Kiyotaka Ayanokoji in Classroom of the Elite (Yōkoso Jitsuryoku Shijō Shugi no Kyōshitsu e) is voiced by Shōya Chiba in the original Japanese version and Justin Briner in the English dub. Chiba’s calm and emotionally restrained performance became central to Ayanokoji’s mysterious personality, while Briner brought the same detached intelligence and subtle psychological nuance to the English adaptation. (behindthevoiceactors.com)
Shōya Chiba – Japanese Voice of Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
Date of Birth
August 29, 1995
About Shōya
Shōya Chiba is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Sigma Seven. Since rising to prominence in the late 2010s, he has become known for portraying introspective protagonists, emotionally reserved characters, and psychologically layered leads across modern anime.
As Kiyotaka Ayanokoji in Classroom of the Elite, Chiba delivered one of the defining performances of his career. Ayanokoji’s personality is intentionally subdued, often hiding his intelligence and emotional state behind an expressionless exterior. Chiba’s restrained vocal delivery became essential to the character’s appeal, subtly revealing flashes of calculation, manipulation, and hidden emotion without abandoning Ayanokoji’s detached demeanor.
Fans frequently praised how effectively he communicated tension and psychological complexity through minimal emotional inflection.
Outside of Classroom of the Elite, Chiba is also widely known for major roles in Blue Lock, 86 Eighty-Six, and Horimiya.
Hometown
Tokyo, Japan
Career Highlights
- Kiyotaka Ayanokoji — Classroom of the Elite
- Isagi Yoichi — Blue Lock
- Shinei Nouzen — 86 Eighty-Six
- Kakeru Sengoku — Horimiya
- Shin — Fena: Pirate Princess
- Kou Minamoto — Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun
- Aki Hayakawa (young versions/support media) — related projects
- Various leading roles in modern psychological and sports anime
Full Current Filmography
The following list reflects documented anime, film, and game credits from publicly available industry sources and may not be exhaustive.
Television Anime
- Classroom of the Elite — Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
- Blue Lock — Yoichi Isagi
- 86 Eighty-Six — Shinei Nouzen
- Horimiya — Kakeru Sengoku
- Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun — Kou Minamoto
- Fena: Pirate Princess — Shin
- Bocchi the Rock! — Additional Voices
- The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten — Itsuki Akasawa
- Mashle — Additional Voices
- Call of the Night — Supporting Roles
Anime Films
- Blue Lock Episode Nagi — Yoichi Isagi
- Classroom of the Elite promotional projects — Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
- 86 Eighty-Six special productions — Shinei Nouzen
- Horimiya related projects — Kakeru Sengoku
Video Games
- Blue Lock Project: World Champion — Yoichi Isagi
- Classroom of the Elite mobile/game projects — Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
- 86 related media projects — Shinei Nouzen
- Ensemble Stars!! — Additional Characters
- A3! — Supporting Roles
Critical Reception
Shōya Chiba’s portrayal of Kiyotaka Ayanokoji received widespread praise for its subtlety and psychological precision. Fans frequently highlighted how effectively he maintained Ayanokoji’s emotionally distant personality while still conveying the character’s intelligence, manipulation, and hidden motivations beneath the surface.
His performance is widely regarded as one of the defining elements of Classroom of the Elite.
Our Sources
- Behind The Voice Actors – Kiyotaka Ayanokoji cast listing (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Classroom-of-the-Elite/Kiyotaka-Ayanokoji/)
- Shōya Chiba profile (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Dya_Chiba)
- IMDb cast listing for Classroom of the Elite (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7263710/fullcredits/)
- Official Classroom of the Elite anime materials and cast pages
- Anime News Network encyclopedia entries (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/)
Justin Briner – English Voice of Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
Date of Birth
August 23, 1991
About Justin
Justin Briner is an American voice actor widely recognized for his work in English anime dubbing with Crunchyroll and Funimation. Since rising to prominence in the mid-2010s, he has become especially known for portraying intelligent protagonists, emotionally conflicted heroes, and psychologically nuanced lead characters.
As the English voice of Kiyotaka Ayanokoji in Classroom of the Elite, Briner delivered one of the most restrained performances of his career. Ayanokoji’s personality relies heavily on emotional subtlety, hidden calculation, and detached observation, and Briner’s calm delivery helped preserve the character’s mysterious and psychologically complex nature in the English adaptation.
Fans frequently praised how effectively he communicated Ayanokoji’s intelligence and manipulation beneath an intentionally emotionless surface, particularly during the anime’s tense psychological confrontations.
Outside of Classroom of the Elite, Briner is internationally famous for major roles in My Hero Academia, Black Clover, and Tokyo Ghoul:re.
Hometown
Maryland, United States
Career Highlights
- Kiyotaka Ayanokoji — Classroom of the Elite
- Izuku Midoriya / Deku — My Hero Academia
- Luck Voltia — Black Clover
- Ken Kaneki (young/adaptation-related roles) — Tokyo Ghoul:re
- Mikaela Hyakuya — Seraph of the End
- Sho Kusakabe — Fire Force
- Hanako-kun — Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun
- Alfonso San Valiante — GARO: The Animation
Full Current Filmography
The following list reflects documented English dub acting credits from publicly available industry sources and may not be exhaustive.
Television Anime
- Classroom of the Elite — Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
- My Hero Academia — Izuku Midoriya
- Black Clover — Luck Voltia
- Seraph of the End — Mikaela Hyakuya
- Fire Force — Sho Kusakabe
- Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun — Hanako-kun
- Tokyo Ghoul:re — Haise Sasaki support/related roles
- Dr. Stone — Additional Voices
- Noragami — Additional Voices
- Blue Lock — Supporting Roles
- Attack on Titan — Additional Voices
- One Piece — Additional Voices
Anime Films
- My Hero Academia film series — Izuku Midoriya
- Classroom of the Elite promotional projects — Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
- Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King — Luck Voltia
- Fire Force related projects — Sho Kusakabe
- Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun promotional projects — Hanako-kun
Video Games
- My Hero One’s Justice series — Izuku Midoriya
- Black Clover game adaptations — Luck Voltia
- Classroom of the Elite game projects — Kiyotaka Ayanokoji
- SMITE anime collaboration appearances
- My Hero Ultra Rumble — Izuku Midoriya
Critical Reception
Justin Briner’s portrayal of Kiyotaka Ayanokoji received praise from English dub audiences for its restraint, subtlety, and psychological precision. Fans frequently highlighted how effectively he maintained Ayanokoji’s detached personality while still communicating the character’s hidden intelligence and manipulative nature during critical story moments.
His performance is often regarded as one of the strongest elements of the Classroom of the Elite English dub.
Our Sources
- Behind The Voice Actors – Kiyotaka Ayanokoji cast listing (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Classroom-of-the-Elite/Kiyotaka-Ayanokoji/)
- Justin Briner profile (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Briner)
- IMDb cast listing for Classroom of the Elite (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7263710/fullcredits/)
- Crunchyroll dub cast announcements (https://www.crunchyroll.com/)
- Anime News Network encyclopedia entries (https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/)
Social Media
- X / Twitter: https://x.com/justinbriner
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinbriner/
