Kikuko Inoue (her birth name is 井之上 喜久子, pronounced the same as her stage name) is a popular Japanese seiyū (voice actress) and singer born on September 25, 1964 (though she frequently says "I am 17 years old") in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She has been part of the singing groups DoCo and Goddess Family Club, among others. She is married and has one daughter.
Inoue's vocal roles are usually female characters characterized as dignified, reserved, beautiful, kind, regal, mature or domestic. For example, Belldandy, a goddess who is kind, compassionate and skilled at domestic tasks. Kasumi Tendo is an older sister who has taken over domestic duties after the death of her mother, and who acts as a counter-balance to the more rambunctious members of her family. Notably, both Kasumi and Belldandy are almost parallels of each other due to their roles as domestics in a home which could explode into chaos at any moment. She also plays Rune Venus in El-Hazard, a princess and leader of her country; as well as Kazami Mizuho in Onegai Teacher, a sensible, strong-hearted alien agent in charge of observing humanity that ends up falling in love with an earthling.
On the other hand, Inoue occasionally takes on roles which are more sultry, such as Corvette, a curvaceous dancer who flirts quite intensely with Mimu, the young heroine. In the hentai OVA Ogenki Clinic she provides the voice of a sex-crazed nurse. Also, as Alv in Kiddy Grade, she was an antagonist the main characters have to contend with more than once.
Her most odd role would probably be Guilty Gear's I-No, as she provided two voice sets (both sultry sounding). One being subdued, while the other, is very very aggressive. Loyal fans have therefore found it hard to associate her with the character.
She is referred as "Onee-chan" ("big sister" in Japanese) and stayed with the title on her official site and a few albums because of her role as Kasumi Tendo in Ranma ½; this is confirmed in her online profile. She believes that in her past life she was a fish and therefore uses fish as her trademark. She made a guest appearance at the 2007 Animazement anime convention in Durham, North Carolina for an autograph and Q&A session. When asked her age, she often responds that she is only 17. blank">official site's profile Onechan's profile After voice acting Belldandy from the Ah! My Goddess anime, subsequent chapters of the manga used Inoue's distinctive style as the basis for Belldandy's character.
The American voice actress Bridget Hoffman has worked as the English voice for four of Kikuko's roles: Belldandy in the Ah! My Goddess! movie, Chitose Hibiya in _Chobits, Rune venus in El Hazard and Mizuho Kazami in Onegai Teacher.
Her elder sister's name is Yayoi Inoue.
Does the Japanese dub voice over for actress Lea Thompson.
