is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Aoni Production.
Biography Early life Born in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, Japan on June 18, 1973, she hadn't always dreamed of becoming a voice actress since childhood. Unable to decide on a specific career path, she attended a domestic science junior college. At the time, she had only a vague idea about her future, thinking it might be nice to work in the apparel industry, perhaps with children's clothing.
Initially, she wanted to become an actress, and while attending junior college, she worked part-time jobs—including customer service, event announcer, and telemarketing—during which she discovered the joy of self-expression. She had asked herself what she really wanted to do, and turned down a job offer in the service industry and decided to pursue her dream of becoming an actress, so began attending acting rehearsals and workshops.
Around that time, she met someone who introduced her to people at an agency, and she ended up signing with them. Driven by a passion to work in TV dramas and films, she sought out and applied for opportunities through audition magazines, which she gained valuable experience from as a background extra actor.
While she was taking various auditions, she happened to meet someone who was well-versed in the anime industry. One of the auditions this person brought her to was for a voice-acting role, which gave her the opportunity to audition as a voice actress, and in April 1996, she made her voice-acting debut as Sala Tyrell in After War Gundam X.
Career In 1997, she served as a reporter on local travel programs and other shows. Since regular anime recording sessions are typically held once a week, which makes it difficult to balance with on-location filming, she decided to focus on work as a reporter and stepped away from anime for a year.
In 1998, she told to keep working as a reporter, but around that time, she was also auditioning for anime roles and had been cast in a few. Realizing she found the appeal of acting and thought, "If I work hard, maybe I can do this for a long time", she agonized over the decision before ultimately deciding to choose the path of voice acting. Her family’s support was a major factor in her decision. She spoke with her mother, an avid radio listener, who pushed her forward telling her, "It's wonderful to express yourself through your voice."
As of April 2005, she has been the voice of the female protagonist Shizuka Minamoto in the Doraemon franchise, replacing Michiko Nomura, starting with the third Doraemon television anime series. The offer to audition was sent over to her talent agency at the time and she initially auditioned for the roles of Doraemon, Suneo, and Gian, but her performances came out so funny that it caused everyone to laugh. She then tried to audition for Nobita as well, but in the end it was decided on Shizuka as the only choice for her and sent over her audio tape. At that time, she felt like she was just taking an exam for the experience and was just happy and excited to be involved with Doraemon. Because the series was so massive, she never imagined she would end up being chosen. During the final audition, she was the only one asked about her age by the judges during the Q&A session. Since age had never been brought up in voice auditions before, she found it strange and instinctively shot back, "Does my age affect the evaluation?" "That confident side of me fit Shizuka's image," she said, adding that she has "nothing but gratitude" for the judge who asked about her age. "He later told me that my attitude during the final interview was one of the reasons he chose me, saying, 'Shizuka has a bit of a strong-willed side, and that's exactly what I liked about her.'" When she was chosen, she felt anxious, wondering, "Will my voice be okay?" because she could not produce the exact same voice as the Shizuka she had heard up until then.
She was affiliated with until August 2009. After working as a freelancer, she joined on October 1, 2011, and has been affiliated with Aoni Production as of April 1, 2022.
Personal life She got married on June 1, 2004. Her husband was a non-celebrity, with no personal details having been made public.
Her first son was born in late August 2005. Before his birth, she herself was already aware of her maternity leave around the spring of that year. However, she was busy as a series of new jobs were lined up during the spring programming reshuffle, delaying her announcement.
Because she wanted to “raise her children in nature,” she began living in Saitama after marriage, but as mentioned earlier, once she was cast in a long-running TV show, she began commuting to Tokyo more frequently. Because her husband was also working in Tokyo, balancing childcare, work, and commuting became a challenge, so consequently, they chose to settle down in Tokyo.
Her second son was born in 2008. But shortly after the first birthday of her second son, her husband suddenly died from a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 42. Devastated and shocked by the event, she chose to not make it public for four years until finally revealing it on her Twitter in June 2013. Her second son was too young to understand what was happening at the time, so has almost no memory of his father.
