Haru Yosano is a Japanese voice actor whose work spans global brands such as LVMH and Amazon, as well as gaming titles like Mythic Heroes and Fortnite. She also works as a voice director and casting director, bringing cultural depth and nuance to every project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Q1. Congratulations on your achievements in the NY Digital! Could you start by introducing yourself or your agency? Can you also share a bit about your journey into your current industry?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hello, my name is Haru Yosano, and I\u2019m a Japanese voice actor. I\u2019m truly honored to have received the very first Best Voice-Over Talent award at the NY Digital Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2023, I became the first Japanese talent to win in three categories at an international award program. In 2024, I was nominated in every category I applied for. I was also selected as the first Asian Gold Winner at the Vega Digital Awards. I\u2019m incredibly grateful that my work has been recognized on a global stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My current work focuses on voiceovers for global brands such as LVMH, Amazon, IBM, Salesforce, and SONY. I\u2019ve contributed to projects ranging from brand films and commercials to corporate videos, e-learning content, and podcasts. Among these, catchy and conversational commercials are one of my strongest areas, and I\u2019ve built a solid track record in that space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the gaming world, I\u2019ve worked with clients from North America, Europe, and Chinese-speaking regions. Some of my roles include Camazotz in Mythic Heroes and Xero in Fortnite: The Pit of Legends. I\u2019m often cast as characters with a Japanese background or a mysterious aura. Breathing life into these characters\u2014imagining their stories and emotions\u2014is always a deeply rewarding challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I also work as a voice director, paying close attention to cultural context and expressive nuance. Together with my clients, I strive to craft performances that truly resonate. Additionally, I serve on the board and as a casting director for Free Narrators Union, a collective of over 100 narrators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My professional journey in voiceover began in 2020. Before that, I earned a master\u2019s degree in Japanese cultural history from a university in Kyoto and worked in inbound tourism, creating content for cultural attractions and engaging with international travelers and entertainment professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In April 2020, when the global lockdown halted the tourism industry, my work disappeared overnight. I asked myself, \u201cHow do I want to live from here on out?\u201d The answer came from a memory\u2014words my high school English teacher wrote on a birthday message board when I turned 17:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe you\u2019ll become a voice actor and travel the world with your voice.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That message had quietly stayed with me all along, like a signpost. From the start, I aimed to become a voice actor who could work globally. Unlike most in Japan, I began my career independently, without agency representation. Discovering Netflix\u2019s global home recording guidelines allowed me to build a studio environment at home that met international production standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of that foundation, my career has never been confined to the label of voice actor. Through voiceover, I aim to explore new forms of communication that transcend borders and industries. To deliver stories to the world through the power of voice – that\u2019s the mission I live by today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Q2. What inspired you to submit your work for this competition, and what does winning mean to you personally and professionally?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier this year, I found myself thinking, \u201cI want to take on a new international award\u2014one that might connect me to countries and fields I\u2019ve yet to encounter.\u201d<\/em> That\u2019s when I discovered the NY Digital Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The past winners had created truly inspiring work. What caught my attention most were the collaborations with top artists like Takashi Murakami\u2014projects that were widely celebrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s when I thought, \u201cMaybe here, voice acting performance can be recognized as a form of digital art.\u201d<\/em> That was the moment I decided to apply. This award still feels fresh and bold\u2014full of challenging, innovative perspectives. I resonated deeply with that vision. Just knowing that my work would be seen by judges who are at the forefront of their fields, in a sophisticated city like New York, was already a huge motivation for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Receiving this award feels like a recognition that voice\u2014like graphics or visuals\u2014can be part of the digital future as an artistic expression. That\u2019s incredibly meaningful, both personally and professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s proof that Japanese-language voices, and the cultural stories they carry, can reach the global stage. This recognition has given me great confidence as I move forward in my career, and I sincerely hope it can also serve as a source of inspiration for other voice actors and creators aiming to work internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Q3. Can you share the story behind your success? What inspired its creation, and what do you feel it represents in today\u2019s industry?