Tomoko Kawakami (川上 とも子 , Kawakami Tomoko , April 25, 1970 – June 9, 2011) was a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo. Having graduated from the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music , she was affiliated with Production Baobab at the time of her death.
Kawakami debuted in 1994 as a role of a boy in Metal Fighter Miku . Her first regular performance was in 1995 as Chiriko in Fushigi Yuugi. Two years after, she landed her first starring voice role as Utena Tenjou in Revolutionary Girl Utena . Aside from Chiriko and Utena, her famous roles are in Air (Misuzu Kamio), Bleach (Soifon), Chrono Crusade (Rosette Christopher), Hikaru no Go (Hikaru Shindou), Sgt. Frog (Fuyuki Hinata) and Ape Escape (Natsumi).
Kawakami provided voices for young boys, girls and comical characters. The best-known genre of her roles are tomboyish characters (Soifon, Utena Tenjou). With such a powerful voice, she was often affiliated in paranormal and yuri -themed anime. She also made her name voicing the heroine in the Harukanaru Toki no Naka de series, based from the Neoromance game with the same title produced by Koei in 2000.
Illness and death
In August 2008, Kawakami was diagnosed with ovarian cancer , which required surgery. During a three-year battle with cancer, most of her ongoing roles were replaced by other voice actresses, although Kawakami was able to do some voice work. She died on June 9, 2011 at the age of 41.
Air - Misuzu KamioAmaenaideyo!! - Sumi IkuinaA Little Snow Fairy Sugar - SugarAngelic Layer - Madoka FujisakiAria - Athena GloryAshita no Nadja - ShudefanBattle Athletes Victory - Chris ChristopherBest Student Council - Cyndi ManabeBetterman - SēmeBleach - Soifon (Episode 24 - 205)Brave Story: New Traveler - YunoCardcaptor Sakura - Rika SasakiChrono Crusade - Rosette ChristopherClannad - Girl from the Illusionary WorldCrush Gear Turbo - Yamano KimomoCyborg 009 - CynthiaDarker than BLACK - AmberDear Boys - Yukiko KawasakiDescendants of Darkness - Kazusa OtonashiDetective School Q - Kazuma NarusawaDi Gi Charat Nyo! - Chibi Akari, Kareida-sanDoki Doki School Hours - Akane KobayashiElfen Lied - MarikoF-Zero GP Legend - Sasuke ReinaFullmetal Alchemist - Kyle (in episode 9 )Fushigi Yûgi , Fushigi Yūgi Oni , and Fushigi Yūgi Eikoden - ChirikoGakuen Heaven - Satoshi UminoGaiking - LuluGakko no Kaidan - Satsuki MiyanoshitaGenesis of Aquarion - FutabaGreat Teacher Onizuka - Hoshino (in episode 28 )Godannar - LunaHarukanaru Toki no Naka de - Akane MotomiyaHikaru no Go - Hikaru ShindōI'm Gonna Be An Angel! - NoelleJigoku Shōjo - Yoshimi Kuroda (in episode 1 )Jibaku-kun - PinkJinki: Extend - Elnie TachibanaKanon - Sayuri KurataKara no Kyōkai - Ryougi Shiki (Drama CD)Magical Project S - Konoha Haida/Funky ConnieKenichi: The Mightiest Disciple - Miu FūrinjiMartian Successor Nadesico - Eri, AiMegaMan NT Warrior - Princess PrideMirmo! - WakabaMon Colle Knights - FearīNieA 7 - KānaNodame Cantabile - Elise (main story in anime), Puririn (Purigorota )One Piece - AmandaOrphen: Revenge - Licorice NelsonParanoia Agent - HeroinPiano: The Melody of a Young Girl's Heart - Yūki MatsubaraPocket Monsters - Ayame, Takami, Hikari's Mimirol, Pokédex (Sinnoh region)Popotan - Mai KonamiPower Stone - AyameRune Soldier - MerrillRevolutionary Girl Utena - Utena TenjōSaiyuki Reload series - LirinSaru Get You -On Air- - NatsumiSgt. Frog - Fuyuki Hinata (Episode 1 + 231)Shaman King - Pirika, Mini MongomeriSteel Angel Kurumi - Eiko KichijōjiTactics - YōkoThe Law of Ueki - Ai MoriThe Twelve Kingdoms - RangyokuThe World of Narue - Ran TendōThose Who Hunt Elves - Annette, EmilyThose Who Hunt Elves 2 - Annette, PichiTokyo Mew Mew - Ayano Uemura (in episode 34 )Touch: Miss Lonely Yesterday - KōchiTrinity Blood - Elise Wasmeyer (in episode 2 )Uta Kata - Satsuki TakigawaVS Knight Ramune & 40 Fire - TrumpetYakitate!! Japan - Princess Anne (episode 31 )Air - Misuzu KamioBleach: Memories of Nobody - SoifonBleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion - SoifonLupin III: Alcatraz Connection - MonicaInuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time - HariKeroro Gunso the Super Movie - Fuyuki HinataKeroro Gunso the Super Movie 2: The Deep Sea Princess - Fuyuki HinataKeroro Gunso the Super Movie 3: Keroro vs. Keroro Great Sky Duel - Fuyuki HinataRevolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence of Utena - Utena TenjōAir - Misuzu KamioApe Escape - Natsumi, CharuBleach: Blade Battlers 2 - SoifonBleach: Heat The Soul 3 - SoifonBleach: Heat the Soul 4 - SoifonBleach: Shattered Blade - SoifonBomberman Generation - BombermanBrave Story: New Traveler - YunoGrowlanser II: The Sense of Justice - Charlone ClaudiusKing of Fighters - May LeeKlonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil - LoloMagical Drop F - JudgmentNever 7: The End of Infinity - Yuka KawashimaRadiant Silvergun - ReanaRatchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal - Sasha (Japanese dub)SD Gundam G Generation - Rachel RansomSengoku Basara - ItsukiSkies of Arcadia - AikaSonic Wings Assault - Mao MaoSuper Smash Bros. Brawl - Fushigisou (Ivysaur)Tales of Destiny 2 - Nanaly FletchThe Law of Ueki: Taosu ze Roberuto Juudan! - Ai MoriThe Legend of Dragoon - MeruThousand Arms - Sodina DawnfriedTokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side (Konami Palace Selection) - Fujii NatsumiTokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 1st Love - Fujii NatsumiTokimeki Memorial Girl's Side: 1st Love Plus - Fujii NatsumiViper F40 - RaikaViper CTR - MikiTokio Private Police -Noriko IbukiHouko Kuwashima - Sgt. Frog as Fuyuki HinataSayuri Yahagi - Nodame Cantabile as Puririn - Season 2 (Kawakami returned in Season 3)Kumi Sakuma - Nodame Cantabile as Elise - Season 2 (Kawakami returned in Season 3)Yuki Kaida - A Foreign Love Affair as Kaoru OmiSatsuki Yukino - Pokemon Diamond and Pearl as Dawn's Buneary (Hikari's Mimirol), Pokedex, Momoan, additional charactersShiho Kawaragi - Desperate Housewives as Kayla Huntington - Season 4Akiko Kimura - Battle Spirits as Mama Yumi Kakazu - Tales of VS , Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 3 as Nanaly FletchOmi Minami - Elemental Gerard as AsheaYuki Matsuoka - Heroes Fantasia as MileruRie Kugimiya - Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple as MiuMiyuki Sawashiro - Sengoku Basara as ItsukiAi Nonaka - Anpanman as Candle-ManYuka Imai - Demonbane PS2 game , Super Robot Wars UX as Claudius