Aya Hirano

is a Japanese seiyū, musical theater actress, and singer. Beginning in the entertainment industry as a child actor performing in television commercials, she played her first voice acting role in 2001 in the anime television series Angel Tales. She released her first single "Breakthrough" in 2006, and she released her first album Riot Girl in 2008. She was formerly contracted to Space Craft Produce, a branch of the Space Craft Group, before moving to the talent agency Grick in August 2011. She left Grick and went freelance on September 1, 2022. Her label was Lantis until 2011, when she moved to Universal Sigma.

She won the Voice Acting Award at the 2007 Tokyo Anime Awards for her breakthrough role as Haruhi Suzumiya, the Best Newcomer Award at the 1st Seiyu Awards in 2007, and won the Best Lead Actress award at the 2nd Seiyu Awards in 2008. Hirano also pioneered the "idol voice actor" crossover that became popular beginning in the late 2000s.

Starting around 2010 she focused her career away from voice acting and more on TV variety shows and musical theater. In 2012, she began part of a long run (around 6 years) in a musical version of the play Love Letters and played Eponine in a 3 year run of the musical Les Miserables.

On September 9, 2019, she was announced as the "Cool Japan" ambassador by the Japanese government. "Cool Japan" is a government program that promotes modern Japanese culture such as anime and manga abroad.

On August 31, 2022, she announced on her official Twitter she was leaving the agency Grick and going freelance. She also put a notice on her official website which was awaiting a revamp for the transition.

In 2015, she appeared as part of the main cast (as "The Lady of the Lake") in the Japanese version of Monty Python's SPAMALOT featuring Spam® stage musical. In 2016 she announced in Spring, she was planning to study abroad in New York for several months, which appeared to be part of her new focus on musical theater as she would start the program after her role in another musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. In 2017, it was announced she would be playing an alternating lead for the musical Lady Bess, sharing the role with Mari Hanafusa (known for starring in the Takarazuka Revue).

From 2018 onward, she has continued to appear in well-known musicals such as Broadway and Bullet (『ブロードウェイと銃弾』, 2018), Mozart! (『モーツァルト！, 2018), Rebecca (『レベッカ』, 2019), Rockabilly Jack (『ロカビリー☆ジャック』, 2019), Sunset Boulevard (『サンセット大通り』, 2020), Gang Showman (2020), Broadway and Bullet (2021 new run), Anything Goes (2021), and Verakikka (2022).

In April 2022, she performed as part of Friends of Disney Concert 2022.

Prominent roles

 * Angel Tales (2001): Saru no Momo (Debut)
 * Haruhi Suzumiya series: Haruhi Suzumiya
 * Death Note (2006): Misa Amane
 * Lucky Star (2007): Konata Izumi
 * Jewelpet (2009+): Garnet
 * Fairy Tail (2009+): Lucy Heartfilia
 * Parasyte -the maxim- (2014): Migi