Popular Voice Actor Junya Enoki Leaves Atomic Monkey for New Agency Athleben

On July 1st, popular voice actor Junya Enoki announced on his official X (formerly Twitter) account that he has departed from Atomic Monkey, the voice acting agency he had been with for many years, and has joined the newly established agency "Athleben."

Enoki is a popular voice actor known for roles such as Yuji Itadori in the anime "Jujutsu Kaisen." Similarly, it has been revealed that voice actors Ruriko Aoki and Kotomi Aihara have also left Atomic Monkey and transferred to Athleben. These three individuals are particularly beloved by many fans for their work in "The Idolmaster" series.

The new agency, Athleben, is a newly established entertainment agency founded in 2024, and it has garnered attention on social media with comments like "It's clearly stated as a newly established agency." Regarding these transfers, many fans and industry insiders have speculated, "Does this mean it's like a spin-off, since the president was the representative director of Atomic Monkey?" "Could it be like a brand split from Atomic Monkey?" "Is it a new agency founded by a former director of Atomic Monkey?" It has been suggested that the representative of Athleben might be Ryuichi Tanaka Lopez, the former representative director of Atomic Monkey.

This move, with multiple key voice actors simultaneously transferring from Atomic Monkey, has caused considerable ripple effects in the voice acting industry, leading to comments like "Too many departures from Atomic Monkey" and "Everyone synonymous with Atomic Monkey has moved." Alongside expressions of surprise, fans have sent warm messages of support, such as "We're glad you're still voice actors!" and "We'll continue to support you!"

This major transfer of popular voice actors and the establishment of a new agency have the potential to influence the future landscape of the voice acting industry, and their developments will be closely watched.

The Context

In Japan, "seiyuu" (声優) refers to professional voice actors who lend their voices to characters in anime, video games, foreign film dubs, narration, and sometimes even music. They are often managed by specialized talent agencies. Atomic Monkey is one such prominent agency known for representing a significant number of voice actors. The mass departure of several well-known voice actors from a long-established agency to a newly formed one is a notable event in the Japanese entertainment industry, particularly in the voice acting sphere, as it can indicate shifts in industry dynamics or internal changes within agencies. The speculation about Athleben being a "spin-off" or "noren-wake" (暖簾分け - literally "dividing the shop curtain," a traditional Japanese business practice where an apprentice is allowed to open a new branch under the original brand's name, or a new business with the original's blessing, often by a former senior member) suggests a potentially amicable or strategic separation, rather than a contentious mass exodus. Such moves can redistribute talent and influence within the highly competitive voice acting world.