Picture the kindest, gentlest female characters of your favorite anime. Perhaps it's Belldandy from Ah! My Goddess, Kasumi from Ranma ½ or Mizuho-sensei of Onegai Teacher fame. Chances are you're thinking of a character portrayed by Inoue Kikuko, who is known by fans and fellow seiyuu alike as "onee-chan", or big sister. With an impressive list of voice acting experience, as well as forays into recording and acting, Inoue Kikuko truly has the voice of a goddess.

Born on September 25th, 1964 in Kanagawa, Inoue Kikuko originally had no plans to be any sort of actress. She instead wanted to be a middle school teacher, but after she taught for a short period of time she realized that teaching wasn't her calling. When she happened to see a re-run one of the shows she loved as a child, she decided that her goal would be to bring happiness to people through voice acting. Feeling as though she had been called to her true purpose in life, she entered voice acting school to fulfill her dream.

Inoue first attracted the public's notice for her portrayal of Tendo Kasumi, the eldest of the Tendo sisters in Ranma ½. Her calm, soothing voice and disposition earned her the nickname "onee-chan," given to her by Takayama Minami, who provided the voice of Kasumi's younger sister Nabiki. The nickname stuck, and she is still known as everyone's big sister to this day.

Her next large role, and perhaps her most celebrated, was the gentle goddess Belldandy in Ah! My Goddess. Instead of holding auditions for the part, the producers of the show knew that only Inoue Kikuko was perfect for the role. She was asked to play the goddess, and Inoue agreed. For the role, she tried to bring out the kindest part of herself and the most sacred parts of her voice to properly represent Belldandy.

Even though Inoue Kikuko is more widely known for her soft and comforting voice, she also has the flexibility to portray characters that are more nefarious and rough around the edges. From the tough and aggressive Panther in Saber Marionette J to the villainous, but clueless, Aluminum Siren in Sailor Moon, she shows her range as an actress beyond her trademark roles.

Although her natural speaking voice is similar to the demure Belldandy, in interviews Inoue Kikuko candidly shows the more unique side of her personality. When asked about reincarnation, she responds with confidence that she was a fish in another life.

"For a long time I've always wondered why I was so bad at everything on land, while I was very happy when I was swimming. Then one day when I was swimming in the ocean, the memory came back to me."

Her co-star from Ranma ½, Hidaka Noriko, can see the resemblance and even identifies the type of fish: a sunfish, as natural and relaxed as Inoue.

Inoue Kikuko unreservedly uses the fish for her trademark and named her first musical album Elegant Fish. That album was the first of three she has released at the time of this writing, containing songs that she wrote, composed and performed. She also performs double-duty for some of the anime she is involved with, including singing the Ah! My Goddess opening and closing songs with her co-stars. Her talents also extended to a radio talk show and a popular monthly CD release called Onee-chan to Issho.

Inoue Kikuko continues to reach her goal of giving happiness to her fans through her work.

