🎙️ Voice Actor Casting Guide – Ayato Sasaki (Shinigami)

Codename: Shinigami Apparent Age: Late 20s Origin: Native Japanese speaker; fluent in English, currently living in America Accent: Subtle Japanese-English accent—natural, not stylized or exaggerated Voice Depth: Medium—smooth, clear, composed Tone: Calm, deliberate, emotionally restrained but deeply sincere Speech Style: Formal with softened edges over time; speaks with intention, never wasteful

Ayato is a reaper and disciplined soul-guide. Japanese by birth and raised with a profound sense of duty due to his family’s wealth and expectations which eventually lead to his subsequent suicide and reaper status. He now resides in America, speaking fluent English with a light but noticeable accent. Ayato is reserved, precise, and quietly powerful—haunted by past mistakes and determined to do right by the dead he now shepherds. He rarely raises his voice, but when he does, it’s with devastating impact.

He speaks like a man constantly restraining the tide—of grief, guilt, and longing.

• Subtle Japanese-English Accent: Should sound like someone who has spoken English for years with fluency, but still retains clear markers of native Japanese pronunciation. Refined, gentle—not cartoonish or heavily stylized.

• Disciplined and Elegant: Ayato speaks formally, almost like a monk or samurai (not to be stereotypical) —but softens over time. His words are chosen carefully, and there's always purpose in them.

• Emotion Under Control: His vocal tone must carry weight without theatrics. Even when afraid, angry, or aching, he holds it back until he can’t—and then it shatters beautifully.

• Protective and Kind: When he speaks to Julia or the dead, there's an undercurrent of deep understanding. His voice becomes a safe place.

• Ken Watanabe – reserved, deep, powerful when necessary

• Hiroyuki Sanada (English-speaking roles) – measured, respectful, and always composed

• Masashi Odate (The Outsider) – subtle accent, emotionally layered

• Sesshomaru (Inuyasha, Japanese tone in English context) – for Ayato’s sense of controlled nobility

1. (To attacking spirits) Find rest–and be at peace.

2. (To Bluebird, a handler assigning him to take care of a ghoul -Ian) Reapers deal with souls, not things lacking them

3. (To Bluebird, trying to get his point across in a way that will be respected - it won’t) For the future, The Gates of Passing are not to be abused by the ACPI to jump from one location to the next. It takes a toil, even on me. 

Japanese: 「恐れることはありません。私はあなたを黄泉へ導きます。」 Osoreru koto wa arimasen. Watashi wa anata o Yomi e michibikimasu.

English (soft): “Do not be afraid. I will guide you to the land of the dead.”

Japanese: 「安らかに眠れ。私の手で、あなたは無事に渡れる。」 Yasuraka ni nemure. Watashi no te de, anata wa buji ni watare ru.

English (low, reverent): “Rest now. My hands will carry you safely.”

Japanese: 「彼女に触れたら、命は保証しない。」 Kanojo ni furetara, inochi wa hoshō shinai.

English (steely calm): “If you touch her, I will not guarantee your survival.”