Tomoko Kawakami



Tomoko Kawakami was one of the versatile seiyuu who boomed in the 90's. Her voice range was impressive - she could voice boys, cute girls or even super tough girls. She also might have been a precursor to Hitomi Nabatame in terms of 'Les Yay seiyuu', though Tomoko didn't seem to be Les Yay in real life. Instead, she tended to voice characters who may have some Les Yay tendencies with other characters.

She had been sick with ovarian cancer since 2008; some of her roles got replaced by other seiyuu in the meantime. Heartbreakingly, she lost the battle on June 9th, 2011.

Notable roles by Tomoko Kawakami:
- "...Goal."
 * Chiriko in Fushigi Yuugi (Star-Making Role)
 * Utena Tenjou in Revolutionary Girl Utena
 * Sui-Feng in Bleach (succeeded by Houko Kuwashima)
 * Hikaru Shindou in Hikaru no Go
 * Rosette Christopher and Mary Magdalene in Chrono Crusade
 * Luna in Shinkon Gattai Godannar
 * Lirin in Saiyuki (starting from Reload)
 * Nanaly Fletch in Tales of Destiny 2 (succeeded by Yumi Kakazu)
 * Itsuki in Sengoku Basara (succeeded by Miyuki Sawashiro)
 * She's played roles in all three of Kyo Ani's Key Visual Arts adaptations:
 * Misuzu Kamio in AIR
 * Sayuri Kurata in Kanon
 * The Girl from the Illusionary World in Clannad
 * Mika Asagi in the Gungrave video game series
 * May Lee in The King of Fighters
 * The main character (Akane, Karin, Nozomi) in various anime adaptations of the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de series.
 * Karna from Niea_7
 * Mariko Kurama in Elfen Lied.
 * Yoko in Tactics.
 * Fuyuki Hinata in Keroro Gunsou (also succeeded by Kuwashima)
 * Athena Glory in Aria
 * Ryougi Shiki in the Kara no Kyoukai: Drama CD (succeeded by Maaya Sakamoto)
 * Cynthia Finder in Cyborg 009
 * Sugar in A Little Snow Fairy Sugar.
 * Satsuki Miyanoshita in Ghost Stories
 * Kazuma Narusawa in Tantei Gakuen Q
 * Ayame (Violet), Momoan (Marian), Mimirol (Buneary), and the Sinnoh Pokedex in Pokémon (all of her roles succeeded by Satsuki Yukino)
 * Fujii Natsumi in Tokimeki Memorial Girls Side
 * Noelle in Tenshi ni Narumon
 * Linen in Lime Iro Ryukitan X
 * Ivysaur in Super Smash Bros Brawl (Japanese version)
 * Miu Furinji in Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple (succeeded by Rie Kugimiya)