Filmography Anime series After War Gundam X (Sala Tyrell) (voice acting debut) AKB0048 (Katagiri Tsubasa / Shinoda Mariko The 7th) Ask Dr. Rin! (Banri Shijō) Baka and Test series (Yōko Takahashi) Black Heaven (OL) Bleach (Ririn, Gina) The Candidate for Goddess (Leena Fujimura, Yukine Simmons) Ceres, The Celestial Legend (Aya Mikage) Cyber Team in Akihabara (Dark Pigeon/Hatoko Daikan'yama) Descendants of Darkness (Maki) Devil May Cry: The Animated Series (Cindy) D.I.C.E. (Marsha Rizarov) Divergence Eve (Misaki Kureha) Do It Yourself!! (Haruko Hoketsu) Doraemon (2005–present), (Shizuka Minamoto) Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 3rei!! (Magical Sapphire) Flint the Time Detective (Princess Kaguya, Yunīta) Fullmetal Alchemist (Lyra/Dante) Gantz (Sadayo Suzumura) Geneshaft (Lieutenant Mir Lotus) Genesis of Aquarion (Silvia de Alisia) Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Tokura Eka) Godannar (Shizuru Fujimura) Healin' Good Pretty Cure (Mei Hiramatsu) Hikaru no Go (Akari Fujisaki) Hoshin Engi (Daji) Hungry Heart: Wild Striker (Rie Koboku) Initial D (Sayuki) Inuyasha (Eri, Ayame) The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final -Grand Glorious Gathering- (Renais Cardiff Shishio) Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo (Ibu Honda (second voice)) Kyo Kara Maoh! (Miko Shibuya) Loveless (Yamato Nakano) Lovely Idol (Reiko Nakazawa) Machine Robo Rescue (Nina) Medabots (Kokuryū, Momoko) Meine Liebe (Robertine) Mon Colle Knights (Songstress of the Flower Garden) Nobunaga the Fool (Hiraga Gennai) Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (Kejoro) One Piece (Hera, Misery) Onegai My Melody (Johnny) Onmyō Taisenki (Misasa) Ojarumaru (Mutsuko) Pokémon (Kei, Mikan) Pokémon: Advanced Generation (Annu) RahXephon (Hiroko Asahina) Rockman.EXE Stream (Meddy) Saikano (Satomi) Saint Beast (Yuria) Samurai Deeper Kyo (Okuni, Jijin) Sister Princess (Haruka) Skull Man (Sayoko Karasuma) Someday's Dreamers (Takako Kawara) Soreike! Anpanman (Isoben) Steam Detectives (Misa Anan, newspaper reporter (Lily Edogawa)) Stratos 4 (Mikaze Honjō) Superior Defender Gundam Force (Alicia) Super Robot Wars Original Generation: Divine Wars (Seolla Schweitzer) Tokyo Mew Mew (Mint Aizawa) Tsukihime, Lunar Legend (Hisui) Tsukuyomi -Moon Phase- (Elfriede) Uta Kata (Maki) Vampiyan Kids (Princess Castanet) Vandread (Dita Liebely) Yu-Gi-Oh! (1998 series) (Anzu Mazaki) Cocotama Series Kamisama Minarai: Himitsu no Cocotama (Oshaki) Kira Kira Happy Hirake! Cocotama (Ojou)
Theatrical animation + List of voice performances in theatrical animation Year Title Role Note Source 1999 Yu-Gi-Oh! Anzu Mazaki Cyber Team in Akihabara: Summer Vacation of 2011 Hatoko Daikanyama 2001 Initial D Third Stage Sayuki 2002 Sayaka Takai 2003 RahXephon: Pluralitas Concentio Hiroko Asahina 2005 Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa Actress 2006 Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur 2006 Shizuka Minamoto 2007 Doraemon: Nobita's New Great Adventure into the Underworld ~The Seven Magic Users~ Shizuka Minamoto Aquarion the Movie Silvia de Alisia Cinnamon The Movie Mocha 2008 Doraemon: Nobita and the Green Giant Legend Shizuka Minamoto 2009 Doraemon: The New Record of Nobita's Spaceblazer Shizuka Minamoto 2010 Doraemon: Nobita's Great Battle of the Mermaid King Shizuka Minamoto 2011 Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops ~Winged Angels~ Shizuka Minamoto 2012 Doraemon: Nobita and the Island of Miracles ~Animal Adventure~ Shizuka Minamoto, Kurajo 2013 