please refer to his Japanese Wikipedia page for a detailed look through all drama CDs he’s voiced characters in.
Music
Since early on in his career, Kouhei Amasaki has been involved in 2D music projects.
He joined the first ones in 2015 – I-Chu and THE IDOLM@STER SideM – and since then has joined 2D projects in the most varied music genres you can think of.
Aside from joining 2D groups, Amasaki has also joined M4!!!!, seiyuu unit that debuted in 2018.
If you’re first coming across Amasaki, he’s best known for his youthful voice which enables him to voice young boys – something he does frequently.
He has an androgynous twist to his voice as well, with the best example of his androgynous singing being the performances with POP’N STAR in the I-CHU franchise.
He can go a bit low in his vocals but he always retains that youthful twist, so don’t expect that to happen often. When it comes to singing, he’s not the most technical singer out there – quite on the contrary – but he compensates that with consistency across the board for his performances.
He never misses a beat, he always shows enthusiasm and if you follow him in a couple of projects he’s been a part of for a couple of years, you’ll notice that puts his all into improving his skills.
Not only does Amasaki sing for multiple 2D pop idol groups and a seiyuu unit, but he also raps for Buster Bros!!! in the Hypnosis Mic franchise. Although he started okay with the group, it was under the guidance of Subaru Kimura that he honed his skills, developing a unique, dramatic flow and, at the same time, displaying complete comfort on stage rapping and even improvising.
He’s best known for being part of the following music groups:
POP’N STAR (2015 -)
In 2015, Kouhei Amasaki joined the cast of POP’N STAR, idol group in the 2D mixed-media franchise, I-CHU.
POP’N STAR counts with vocals by Ayumu Murase, Kouhei Amasaki, and Kazutomi Yamamoto. Since its debut, the group has released 8 group songs and a couple of solo tracks.
Café Parade (2015 -)
This unit consists of Makoto Furukawa, Daiki Kobayashi, Takuya Kodama, Sho Karino and Kouhei Amasaki. This unit is part of the IDOLMASTER SideM franchise.
The group is best known for their theatrical sound with dramatic performances in songs that actually have an interesting duality, almost like there are different acts within their songs (like a musical theatre).
In a live setting, Kouhei Amasaki displays a lot of concentration and attention to detail.
His performances within the group stand out, alongside Sho Karino and Makoto Furukawa’s, for how consistent and comfortable he is as a singer.
Up until now, the quintet has released 3 CDs, THE IDOLM@STER SideM ST@RTING LINE-10 Café Parade (2016), THE IDOLM@STER SideM NEW STAGE EPISODE:04 Café Parade (2020), and THE IDOLM@STER SideM GROWING SIGN@L 04 Café Parade (2022).
Although the group had a small cameo in the IDOLM@STER SideM anime, the group ended up not releasing any music for the series.
Aside from these singles, Café Parade has participated in several cross-unit, anniversary CDs, and solo song projects within the franchise.
The quintet has participated so far in 4 IDOLMASTER SideM stages:
- 2nd STAGE 〜ORIGIN@L STARS〜 (2017),
- 3rd STAGE 〜GLORIOUS ST@GE!〜 (2018),
- THE IDOLM@STER SideM 4th LIVE STAGE 〜TRE@SURE GATE〜 (2019),
- THE IDOLM@STER SideM 6thLIVE TOUR ～NEXT DESTIN@TION!～ (2021 – 2022).
BUSTER BROS!!! (2017 -)
Known for their free and groovy rap style, Buster Bros!!! are a beloved crew within the Hypnosis Mic franchise.
With the cast including Subaru Kimura (as Ichiro), Haruki Ishiya (as Jiro) and Kouhei Amasaki (as Saburo), Buster Bros!!! have a fun take on rap, with 3 completely different vibes converging to creating their unique, bouncy hip-hop.
The voice actors themselves have grown to be like a family, with Ishiya and Amasaki learning rapping skills from Kimura, something that has vastly helped the crew improve their delivery for each new song that they present to their fans.
The crew made their debut in 2017 with the release of the imposing single, Buster Bros!!! Generation.
Buster Bros!!! were overflowing with energy for their debut release.
After the release of the introductory singles for each crew, Hypnosis Mic kicked off their 1st Battle Season series.
Buster Bros!!! faced MAD TRIGGER CREW in the first round in Buster Bros!!! VS MAD TRIGGER CREW.
The mini-album was a huge success much thanks to the voting system for the whole Battle Season that only made it possible to vote if you purchased the CD in physical or digital format.
