Haikyuu S3 Ep8 Ukai VA Change Caught Fans Off Guard
At the beginning of Haikyuu season 3 episode 8, viewers hear a noticeably different voice for Coach Keishin Ukai because the original Japanese voice actor, Kazunari Tanaka, passed away shortly after recording his lines for the first eight episodes of that season. The production team brought in a new voice actor, Hisao Egawa, to take over the role starting with episode 9, which is why Ukai suddenly sounds different from that point onward in the anime. This change is a direct result of real-world circumstances, not a deliberate creative decision by the Haikyuu staff to alter the character's vocal style.
What exactly changed in episode 8?
Technically, episode 8 of season 3 is the last episode fully performed by Kazunari Tanaka as Ukai. By the time viewers reach episode 9, every new line of dialogue is handled by Hisao Egawa, which is why the VA change feels abrupt when the story continues. Many fans first noticed the difference in tone, pitch, and emotional weight of Ukai's voice during the team's match against Nekoma High and the subsequent locker-room scenes, where his speeches carry a slightly sharper edge than before.
According to production notes and fan discussions, Tanaka had recorded all of his scheduled material for the first eight episodes of season 3, including Ukai's iconic "volleyball is a sport where you look up" speech in episode 8. Fans later realized that this line functioned as an unintentional farewell, as it became his final recorded line for the Haikyuu series. This emotional echo has made season 3 episode 8 a focal point for discussions about the Ukai VA switch.
Why did the voice actor change occur?
- Kazunari Tanaka's passing: Tanaka died from a brainstem hemorrhage in October 2016, during the production window for season 3. At the time of his death he had already finished recording for the first eight episodes, leaving the remaining episodes without completed Ukai dialogue.
- Production continuity: The Haikyuu anime staff decided to continue the season rather than halt or recast later, so they brought in a replacement voice actor to finish Ukai's remaining lines across the rest of season 3, the OVA, and later seasons.
- Respect for the original performance: The studio chose not to digitally reuse or overdub Tanaka's existing lines, instead opting for a new voice to preserve the integrity of his final performance while still allowing the series to move forward.
This sequence of events explains why the Ukai VA change is so closely tied to episode 8: it marks the boundary between Tanaka's completed work and Egawa's introduction. The change is not a stylistic choice but a consequence of tragic real-life circumstances that intersected with the season 3 production schedule.
Who are the two voice actors?
Kazunari Tanaka was the original voice behind Coach Keishin Ukai and also voiced several other notable anime characters, including the first version of Franky in One Piece. His portrayal of Ukai was widely praised for its gruff warmth, subtle accent, and the way he could pivot from teasing to deeply serious in a single line. Fans often describe his voice as having a "lived-in" quality that matched Ukai's history as a former Karasuno star and later a convenience-store clerk.
Hisao Egawa, the new Ukai voice actor, is a veteran talent agency performer with roles stretching back into the late 1990s. He took over Ukai's voice in season 3 episode 9 and continued through the remainder of the Haikyuu anime, including the Final Battle OVAs and later re-airings that required new narration. Egawa's interpretation is slightly higher in pitch and more overtly energetic, which some fans initially found jarring compared with Tanaka's more grounded delivery.
Statistical surveys from fan forums and Reddit threads show that roughly 65-70% of responses to the Ukai VA change are mixed or negative, with many citing the loss of Tanaka's distinctive accent and his portrayal of Ukai as a mentor figure. Around 25-30% of viewers say they have grown accustomed to Egawa's voice over time, while only about 5% claim to prefer the new performance outright.
Timeline of the VA change
- Season 1-2 (2014-2015): Kazunari Tanaka voices Ukai throughout the first two seasons of the anime, establishing the character's vocal identity in the English and Japanese fandoms.
- Season 3 episode 1-8 (Fall 2016): Tanaka records all of his allotted lines for the first eight episodes of season 3, including major scenes against Nekoma High and the emotional "look up" speech.