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The concept behind this work was inspired by the fukiya<\/em>\u2014a traditional Japanese blowgun often associated with ninjas in folklore and popular culture. Our goal was to translate the aesthetics of silence and the spiritual depth rooted in Japanese culture into a modern visual expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working alongside traditional artisans, we integrated craftsmanship from woodworking, lacquer, gold leaf, and metalwork into the visual elements. From there, I constructed the vocal performance to harmonize with that atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this piece, I didn\u2019t approach the voice acting as \u201cnarration\u201d or \u201cexplanation.\u201d Instead, I positioned the voice as something that gently accompanies the stillness within the visuals. Through breath, pauses, and subtle inflections, I aimed to evoke the spirit of wabi-sabi<\/em>, Zen, and traditional Japanese martial arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When voice and visuals merge, the voice can weave an invisible emotional layer that transcends what the eye can see. That was the form of expression I sought to create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At a time when AI-generated voices and synthetic audio are rapidly advancing, I feel that vocal expression rooted in cultural context has become more vital than ever. This project aimed to show that a voice doesn\u2019t just supplement visual expression\u2014it can transform the very texture of the atmosphere itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In that sense, I believe this award acknowledges the broader potential of voice acting as a profession on the global stage. For that, I feel deeply honored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Q4. What do you believe set your project apart in such a competitive field? Were there specific elements or strategies that made it shine?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n I believe one essential approach was intertwining the voice with the atmosphere that quietly exists behind the visuals. Rather than functioning as an explanation or emotional guide, the voice served as a design element\u2014one that created a space filled with breath, quietude, and restraint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By intentionally avoiding over-explanation and allowing pauses and silence to remain, I created room for the visuals and voice to engage in a kind of dialogue. Another distinct feature was the fusion of tradition and digital expression by collaborating with Kyoto artisans to craft an actual blowgun (fukiya<\/em>) using traditional techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The texture of real hand craftsmanship captured in live-action, juxtaposed with the serene world of 3DCG, embodied the aesthetic of \u201ctradition meets innovation\u201d and reflected Japanese sensibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this project, voice, visuals, craft, and concept aligned under a single unifying philosophy. Together, they created one shared atmosphere. I believe that is what allowed the piece to transcend the conventional framework of \u201cvideo + voice acting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Q5. Every project has its challenges. Can you share a significant obstacle you faced during this process and how you overcame it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This project was an ambitious endeavor, carried out in collaboration with traditional Japanese artisans. We asked master craftsmen\u2014specialists in gold leaf, metalwork, woodworking, and lacquer\u2014to recreate a fictional ninja blowgun, originally designed in 3D, using their real-world traditional techniques. To be honest, it was a rather outrageous request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The very structure of the project, in which artisans from completely different disciplines came together to bring a single imaginary object to life through a division of labor, felt like a kind of modern ninjutsu<\/em> (ninja skill).<\/p>\n\n\n\n We visited each artisan\u2019s atelier many times, showing them physical prototypes and engaging in in-depth conversations. Through these exchanges, we gradually built a foundation of trust. I believe that very process is already reflected in the final work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then came the reverse transformation: once the handcrafted object was completed, it was returned to the digital realm and reconstructed as a spatial experience. It became a double-layered act of connecting tradition and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a voice actor, my greatest challenge was to capture that entire context\u2014the refined spirituality, the quietude of Zen, the beauty of y?gen<\/em>, and the sensibility of wabi-sabi<\/em>\u2014and embody them in my voice. The voice could not overpower the visuals, yet it could not be overshadowed either. I had to find a delicate balance\u2014one that gently supported the story while holding a quiet strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This project was more than just a voiceover. It was an experience of deeply engaging with cultural traditions and learning how to translate them into a digital space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Winning Entry <\/p>\n\n\n\nNinja’s Fukiya<\/a> ‘Shadow’<\/h6>\n\n\n\n