Buster Bros!!! VS MAD TRIGGER CREW was certified Gold by RIAJ in 2018.
Buster Bros!!! ended up losing their battle against MAD TRIGGER CREW but it was still a tight one, only decided in the last days of voting.
In 2019, the crew released the playful おはようイケブクロ (Ohayou Ikebukuro), featured in the compilation album, Enter the Hypnosis Microphone.
The crew returned in 2020 with the release of Buster Bros!!! Before The 2nd D.R.B, a critically acclaimed album that brought plenty of cool, groovy songs exuding freedom and fun that is unique to this crew.
Amasaki performed the jaw-droppingly cold Requiem.
In 2021, the group participated in the 2nd Division Rap Battle series, first going head-to-head with Doutsuitare Hompo in “Dotsuitare Hompo vs Buster Bros!!!“.
Buster Bros!!! went on to beat Dotsuitare Hompo, advancing for the very first time to a final in the Division Rap Battle series.
Buster Bros!!! went against Matenro and Fling Posse in “Buster Bros!!! VS Matenro VS Fling Posse”.
The battle was fierce for the title of “Champion” but ultimately, it was Fling Posse that took the title with them, with Buster Bros!!! grabbing 2nd place and Matenro in 3rd.
On a live setting, Buster Bros!!! showcase impressive chemistry and coordination, with no one being left behind or outshining others. In that sense, Buster Bros!!! are as good live as Fling Posse are.
With Subaru Kimura leading the way, the live Buster Bros!!!, are a force to be reckoned with.
Their chemistry stands out, with members covering for each other in a pretty seamless way and rhymes flowing like it is second nature to all members.
Due to Subaru Kimura’s charismatic self overflowing with energy and never missing a beat, Haruki Ishiya and Kouhei Amasaki shine.
As a result, the crew is lively and intense on stage. So far the crew has performed live 7 times, although in different contexts.
The first franchise release on Blu-ray and DVD is Hypnosis mic- Division Rap Battle – 4th LIVE @ Osaka, massive live held in 2019 that counted with Buster Bros!!!, MAD TRIGGER CREW, Fling Posse, Matenro, and the, then recently announced, Dotsuitare Honpo and Bad Ass Temple.
In 2020, due to issues with Coronavirus (COVID-19), Hypnosis Mic’s ambitious MetLife Dome live, SIX SHOTS TO THE DOME was cancelled.
Instead, all crews performed on 29/03/2020 on a special broadcast by AbemaTV, Hypnosis mic- Division Rap Battle – 5th LIVE @ AbemaTV – SIX SHOTS UNTIL THE DOME that counted with millions of live views.
In January 2021, the Hypnosis Mic kicked off their 6th live “2nd D.R.B”, with the first battle counting with Dotsuitare Hompo vs Buster Bros!!!.
Later in August 2021, the crew performed live at Hypnosis Mic 7th live “SUMMIT OF DIVISIONS”.
During this live show, Buster Bros!!!, Matenro and Fling Posse premiered the final battle song “SHOWDOWN”.
Division All Stars (2017 – )
Division All Stars‘ original lineup consisted of Buster Bros!!!, MAD TRIGGER CREW, Fling Posse and Matenro. In 2019, with the addition of Dotsuitare Honpo and Bad Ass Temple to the franchise, the group now houses all groups.
Their first release was Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- in 2017. This was the explosive start even before anyone knew how each crew would end up sounding.
The song was an instant hit and brought a massive following from overseas into the project.
In 2018, Division All Stars returned with the electrifying Hypnosis Mic Division Battle Anthem. The success it met was even more than on their debut song.
Now that the project was popular, it was a matter of a couple of days until it hit 1 million views.
In 2019, Hypnosis Mic released its first compilation album. Enter the Hypnosis Microphone featured all of Division All Stars‘ songs plus a new ensemble track, Hoodstar.
The release also included new songs for each group including the legendary The Dirty Dawg – from which Kimura’s character, Ichiro, was a part.
The song was quickly followed by Hypnosis Mic – Alternative Rap Battle-, song featured as the theme song for the smartphone game, Hypnosis Mic -Alternative Rap Battle-.
Still in the same year, Division All Stars returned with a new take on their debut song, Hypnosis Mic Division Battle Anthem.
After the franchise introduced 2 new units to the franchise, Dotsuitare Honpo and Bad Ass Temple, the classic track got a revamp, thus Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-+ was released.
In 2020, Division All Stars made their comeback and once again revamped one of their hit songs. Hypnosis Mic -Division Battle Anthem- was revamped, adding Dotsuitare Honpo and Bad Ass Temple into the mix, creating Hypnosis Mic -Division Battle Anthem-＋.
