From a boy at the center of an apocalypse to a soldier fighting to protect her princess, chances are you have probably seen at least one anime that features a character with the memorable voice of Ogata Megumi. One of the most gifted seiyuu ever to grace the screen, her talents are as diverse as the range of characters she portrays. Voice actress, composer, songwriter and singer, Ogata Megumi can do it all.

Ogata Megumi was born on June 6th, 1965 in Tokyo. She appreciated the performing arts from an early age, beginning the piano at age three and learning other instruments as the years passed. She dreamed of a career as an actress but instead planned on becoming a teacher. To Ogata, acting was an impossible goal since she didn't consider herself either cute or beautiful. But all of that changed when she was twelve years old.

When casting for her school play began, no one would volunteer for the part of the old shrine maiden, so Ogata took it and swore to do her best in the role. After delivering her monologue, she was astonished to hear the applause and cries for an encore in appreciation of her performance. It was then Ogata began focusing on her acting in earnest.

As Ogata grew older, she attended schools for performance arts, took roles in plays and musicals and continued to study music. She graduated from Tokyo Seisen Music Academy after high school and then joined a small theatrical company to continue acting. After her theatrical company dissolved, she turned to voice acting.

Ogata's first debut in voice acting was the character of Kurama in Yu Yu Hakusho, a fox-demon who fights alongside the protagonist. Later anime roles, such as Tenou Haruka/Sailor Uranus in Sailor Moon and Ikari Shinji in Neon Genesis Evangelion launched Ogata into fame as viewers took notice her vocal range and ability to effortlessly perform the roles of males and females, young and old alike. When asked to name her favorite characters, Ogata revealed in an interview at Akadot.com, "I may sound like a very typical, well-mannered Japanese woman saying this, but I like every one of them. All the characters are independent individuals and, at the same time, a part of me."

Her voice work next extended to the radio, including a thirty-minute program she hosted in 1996 called "Ogata Megumi no Ginga ni Hoero!" (Ogata Megumi's Shout to the Galaxy). Her listeners turned to her, their proclaimed "aniki" (big brother), for advice.

In 2000, Ogata Megumi decided to concentrate on her music and changed her stage name for her musical career to em:ou, taken from the reading of the first kanji of her given name and family name. Composing and writing the lyrics for her own songs, she is the consummate musician. Her solo album, rain, was released under her new name in January 2001, followed by a ten-year anniversary CD at the end of 2002, which includes her singles and image songs for her various roles.

Ogata continues to expand her career, recently performing one-woman shows in Tokyo in front of a live audience. Who knows where Ogata Megumi's limitless talents will take her next?

Production Credits

Ah! My Goddess - young Morisato Keiichi
Ah! My Goddess TV - young Morisato Keiichi
Ai to Yuuki no Pig Girl Tonde Buurin - Mucchi
Alice in Cyberland - Charlie
Android Ana Maico 2010 - Masudamasu Ryoko
Apocalypse Zero - Harara Hagakure
Armitage III - Julian Moore
B'tX - Karen
Cardcaptor Sakura – Tsukishiro Yukito/Yue
Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie - Tsukishiro Yukito/Yue
Cardcaptor Sakura: The Sealed Card - Tsukishiro Yukito/Yue
CLAMP School - Kisaragi Hikaru
Crayon Shin-chan - Yoko
Detective Conan: The Phantom of Baker Street - Moroboshi Hideki
Devil Lady - Kurosaki Aoi
DNA Sights 999.9 - Tetsurou
Doraemon: Nobita and the Legend of the Sun King - Prince Thio
Earthian - Elvira
Flame of Recca - Aki
Full Moon wo Sagashite - Izumi
GetBackers - Clayman
Ghost Sweeper Mikami - Announcer, Yokoshima's Mother
Ginga Sengoku Gun Yuuden Rai - Hiryuu
Great Teacher Onizuka - Murai Juria
Hanada Shonen-shi - Yokomizo Hitomi, Yokomizo Hitoshi
Hyper Doll - Erika
Kero-chan ni Omakase! - Tsukishiro Yukito
Kikou Sen'nyo Rouran - Ryuu Reika
Kodomo no Omocha - Hayama Akito
Landlock - Agahali
Legend of Crystania - Genova
Magic Knight Rayearth - Princess Emeraude, Eagle Vision
Magic Knight Rayearth II - Princess Emeraude, Eagle Vision
MAPS - Shian
Mask of Glass – Kitajima Maya
Megami Paradise - Juliana
Melty Lancer - Melvina MacGarlen
Miyuki-chan in Wonderland - To Li
Neon Genesis Evangelion - Ikari Shinji
Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth - Ikari Shinji
Neon Genesis Evangelion: End of Evangelion - Ikari Shinji
Neoranga - Ohmori Mei
Power Stone - Wangtang
Puppet Master Sakon - Tachibana Sakon
Rayearth OVA - Eagle, Emeraude
Sailor Moon - Tenou Haruka, Petz, Seireen, Vampiiru
Sailor Moon R: The Promise of the Rose - young Mamoru Chiba
Sailor Moon S: Hearts in Ice - Tenou Haruka
Sailor Moon Super S: Black Dream Hole - Tenou Haruka
Samurai Deeper Kyo - Anoyama Kousuke, Unno Rokuro, Sanada Yukimura
Soul Hunter - Shinjin Fugen
Tantei Gakuen Q - Kyu
Thunder Jet - Hiryuu
Tokyo Mew Mew - Aoyama Masaya
Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinasai - Shizuo
UFO Princess Walküre - adult Valkyrie
UFO Princess Walküre II - adult Valkyrie, Valkyrie Ghost
Vampire Princess Miyu - Matsukaze, Reiha
Violinist of Hamelin - Sizer
Yamato Takeru - Roka
Yu Yu Hakusho - Kurama, Keiko's mother,
Yu Yu Hakusho: Eizou Hakusho - Kurama
Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie - Kurama
Yu Yu Hakusho: Poltergeist Report: Fight for the Netherworld - Kurama
Yu-Gi-Oh! - Yuugi
Zenki - Anju