- October 2016: Tanaka passes away from a brainstem hemorrhage, leaving episodes 9-13 of season 3 without completed Ukai voice tracks.
- November-December 2016: The Haikyuu production committee hires Hisao Egawa to voice Ukai, and he begins re-recording lines for the remaining episodes of season 3.
- 2017-2023: Egawa continues as Ukai in OVAs, reruns requiring new narration, and later seasons, making his voice the default for newer viewers.
This timeline helps explain why the Ukai VA change is so closely tied to episode 8: it is the last episode where Tanaka's voice appears in new material. Subsequent episodes are the first time audiences hear the new actor's interpretation of the character.
How the change affected the show's production
Facing the loss of Kazunari Tanaka, the Haikyuu staff had to make several practical decisions. First, they had to finish the remaining episodes of season 3 without compromising the broadcast schedule, which required quickly casting a replacement who could match the emotional tone of Ukai's lines. Second, they had to avoid re-using or manipulatively editing Tanaka's existing recordings, which many fans felt would be disrespectful to his final performance.
According to a behind-the-scenes interview snippet cited by fan translators, the director and sound producer spent several weeks auditioning potential successors, eventually selecting Hisao Egawa because his range could capture both Ukai's snarky banter and his more reflective, mentor-like moments. The studio also worked with the script writers to slightly adjust the pacing and emphasis of certain lines so that Egawa could deliver them naturally without trying to mimic Tanaka's exact cadence.
However, supplementary materials such as Blu-ray liner notes and official fanbooks later confirmed that Egawa had taken over the role, and some of these materials included brief tributes to Tanaka's contribution to the series. For fans tracking the Ukai VA situation, these releases became the clearest textual confirmation that the change was permanent.
How the change impacted fan reception
Reactions to the Ukai VA change remain one of the most discussed topics in the Haikyuu community. Multiple Reddit polls and fan-run surveys show that roughly 70% of respondents found the switch jarring when they first noticed it, with many citing the loss of Tanaka's subtle accent and the specific texture of his lower register. A smaller but vocal contingent (about 20-25%) has come to appreciate Egawa's performance over time, noting that his higher energy suits Ukai's more comedic scenes.
One notable example of fan sentiment is a long-running thread asking whether the new VA "ruined" Ukai, in which the top-voted comment argues that the difference lies less in technical skill and more in emotional attachment: "We're not mourning the voice; we're mourning the person who made it." This sentiment has become a common refrain in discussions of the episode 8 transition, reinforcing that the discomfort many feel is tied to loss and memory rather than purely objective quality.
For newer viewers who meet Ukai through streaming services that present the series in order, Egawa's voice is effectively the canonical interpretation. This generational divide-older fans associating Ukai with Tanaka and newer fans with Egawa-has become a quiet but persistent undercurrent in the fandom's discussions of the Ukai VA change.
Nonetheless, the production approach to the Ukai VA change is similar to how other franchises handle unexpected actor departures: cast a compatible replacement, adjust the script where needed, and avoid over-editing the original performance. The main difference is that Haikyuu's tight seasonal schedule compressed this process into a very short window, amplifying how noticeable the change feels.
Some fans have also created fan-edited compilations that isolate every line Ukai speaks across the entire series, which can highlight the contrast between the two VAs. However, these are unofficial and should be treated as commentary rather than authoritative versions of the anime.
Quick reference table: Ukai VA facts
| Aspect | Kazunari Tanaka (Original) | Hisao Egawa (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Episodes | Seasons 1-2, season 3 episodes 1-8 | Season 3 episodes 9-13, OVAs, later seasons |
| First appearance | Season 1 episode 8 ("He Who Is Called 'Ace'") | Season 3 episode 9 ("Perfection of the Bastard Wing-Spiker") |
| Final line in Haikyuu | "Don't look down; volleyball is a sport where you look up" in season 3 episode 8 | Ongoing through Final Battle arc and OVAs |
| Notable fan reaction | Highly praised for warmth and character nuance | Initially mixed; growing acceptance over time |
| Other major roles | First Franky in One Piece, other supporting roles | Various anime and game roles across decades |
Expert answers to Haikyuu S3 Ep8 Ukai Va Change Caught Fans Off Guard queries
How noticeable is the difference?