And in 2020, Division All Stars released the fan favorite, and up until July of the same year, ingame exclusive, Survival of the Illest.
Still in the same year, Division All Stars released the funky tune “SUMMIT OF DIVISIONS“. The song was included with the franchise’s Hypnosis Mic – Division Rap Battle – Official Guide Book.
A year later “Hypnosis Mic-Glory or Dust-“ was released.
The song featured a 3D CGI animated music video – the first one in the Hypnosis Mic -, going in line with the franchise’s recent bet in VR and CGI technology to improve the visibility of its contents.
A couple of months later and still in 2021, Division All Stars released an extended version of the groovy hit tune “Survival of the Illest“.
The reworked song was titled “Survival of the Illest+” and included Dotsuitare Hompo and Bad Ass Temple in the recording.
In the summer of 2021, Division All Stars released “Hang out!“, one of the funkiest songs so far released by the group.
Still in the same year, the group released a new – extended – version of “Hoodstar”. Now including the rapping by Bad Ass Temple and Dotsuitare Hompo, “Hoodstar+” was released.
In 2022, the Hypnosis Mic franchise released its 2nd full-length album “CROSS A LINE“.
In this album, which included new songs by all crews, there is the groovy self-titled all-star song.
With the premiere of the 2nd season of the anime series in 2023, Division All Stars released the digital single “RISE FROM DEAD”.
GHOST CONCERT (2018 -)
In 2018, Amasaki joined the cast of GHOST CONCERT, music project created by Elements Garden’s Noriyasu Agematsu (who worked closely with the Utapri franchise and Mamoru Miyano) that pities ghosts of historical or fictional characters against each other in a singing battle.
The project counts with a mixed cast. Male and female seiyuu are part of it. The cast currently includes Shouta Aoi, Yoshiki Nakajima, Kouhei Amasaki, Megu Sakuragawa, Azusa Tadokoro, and Yuiko Tatsumi.
Amasaki voices Billy the Kid. The first single “GHOST SONG 05.” was released in December 2018.
M4!!!! (2018 – )
In 2018, and stemming from RADIO M4!!!!, M4!!!! made their debut as a group under Marine Entertainment.
M4!!!! consist on Daiki Hamano, Kouhei Amasaki, Takuma Nagatsuka and Taichi Ichikawa and, since their debut, their sound and image has changed quite a bit.
Daiki Hamano does a little bit of everything in this group but his fast, fancy rapping skills have been an asset for M4!!!! since the beginning.
The group used to have a generic pop-rock sound but slowly has been evolving towards a more mature sound and vibe.
They made their debut in 2018 with the single, ONLY LOVE / 4 Me!!!!.
This single was marked by its fast tempo – with the usage of breakbeats and drum and bass being king.
Soon after, in 2019, the group released a follow up to it, the mini-album, Gravity.
This release was marked with a change of sound for the group, with electronica taking the spotlight, leading to a high tension release made for the dancefloor.
A couple of months later, in 2020, M4!!!! released their 2nd single, Dear my friend / My Sweet Shine.
Their sound changed yet again, going the dramatic route with some Latin influences creating a danceable, ear-catching, and refreshing sound for the group.
This sound winked at the group’s previous experiences with pop, rock, and electronica and toned it down while keeping it classy.
A couple of months later, in April 2020, the group released the single, Advance. This release marked the return of the group to high tension electronica however being bigger and bolder than their debut release.
There were noticeable improvements on the vocal end, with the group sounding more concise and, individual, many of the members going for an upgrade on their consistency and technique – mainly when it came to flourishes such as falsetto and vibrato.
It is a well-conceived single, filled with its emotional and funky moments plus a whole lot of vocal highlights.
Bremüsik (2019 -)
In 2019, Kouhei Amasaki joined the cast of Otogi no Uta: Chronicle, an original 2D music + drama CD project created by San-X in collaboration with Nippon Columbia (in charge of the music distribution).
At the core of this project are fairy tales and Japanese folklore stories with a different twist.
All bands explore a different story however to achieve their happy end, they have to battle with other bands (or team up with others).
The project counts with 7 bands/solo artists in its roster: Momotroop, BLASSKAIZ, Mushoku no Sora to Warau Ito, Bremüsik, Alice×Toxic, Setsudan Club, and Issun-Boushi.
He joined Bremüsik as its vocal. The group includes as well Jun Kasama, Sho Nogami, Hiroshi Watanabe, however, they do not sing.