Production Credits

801 T.T.S. Airbats - Saginomiya Sakura
Adventure in the Otaku Galaxy - Maaya
Ah! My Goddess - Belldandy
Ah! My Goddess: The Movie - Belldandy
Ah! My Goddess TV - Belldandy
Aika - Golden Delmo
Air - Uraha
Alice in Cyberland - Rucia
Angelic Layer - Suzuhara Shuuko
Anime Sekai no Douwa - Princess Anne
Anpan-man - Luna, Crystal Hime
Argent Soma - Ginebia Green
Ashita he Free Kick - Gina
Assemble Insert - Yoshiko
Bakuretsu Hunter - Reenu
Batman - Summer Gleason
Battle Arena Toshinden - Uranus
Battle Skipper - Ayanokouji Reika
Black Jack: A Surgeon with the Hands of God - Sayuri
Brother, Dear Brother - student C
Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002 - Oozora Tsubasa
Card Captor Sakura - Li Ieran
Card Captor Sakura: The Movie - Li Ieran
Chobits - Hibiya Chitose
Cinderella Boy - Alice
CLAMP School Detectives - Kudo Yukiko
Cosmowarrior Zero - Lady Emeraldas
Cosplay Complex - Takara Ranko
Crayon Shin-chan - old woman A
Cumbersome Witch Doremi - Majo Ririka
D.N.Angel - Harada Rika
D4 Princess - Ruridou Doria, Sagyou Shunin
Dagwon - Anna
Dangaizer 3 - Sapphire
DearS - Yoshimine Mitsuka
Dennou Sentai Voogie's Angel - Shiori
Detective Conan - Toda Kiwako, Tatsumi Sakurako, Yoshino Ayaka
Dirty Pair Flash: Angels in Trouble - Kazamatsuri Kumi
Dog of Flanders - Renaa-sensei
Doukyuusei II - Narusawa Misako
Dragon Half - Mana
El-Hazard: The Magnificent World - Rune Venus
El-Hazard: The Alternative World - Rune Venus, Yoko
El-Hazard: The Wanderers - Rune Venus
Even More Ghost Stories - Gero Gero
Fake - Arisa
Fam and Ihrie - Princess
Fantasia - Short
Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf - Lily McGurie
Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture - Lily McGurie
Fatal Fury: The New Battle - Elza, Lily McGurie
Figure 17: Tsubasa and Hikaru - Ordina
Final Fantasy: Unlimited - Faabura, Crux
F-Zero: The Legend of Falcon - Jodie Summer
Galaxy Express 999 Side Story: Space Symphonic Poem Maetel - Queen Emeraldas
Gall Force: The Revolution - Elza
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo - Mercédès de Morcerf
Garou Densetsu - Lily MacGuyer, Elza
Gate Keepers - Jun Sanders
Gekko Kamen - Yuka Chigusa
Gensou Maden Saiyuuki - Yanmin
Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna - Genmu
Godzilla Kingdom - Professor
Golden Boy - Employee A, Ayuko
Green Legend Ran - Ran's mother
Guilstein - Kanan Reimei
Gungrave - Maria Asagi
Hakkenden - Hikute
Hanappe Bazooka - The Spirit of the World Tree
Hand Maid May - Cyberdoll Mami
Hand Maid May Special - Cyberdoll Mami
Happy Lesson - Sanzein Yayoi
Happy Lesson OVA - Sanzein Yayoi
Happy Lesson Advanced - Sanzein Yayoi
Happy Lesson The Final - Sanzein Yayoi
Hi! Akko Desu - Female student, Okamoto
Hime-chan's Ribbon - Hatsune-sensei
Idol Project - Corvette
Ikkitousen - Goei
Inuyasha - Mother spirit
Inuyasha: The Sword of World Conquest - Izayoi
Kaitou Saint Tail - Mimori Seira
Kekko Kamen - Chigusa Yuka
Kentoushi - Megu
Key the Metal Idol - Mima Toyoko
Kiddy Grade - Aruvu
Kiki's Delivery Service - Fashion Designer
Kotetsu no Daibouken - Kuon Miho
Luna Varuga - Zena
Magic Knight Rayearth - Tatora
Magical Circle Guru Guru - Lena
Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful - Leesha
Mahou Senshi Riui - Melissa
Maps - Rain
Marmalade Boy - Kitahara Anju
Master Keaton - Karen Wolf
Megami Paradise - Stasia
Mermaid's Scar - Yukie
Miracle Giants Doumu-kun - Shinjo Mayumi
Miyuki-chan in Wonderland - Queen
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Aina Sahalin
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Miller's Report - Aina Sahalin
Moldiver - Brooke
Montana Jones - Piko
My-Hime - Sanada Yukariko
My Sexual Harrassment - Emily
Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water - Electra, Ikoriina, Narrator
Nanatoshi Monogatari - Chamberlin
Natsuiro no Sunadokei - Tomomi Yanagihara
New Cutey Honey - Yasha
Odaijini - Matsumoto Miyuki
Ogenki Clinic - Tatase Ruko
Oi! Ryouma - Sasaki Kayo
Ojamajo Doremi # - Ririka Majo
Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo - Asaba Ureshiko
Omakase Scrappers - Click, Uda Keiko
Omoshi Magical Theater Risky Safety - Reieru
Onegai Teacher - Kazami Mizuho
Onegai Teacher OVA - Kazami Mizuho
Onegai Twins - Kazami Mizuho
Onegai Twins OVA - Kazami Mizuho
Oni - Padona Shuri
Otaku no Video - Ueno Yoshiko, Misty Mei
Parasite Dolls - Angel
Pretear - Awayuki Natsue
Princess Minerva - Blue Morris Rui Elmitage
Puchipuri Yushi - Eruseru
Ranma ½ - Tendo Kasumi
Ranma ½: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China - Tendo Kasumi
Ranma ½: Nihao My Concubine - Tendo Kasumi
Ranma ½ OVA - Tendo Kasumi
Rumic Theater - Tonegawa Ruriko
Run=Dim - Maaya
Saber Marionette J - Panther
Saber Marionette J to X - Panther
Sailor Moon - Aluminum Siren, Princess Lubiina
Sakura Wars: Ecole de Paris - Carlini Lobelia
Samurai Girl Real Bout High School - Kusanagi Tomoe
Shaman King - Anisu
Shimajiro - Shimajiro's mother
Shin Megami Tensei Devi Chil - Cool, Kyoko-sensei, Doppelganger Kuuru
Shin Megami Tensei Devil Children: Light & Dark - Cool, Doppelganger Kuuru, Kyoko-sensei
Simpsons - Collette
Sin: The Movie - Jennifer Christina Armack
Slayers Great - Laia
SM Girls Saber Marionette R - Brid
Steel Angel Kurumi - Nadeshiko
Steel Angel Kurumi II - Nadeshiko
Super Atragon - Avatar
Tenchi Muyo in Love II: Haruka Naru Omoi - Haruna
To Heart - Girl's mother
Tobe Isami - Hanaoka Reiko, Mayuko
Urusei Yatsura: Electric Household Guard - Girl A
Urusei Yatsura: I Howl at the Moon - Girl university student B
Vandread: First Stage - Faama
Vandread: Second Stage - Meia no Faama
Violinist of Hamelin - Queen
Violinist of Hamelin: The Movie - Queen
Weiss Kreuz - Birman
World Masterpiece Fairy Tale Series - Princess Anne
X - Magami Tohru
Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito - Ritsuko
YAT Luxury Space Liner - Cordelia
Yumeria - Nanase Senjyou/Silk
Zoku Zoku Mura no Obaketachi - Rero Rero