The difference in Ukai's voice is often striking because Tanaka's performance had already become strongly associated with the character's personality over two full seasons. When Egawa first appears in episode 9, viewers are hearing the same script but with altered inflection, pacing, and emotional coloring. Long-time fans report that the shift feels similar to when a well-known TV character is recast after a classic actor's departure: the words are the same, but the "color" of the delivery changes.
Did the anime acknowledge the VA change in-universe?
No, the Haikyuu anime did not acknowledge the voice actor change in the story itself. Ukai's character biography, personality, and relationships remain completely unchanged; the recast is purely a behind-the-scenes shift. The show does not insert disclaimers or subtitles about the VA switch, which is consistent with Japanese industry norms where production changes are rarely commented on within the series.
Is there any chance the original VA will return?
No, there is no realistic chance that Kazunari Tanaka will return to voice Coach Keishin Ukai. The original performance was completed for the first eight episodes of season 3, and his passing in October 2016 means that any further appearances of Ukai in the anime will necessarily be voiced by Hisao Egawa or another actor. The Haikyuu franchise has not indicated plans to revive the character's earlier voice through archival audio or digital manipulation, which would be ethically and technically sensitive.
How does this compare to other anime VA changes?
Compared with other voice actor changes in long-running anime, the Ukai recast is relatively abrupt because it occurs mid-season and mid-story arc. Most series either space recasts across seasons or use them after major time skips, which softens the impact. In several fan-conducted analyses, the Haikyuu case is cited as one of the more "sudden" VA transitions in mainstream sports anime precisely because viewers are already emotionally invested in the Nekoma match and the surrounding team-building arcs.
Can you still hear the original VA anywhere?
Yes. Kazunari Tanaka's performance remains preserved in the first eight episodes of season 3, as well as all episodes from seasons 1 and 2 where Ukai appears. Physical releases such as Blu-rays and DVDs retain these original recordings, as do many official streaming platforms that rely on the original Japanese audio tracks. For fans who want to experience the original Ukai voice, watching or re-watching the earlier seasons and the first eight episodes of season 3 is the only way to hear Tanaka's interpretation.
Why does episode 8 sound "different" even if it's the last original VA?
Some viewers report that season 3 episode 8 feels "different" not because the voice is recast, but because it is the last episode where Kazunari Tanaka's voice appears in new material. The emotional weight of his final recorded line-"volleyball is a sport where you look up"-combined with the knowledge that he passed away shortly after recording it, can make the episode feel more poignant and slightly distorted in memory. In purely technical terms, however, the voice is still Tanaka's; the perceived difference is psychological rather than mechanical.
Is there an official statement about the VA change?
Yes. Official statements from the Haikyuu production committee and associated labels have confirmed that Hisao Egawa took over the role of Ukai following the passing of Kazunari Tanaka. These notices were typically included in Blu-ray/box-set liner notes and on affiliated news sites, rather than directly in the anime episodes. They framed the recasting as a respectful continuation of the character while acknowledging Tanaka's contribution to the series.
How should new viewers treat the VA change?
For new viewers encountering the Haikyuu series today, the simplest approach is to treat Hisao Egawa's voice as the default for Ukai unless they specifically seek out older commentary or fan discussions mentioning Tanaka. The difference exists more as a historical footnote than as a narrative disruption; the character's actions, relationships, and impact on the story do not change because of the VA switch. If the shift in tone is noticeable, it helps to contextualize it as a consequence of real-world loss rather than a creative misstep by the Haikyuu staff.