Bremüsik is in charge of creating folk music, having released 5 songs and participated in a shuffle unit song.
ALKALOID (2019 -)
In 2019, Kouhei Amasaki joined the cast of Ensemble Stars!!. He joined ALKALOID, one of the most popular groups within the franchise.
ALKALOID consists of Gakuto Kajiwara, Kouhei Amasaki, Chiharu Shigematsu and Masatomo Nakazawa.
Since their debut, ALKALOID has released 3 CDs:
- Ensemble Stars!! Unit song CD ALKALOID (2020)
- Ensemble Stars!! ES Idol Song season1 ALKALOID (2021)
- ALKALOID ✕ Valkyrie “Artistic Partisan” Ensemble Stars!! FUSION UNIT SERIES 03 (2021)
In 2021, ALKALOID teamed up with Crazy:B to hold their first live show Ensemble Stars! !! Unit song CD ALKALOID & Crazy: B release live ~ Kiss of Party ~.
Fabulous Night (2020 -)
Still in 2020, Rejet – in collaboration with Marvelous – launched Fabulous Night, the host club-meets-Eurobeat music + drama project.
The franchise is hosted by Kenjiro Tsuda, that plays the role of the DJ (he does not sing in this franchise), and features 5 host clubs: Chronostasis, Twilight, Vendetta, Himmel, and Neo Basara.
All follow a different theme and have a completely different vibe to their visuals and music.
Amasaki was cast as Himmel‘s INORIN.
Himmel‘s lineup includes Yuya Hirose, Yoshiki Nakajima, and Kouhei Amasaki.
The group’s first CD release is titled “Host-Song Reservation -Khaki- Himmel” and is set to be released in September 2021.
The CD includes the club’s theme song performed by Himmel’s members, a solo track by Kuon Kamizuku (CV: Yuya Hirose), and drama tracks that delve into the club’s happening and the relationships between the members.
Getsumeiseiki (2021 -)
In 2021, Kouhei Amasaki joined the cast of Dragon’s Bite, a unique 2D project that mixes seiyuu × cooking × music × Romance of the Three Kingdoms, all in the same place.
The story is set at Ryugu, a public casino facility built in Japan in the near future.
Cooking battles among three-member teams have taken place at an illegal casino set up deep beneath the facility. The battles are fought by the descendants of the heroes of the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” Their battle will change the fate of the world!
Amasaki is part of the cast in Getsumeiseiki alongside fellow seiyuu Yuichi Jose and Takuma Nagatsuka.
TapeTum (2021 -)
In 2021, Kouhei Amasaki joined the cast of Live us franchise.
Live us is an original project mixed-media project following a dramatic story that will be fleshed out through voice dramas + music releases.
Amasaki joined the EDM duo, TapeTum, sharing vocal duties with Yuki Inoue. In 2022, the duo released their debut single ライブ・ア・ライフ！(Live a life!).
SCREEN10 (2022 -)
In 2022, Kouhei Amasaki joined the lineup of the special unit SCREEN10.
SCREEN10 features the singing skills of Kouhei Amasaki, Tasuku Kaito, Soma Saito, Daiki Yamashita, Toshiki Masuda, Junichi Suwabe, Showtaro Morikubo, Yuki Kaji, Chiharu Shigematsu, and Masami Ito.
The unit was formed to perform the theme song for the anime movie “Ensemble Stars!! -Road to Show!!-“.
SCREEN10 performed “Life is so Dramatic!!“.
Photobooks
In 2019, Kouhei Amasaki published his first photobook 天﨑滉平 in 台湾 photograph journey (Amasaki Kouhei in Taiwan photograph journey).
For this photobook, Amasaki visited Taiwan.
Variety
Quick-witted, unintentionally funny, and a good listener, Kouhei Amasaki has quickly shown that he’s genuinely good in variety shows regardless of whether he is hosting or participating in those.
Some of the variety shows he’s appeared in or hosted include (list not exhaustive):
Talking Stand MORINOTH (2017 -)
In 2017, Kouhei Amasaki joined Showtaro Morikubo’s talk-variety show Talking Stand MORINOTH. This was a dream come true for him as he’s a big fan of Morikubo.
In the show’s concept, “Talking Stand MORINOTH” is a hidden bar in the back alleys of Minato Ward in Tokyo.
Master Showtaro Morikubo and part-time bartender Kohei Amasaki are running the store under the concept of “Adult nights are so interesting.”
For this show, Showtaro Morikubo invites a guest over to candidly talk about their careers, hobbies, and what they are “crazy” about at the moment, while Amasaki works as a bartender/interviewer.