Doraemon: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum Shizuka Minamoto 2014 Buddha 2: Tezuka Osamu no Buddha ~Owarinaki Tabi~ Princess Yashodara Doraemon: Nobita in the New Haunts of Evil ~Peko and the Five Explorers~ Shizuka Minamoto Stand by Me Doraemon Shizuka Minamoto, Future Shizuka Minamoto 2015 Doraemon: Nobita's Space Heroes Shizuka Minamoto 2016 Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan 2016 Shizuka Minamoto 2017 Doraemon: Nobita's Great Adventure in the Antarctic Kachi Kochi Shizuka Minamoto Gō-chan. ~Moko and the Friends of the Forest of Chinju~ Secretary Cocotama: Secret Apprentice Gods the Movie: Make a Miracle♪ Tepple and the Exciting Cocotama World Oshaki Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Vow in the Snow Magical Sapphire 2018 Doraemon: Nobita's Treasure Island Shizuka Minamoto 2019 Doraemon: Nobita's Chronicle of the Moon Exploration Shizuka Minamoto 2020 Doraemon: Nobita's New Dinosaur Shizuka Minamoto Stand by Me Doraemon 2 Shizuka Minamoto, Future Shizuka Minamoto 2021 Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Licht - The Nameless Girl Magical Sapphire 2022 Doraemon: Nobita's Little Star Wars 2021 Shizuka Minamoto 2023 Doraemon: Nobita's Sky Utopia Shizuka Minamoto 2024 Doraemon: Nobita's Earth Symphony Shizuka Minamoto 2025 Doraemon: Nobita's Art World Tales Shizuka Minamoto 2026 Doraemon: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil Shizuka Minamoto 2027 Doraemon: Nobita's Steam-Powered Time Machine Shizuka Minamoto
Original video animation (OVA) + List of voice performances in original video animation Year Title Role Note Source 1999 Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Spiral Labyrinth Mirriam Roses 2000 The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final Renais Cardiff Shishio Initial D: Extra Stage Sayuki 2002 Special Curriculum: The Candidate for Goddess Leena Fujimura 2003 True Love Story Summer Days, and yet... Akimi Arimori 2004 Tenbatsu! Angel Rabbie Fia Note 2005 Stratos 4 Advance Mikaze Honjou Super Robot Wars Original Generation: The Animation Seolla Schweizer Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Yuffie Kisaragi 2007 Genesis of Aquarion Silvia de Alisia 2008 Initial D Extra Stage 2 Sayuki 2009 Nodame Cantabile: I Got M・fil. Caroline 2011 Baka to Test to Shōkanjū: Matsuri Yōko Takahashi 2013 Zetsumetsu Kigu Shōjo Amazing Twins Nanae Fudō 2015 Sōsei no Aquarion Love Silvia de Alisia 2019 Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Prisma Phantasm Magical Sapphire
Video games Another Century's Episode 3 (2007) (Sala Tyrell) Arknights (Harmonie) Inazuma Eleven (2008) (Otonashi Haruna) Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (Charlotte Aulin) Dead or Alive 6 (Kula Diamond) Ehrgeiz (Yuffie Kisaragi) Fate/Grand Order (Magical Sapphire) Final Fantasy Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (Yuffie Kisaragi) Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia (Yuffie Kisaragi) Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Yuffie Kisaragi) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Yuffie Kisaragi) Fire Emblem Heroes (Ethlyn) Granblue Fantasy (Shizuka Minamoto) Initial D Arcade Stage series (Sayuki) Kingdom Hearts (Yuffie Kisaragi) Kingdom Hearts II (Yuffie Kisaragi) Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind (Yuffie Kisaragi) The King of Fighters The King of Fighters 2000 (Kula Diamond, Lilly Kane) The King of Fighters 2001 (Kula Diamond) The King of Fighters 2002 (Kula Diamond) The King of Fighters XI (Kula Diamond)