May 22nd is the birthday of celebrated voice actor Eguchi Takuya, who debuted professionally in 2008 and rapidly built a sterling reputation, winning the Best New Male Actor award at the 6th Seiyu Awards and going on to claim both the Best Lead Male Actor award and the fan-voted MVS (Most Valuable Seiyu) award at the 17th ceremony.

In 2025–2026, Eguchi continues to deliver performance after performance across titles including Gnosia, Akanbe Banashi, Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!, and Kumajiro! Chikyuu wo Sukue! ~Xiong Chu Mo~. As an artist, he also released his third mini-album titled “EGU DOUCHU” on March 25th, and performed live at Kiramune Music Festival 2026 on May 9–10.

In celebration of his birthday, Anime!Anime! held a fan poll asking: “Which character voiced by Eguchi Takuya do you like best?” — open for responses from May 10–17, 2026. A total of 111 fans responded, with approximately 85% female and 15% male. The largest age group was teenagers (under 19, approximately 55%), followed by those in their 20s and above (approximately 20%).

Rank 1 — Loid Forger from SPY×FAMILY

Taking first place with approximately 38% of the vote — and holding the champion spot for a remarkable four consecutive years — is Loid Forger, the elite spy who operates under the code name “Twilight.” He must build a fake family with Yor and Anya to carry out his mission.

Fans commented: “In everyday life he plays a psychiatrist, but his true self is a WISE spy — the contrast between his cool, detached demeanor on the job and his warm expressions at home is incredibly charming,” and “The role-swapping between the icy spy and the tender father figure is brilliantly executed, and the gap between his inner voice and the words he speaks out loud is incredibly compelling.”

In Season 3, which began airing in October 2025, Loid’s past is revealed — one fan noted: “The scene where he encounters a friend he believed had died in the war made me cry along with it. Eguchi’s performance carries a genuine emotional intensity.”

Rank 2 — Mutsumi Nagi from IDOLiSH7 (Idolish Seven)

Earning approximately 14% of the vote and climbing from third place the previous year to second, Nagi is a member of the idol group IDOLiSH7. He is passionate and enthusiastic about anime and games, yet simultaneously harbors a secret identity as a foreign prince.

Fans praised him: “Normally he’s a bright, cheerful idol, but when he has to act as a prince, his nobility and beauty shine through — the vocal and atmospheric shift to convey that contrast is fascinating,” and “Even though he has a dedicated character voice stemming from a Scandinavian accent, the emotion still reaches the audience clearly. Nagi’s lines expressing his care for the members and fans are deeply moving.”

Concert attendees also added: “It was wonderful to see Eguchi take to the stage with yellow accessories just like Nagi — both his singing and his live stage presence were deeply impressive.”

Rank 3 — Four Characters Tied

• Souei from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (転生したらスライムだった件) — the loyal and vigilant shadow-wielder who faithfully serves Rimuru. Despite his seemingly cold, stoic exterior, fans adore how he secretly flees every time he has to taste-test food, and secretly crafts off-screen spinoff content for Tensura Nikki.
• Surugo from Aware! Meisaku-kun (あはれ!名作くん) — a character inspired by the fairy tale “The Grateful Crane,” wearing a crane student’s uniform and overflowing with an earnest, diligent energy that sometimes crosses into absurdity. A new season of the anime has been confirmed to air in 2026.
• Hikigaya Hachiman from My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (やはり俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている。) — a cynical, loner high-school student with a dark worldview, assigned to a service club to help solve other people’s problems. Fans love his monologues and rapid-fire delivery, as well as his long-running vocal work across drama CDs, anime, and games.
• Julius Eucleus from Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World — the knight of the royal guard, gallant and high-minded. One fan recalled: “I first got to know Eguchi through this character, and even now in Season 4 his low, resonant voice remains riveting.” The latest season also featured an arc focused entirely on Julius.

Additional Fan Comments

Beyond the top-ranked characters, fans also praised many others — including Reon Kashiya from DYNAMIC CHORD, described as “even if he only thinks of himself and acts selfishly, he cares for and worries about his bandmates in every way — endearingly captivating,” and Yukimiya Kenyu from Blue Lock, called “lower-pitched than expected, but conveying refined elegance alongside a cool, mature charm.”

Dot Barrett from Mashle: Magic and Muscles also received compliments: “I thought at first he’d be a comedic character funnier than himself, but seeing how he protects those precious to him with everything he has — even bringing over cakes when visiting others’ homes — you realize he’s a genuinely good person.”

The Sick Young Man from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, though a nameless character, drew votes — fans wrote: “The understated performance, with such delicate breathing sounds and a truly pained voice, let you feel the character’s suffering so viscerally.”

Top 10 Poll Results

• Rank 1 — Loid Forger (SPY×FAMILY)
• Rank 2 — Mutsumi Nagi (IDOLiSH7)
• Rank 3 — Souei (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
• Rank 3 — Surugo (Aware! Meisaku-kun)
• Rank 3 — Hikigaya Hachiman (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU)
• Rank 3 — Julius Eucleus (Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World)
• Rank 7 — Amemiya Taiyou (Inazuma Eleven GO)
• Rank 7 — Otogiri Sou (Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!)
• Rank 7 — Kaji Akihiko (Given)
• Rank 7 — Zamey (Gnosia)
• Rank 7 — Dot Barrett (Mashle: Magic and Muscles)
• Rank 7 — Hibiki Wataru (Ensemble Stars!)
• Rank 7 — Yukimiya Kenyu (Blue Lock)

This year’s poll results show that fans love multi-dimensional characters who can switch between personas in fascinating ways — spanning action, idol, comedy, and fantasy genres. It is clear proof of Eguchi Takuya’s exceptional versatility as a voice actor.

(Poll period: May 10–17, 2026; 111 respondents)

---

Source: aniani