This dynamic is quite interesting, with Amasaki learning a lot about hosting and presenting from Morikubo’s work.
Since 2020, the show is broadcast live on Periscope and YouTube.
Steal Treasure Run!! (2019)
Marine Entertainment’s treasure hunt variety returned in 2019 under a new format, with a different lineup and dynamic.
Kouhei Amasaki participated in Steal Treasure Run!! along fellow Marine Supernova members: Shoya Chiba, Taichi Ichikawa, Takeru Kikuchi, Tatsuya Tokutake, Takuma Nagatsuka, Sho Nogami, Daiki Hamano, and Taku Yashiro.
Hypnosis Mic -Division Variety Battle @ ABEMA (2020)
In 2020, Kouhei Amasaki participated in Hypnosis Mic -Division Variety Battle @ ABEMA (ヒプノシスマイク ～Division Variety Battle＠ABEMA～) alongside fellow Buster Bros!!! members Subaru Kimura and Haruki Ishiya.
The variety show included impromptu rap battles (against Dotsuitare Hompo’s members), an information corner – on the latest Hypnosis Mic news -, and a Super Difficult Love Trial! Division Pressure Q, a variety challenge in which both crews in attendance on a given episode had to face each other in a difficult quiz.
Hypnosis Mic Division Study Guide (2021)
In July 2021, Amasaki participated alongside Buster Bros!!!’s Subaru Kimura and Haruki Ishiya in the AbemaTV exclusive show Hypnosis Mic Division Study Guide.
The show is all about making it simple for newcomers to get into Hypnosis Mic by explaining a bit of each character’s background and intentions, the group’s dynamics as well as talking about the music (with some games in the mix).
Seiyuu Undokai (2021)
In 2021, Kouhei Amasaki joined the cast of the sports variety show Seiyuu Undokai.
Seiyuu Undokai is an athletic meeting TV variety show where rookie, up-and-coming and popular seiyuu aim to become the “Number 1 athlete” among seiyuu.
The cast is split into 2 teams: red and blue. The teams were the following.
RED team
- Kouhei Amasaki,
- Tatsumaru Tachibana,
- Masahiro Ito,
- Naoyuki Shimoduru
BLUE team
- Yuya Hirose,
- Gakuto Kajiwara,
- Seiji Maeda,
- Noda Tetsuro
Facts
All-around sports guy
In an interview for the February 2019 issue of PASH! (anime and games magazine), Kouhei Amasaki said that during his school life, he was always active in all kinds of sports.
He started swimming at the age of two and later on, during elementary and middle school, he was a member of the swimming club.
He also enjoyed playing golf and joined the kendo club in high school. According to himself, he was an all-around sports guy.
Used to be a model student but…
In 2018, on episode #3 of GYAO’s Korekara Seiyuu Update Variety “Kore up” (これから声優アップデートバラエティ『これアプ』＃3), Kouhei Amasaki shared that he was a model student, serving as vice president of the student council.
He added that he was always one of the top students in his grade, ending up being called by his classmates as a “prodigy”.
However, he was determined to take the entrance exam for a specific high school but due to how difficult it had been to pass that exam, he burned out.
He did achieve his goal but after passing the entrance exam and enrolling in the school of his choice, he lost his motivation and love to study and stopped being that “prodigy” he was called when he was in elementary and middle school.
“Anime saved me”
Amasaki didn’t have the smoothest high school experience – especially after falling out of love with studying – and he found in anime a new love.
He fell in love with The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, to the point that he read the manga, novels and watched the anime. He read the novels so many times that he memorized them down to the smallest detail.
That anime would set him on a journey to become a voice actor (alongside the influence he got from Haruko Momoi’s radio show).
In 2020, for a special feature created by Seiyuu Grandprix (Seigura) on its official website, Amasaki said “I want to save someone’s heart through my job as an anime voice actor.“
Seiyuu inspirations
Kouhei Amasaki has mentioned a couple of times that he admires Showtaro Morikubo and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka.
He’s actually gotten plenty of opportunities to work alongside Morikubo such as in Talking Stand MORINOTH (2017 -).
Loves photography
It is well known among Kouhei Amasaki’s fans that he is passionate about photography.
In his serialization columns for seiyuu magazines, he shares some of the photos he takes. Every time he’s got the opportunity to showcase his love for photography, Amasaki does so.
With this, THTFHQ wraps up another Seiyuu Digest. In the meantime, don’t forget to check past Seiyuu Digests (some of those recently updated) – HERE.
