In celebration of acclaimed voice actor Nobuhiko Okamoto's birthday, Japanese pop-culture outlet Anime! Anime! conducted a comprehensive reader survey asking fans to vote for their absolute favorite character voiced by the award-winning talent. Gathering 450 responses between October 7 and October 14, the poll highlighted the incredible range that has defined Okamoto's career since his debut in the 2000s.
Claiming the coveted first place with approximately 30 percent of the total vote is Katsuki Bakugo from My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia). Fans continually praised Okamoto's ability to balance bombastic, explosive battle cries with profound emotional vulnerability as the character matures. Securing second place is Karma Akabane from Assassination Classroom (Ansatsu Kyoushitsu), climbing the ranks following the release of recent cinematic projects. Meanwhile, the gentle hero Himmel from Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Sousou no Frieren) rounded out the top three with his enduring warmth and touching retrospective impact.
The survey results heavily favored characters from prominent ongoing franchises and 2026 broadcast hits, demonstrating Okamoto's enduring popularity across various genres—from high-octane shonen action to subtle, dramatic character studies. Other fan favorites appearing in the top ten included Yu Nishinoya from Haikyu!!, Floyd Leech from Disney Twisted-Wonderland, and Accelerator from A Certain Magical Index (Toaru Majutsu no Index), showcasing the remarkable versatility of a voice actor who continues to shape modern anime voice acting.
