[Full Article] Super-Popular Voice Actor Kensho Ono Caught on Camera at a “Top-Secret Birthday Party Date” Alone with a Beautiful Junior Voice Actress!!

It’s been a year since his divorce from Kana Hanazawa.
With a junior colleague he’d been “close” to even before the divorce,
Enjoying a Marvel movie and shabu-shabu—

“We’re going to eat later, so I don’t want to get too full… What should I do?”

In front of the movie theater’s popcorn stand, a man was agonizing over his choice, his voice—a “sexy voice” reminiscent of a prince from an anime—ringing out. Then, without missing a beat, the cool girl in glasses standing next to him replied in a queen-like tone, “Any of them will do.”—

Although they’re disguised with caps and masks, it probably won’t fool anime fans. These two, whose “voices” are instantly recognizable, are voice actors Kensho Ono (37) and M.A.O. (34).

“Both Ono and M.A.O. have been voice actors for over 10 years. Ono is a top-tier talent who has voiced protagonists in many hit anime, such as Tetsuya Kuroko in *Kuroko’s Basketball* and Giorno Giovanna in *JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind*.M.A.O. is also a talented voice actress who has played various heroines, including being cast as Reiko Akimoto in the upcoming series *New Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo*, set to air next year,” said a representative from a voice acting agency.

It seems the stars of the voice acting world “gathered” at the movie theater to watch the currently re-screening *Avengers: Endgame – Encore*, and after Ono took a long time to decide and purchased a pair of popcorn and some churros, the two entered the theater.

“They’ve co-starred in 30 works, and in the 2018 anime *RerideD: Derida Beyond Time*, they played the protagonist and the heroine. Although their characters never ended up together in the story, they’re very close in real life.Apparently, Ono was the one who invited her that day; since it was his birthday the next day, he probably wanted M.A.O. to celebrate with him. They’re so close that M.A.O. even went to see the stage play *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child*, in which Ono plays the lead role,” said an acquaintance of Ono’s.

Waiting for a Taxi in the “JoJo Pose”

After finishing the movie, the two went outside to look for a taxi. While they waited to hail one, Ono stood with his shoulders slumped and his upper body slightly swaying—a pose that somehow resembled the “JoJo stance” (?). M·A·O followed half a step behind him.

This unconventional pair headed to a high-end shabu-shabu restaurant in Nishi-Azabu. They entered just before 9:30 p.m., and the night didn’t wrap up until past 1:00 a.m., long after the last train had left. During this time, Ono posted a joyful message on her X account: “Whoa! I’m 37 now!”It seems they thoroughly enjoyed their birthday date for just the two of them. As Ono left the restaurant, she was clutching a paper bag in her left hand—presumably a gift from M·A·O.

Isn’t it a bit too intimate for mere “voice actor colleagues” to be enjoying a birthday countdown party together? Both are single, but the acquaintance mentioned earlier says that M.A.O. is partly responsible for why Ono is now single.

“It’s been a year since Ono divorced Kana Hanazawa (37), but the two have been close since their married days, and I hear they used to enjoy playing online games late into the night. On a communication app where they participated in a group with other gaming friends, Ono apparently sent messages like, ‘If my wife finds out, the server (Editor’s note: referring to the chat room) is disbanded, lol.’It’s said that Hanazawa’s frustration had been building because Ono was playing games with her until dawn day after day.”

Was what FRIDAY witnessed the moment a major couple in the voice acting world was born? We confronted Ono directly about his relationship with M.A.O.

――What kind of relationship do you two have?

“When I was around 20 and she was still a teenager, we had the chance to perform together on stage, and we’ve been close ever since.”

—I’ve heard that you two were still playing games together even while you were married.

“We have played online games together, but she’s just one of many people I play with. It’s not an inappropriate relationship.”

Ono admitted that the two had gone on a date on his birthday but denied that they were dating. His agency also responded, “He has been friends with the person in question for a long time, and there is no truth to the dating rumors,” while M.A.O.’s agency denied the claims as well, stating, “There is absolutely no truth to the rumors of a romantic relationship.”

I really wanted to see a storyline where they ended up with a happy ending in the real world—but alas!

From the November 6, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*