As Japanese anime and manga continue their global domination, the world is getting increasingly familiar with the incredible talent of voice actors. And when a powerhouse seiyuu voices a ton of iconic characters, fans just can't resist cooking up some hilarious "seiyuu gags."
Recently, a Japanese X (formerly Twitter) user made a hilarious discovery: a promotional poster for an "Neon Genesis Evangelion" pachinko machine features a composition almost identical to a poster for Akaza from "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle Arc" (specifically, its "Akaza's Reassault" chapter). The only difference? Akaza's been swapped out for Kaworu Nagisa.
This side-by-side comparison was shared by the user with the caption: "This probably happened because they're both voiced by Akira Ishida... lol"
The seiyuu gag post instantly blew up online, with netizens jokingly declaring it's now Akira Ishida's signature pose for all his characters!
Of course, the now 57-year-old Akira Ishida is an absolute top-tier voice actor. Beyond Kaworu and Akaza, his iconic roles include Wizardmon from "Digimon Adventure," Athrun Zala from "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED," Gaara from "Naruto," and Kotaro Katsura from "Gintama." With over three decades in the business, his list of representative works is practically endless.
After the post went viral on X, many netizens chimed in, suggesting even more characters who could rock this poster pose, playfully demanding they not be left out. It quickly turned into a hilarious seiyuu gag fest!
It just goes to show that seiyuu gags are a universal joy for anime fans worldwide. Who knows, maybe one day we'll actually see Kotaro Katsura striking this exact pose on a "Gintama" pachinko machine poster!