Mizutani Yūko

During middle school, at the height of the anime boom, she discovered a voice acting magazine at a bookstore and learned about the profession, which she then aspired to pursue. Around the same time, she also developed an interest in theater. In high school, she joined the musical club, which set her on the path toward stage acting. After graduating from the Seinenza Theater Institute in 1985, she was affiliated with the Seinenza Film and Broadcasting Department until 1989.

Her vocal range was soprano. As a voice actress, she made her debut in 1985 as an airport announcer in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. She was highly skilled and versatile, performing roles ranging from cool and beautiful characters to young girls and boys with ease.

From a young age, she had a uniquely high-pitched voice, often prompting people to ask, "Where does Yūko-chan produce her voice from?" Her repertoire was vast, covering everything from delicate young girls and cheerful, energetic characters to rough, tomboyish women and even boys.

She was known for becoming deeply immersed in her acting, sometimes moving her body during recordings, leading to NG (no good) takes. In extreme cases, she even accidentally hit the voice actor next to her. Because of this, some colleagues jokingly referred to her as an "action voice actress."

On May 17, 2016, she passed away at a hospital in Tokyo due to breast cancer at the age of 51. According to her husband, she brought scripts to her hospital room, showing her intent to continue working. However, she never recovered, and her unintended final words were, "I want to go to work."

About a month and a half after her passing, on July 3, a farewell ceremony titled "Aete Yokatta" (Glad to Have Met You) was held at Aoyama Funeral Hall, attended by approximately 800 fans and colleagues.

Notable Roles: Sakura Sakiko (Older Sister) – Chibi Maruko-chan. Pinoko – Black Jack.