Hey there, Honey’s Anime readers! This is Victor from DLsite. You know, the world’s greatest digital store for doujin games, manga, and more. And also other stuff I won’t mention here. Yep, THAT DLsite. Anyway, I’ve got something lovely and mercifully safe-for-work to share with you! Who likes ASMR? I know I do. Don’t you just love that tingly sensation you can only get from your favorite sounds? Now here’s a follow-up question – who likes anime? Okay, you’re right, dumb question to ask on a site called “Honey’s Anime”. But hey, if you’re into ASMR AND anime, why not combine the two? Japanese ASMR is an artform all its own with lots of gloriously-realized offerings that are sure to lead you into a new world of relaxation! Let’s take a look at some of the options out there, specifically ones available on DLsite... such is the nature of sponsored posts, after all. Forgive me for trying to pay the bills, but I really do think you’ll like them!
When it comes to Japanese ASMR, it’s pretty hard to top the NECOGURASHI series. Why? Well, the supernatural setting is unique, production company CANDY VOICE seemingly never runs out of ideas for tingle-inducing audio, and hey, everyone loves catgirls. But the biggest reason is simple: this series features voicework by seiyū you probably know and adore! There are Love Live! actresses in this series, you guys. That’s right, more than one. But let’s take a look at where it all started: with a nice shave and a back massage from a calico catgirl in “NECOGURASHI - The Calico Cat Girl & the Sound of a Bell”. And who provides the voice of this timid-yet-skillful feline soother? The amazing, the incomparable, the one and only Sumire Uesaka! Sumipe is perfectly suited to this kind of work, and I’m not just saying that because I love her more than life itself and own all her photobooks. Her voice has a soft quality that works well when expressing the more delicate actions common in ASMR like facial massages, giving somebody a shave, and of course, ear cleaning.
Ear cleaning is a huge part of Japanese hygiene culture, and an even bigger part of Japanese ASMR. I won’t say it’s in every work, but it’s featured in most of them. This is an experience few people outside of Japan have actually had, but I’d recommend it very highly as a nice treat for your ears. The gentle scraping sounds are perfect ASMR material that’ll hit you right in the brain...in a good way. And Sumipe’s not the only one who’s got the magic touch! All the NECOGURASHI girls get in on the ear-swabbing action, from Kanako Takatsuki’s Bengal Cat all the way to the mysterious Cat Goddess voiced by – you’re not going to believe this – the legendary Noriko Hidaka.
But indeed, as warm and calming as the NECOGURASHI series is, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Japanese ASMR is a whole dimension unto itself where anything goes, as long as it’s soothing! You can also check out some occupation-specific tingles with seiyū Kotori Koiwai’s OshigotoNeiro series, fall into a sound sleep with popular Vtuber Patra, or even spend some time relaxing with the cast of the Monobeno visual novels in the Ayakashi Nostalgia series! And luckily for you (and for my continued employment), they’re all available on DLsite right now, many of them with English subtitles! Hop on over and discover a whole new way to unwind – even your ears need a spa day every once in a while.
