Kikuko Inoue

Kikuko Inoue is a Japanese voice actress, singer, and narrator from Yokosuka, Kanagawa, born on 25 September 1964. Credited under the real name 井之上喜久子, she debuted in 1988 with Hai Akko Desu and went on to work for decades in anime, character songs, and voice acting. She is represented by Office Anemone, the company she later founded and manages, and is associated with Pony Canyon. She is closely linked to Ranma 1/2 through her role as Tendou Kasumi, which helped establish her long-running presence in anime culture. Her music activities have included the groups DoCo and Goddess Family Club, and she also performed "GO! GO! Saibou Fiesta," the OP of Hataraku Saibou. On her official site and on several albums, she has used the nickname "Onee-chan" ("big sister"), a title tied to that role. She has also said that she believes she was a fish in a past life, and she uses fish as her trademark. Another long-running joke is her habit of calling herself "17 years old" (井上喜久子１７歳です), to which fans answer with "Oi! Oi!" To extend the joke, Inoue founded the "17-year-old cult" (Juu-nana-sai Kyou, １７歳教), whose current members include Yukari Tamura, Sakura Nogawa, Rina Satou, and Yui Horie. Her profile also lists Kanagawa as her hometown and O as her blood type, and she is the mother of seiyuu Honoka Inoue. She won Best Supporting Actress at the 4th Seiyu Awards in 2010 and the Kazue Takahashi Award at the 10th Seiyu Awards in 2016. Later cast announcements have also kept her active, including Lost World, Hitsuji Tanteidan, and Gabby's Dollhouse the Movie.