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Describe Saeko Shimazu here! Right now! Ohohohohoho!
Mrs. Saeko Shimazu 島津 冴子 (born Yasuyo Okawara in 1959 in Tokyo) is a prolific seiyū from Isehara. As many others, she first had Naive Everygirl roles, then started branching into more varied archetypes. Her breaching, however, took her to frequently switch to the Yandere or Dark Action Girl types. Also, she's credited to have voice roles in almost all the Rumiko Takahashi works - just look below.
Beginning as a theater actress with a few live-action TV roles, Shimazu only began voice acting at her manager's suggestion, previously being unaware that one could make a living that way. She debuted in the Time Bokan series Otasukeman in 1981, then turned her focus to voice acting and hit the big time as Shinobu in Urusei Yatsura, a role she would play for the next 27 years. She also has a decent singing voice - she didn't get to play a pop star in Creamy Mami for nothing - and released an album of her own, Velvet Moon, in 1993, in addition to recording image songs for her characters in Ranma 1/2, Sakura Wars etc.
Since she didn't have many major roles in the 90's and later, Mrs. Shimazu was believed to be retired by many people. That prompted the people in charge of the Zeta Gundam movies to replace her with Yukana, which brought the latter lots of insults coming from the Fan Dumb. Huh. (Yoshiyuki Tomino claimed the show's staff were unable to get in touch with her, though he had intended for Shimazu to play the role.)
In recent years, Shimazu has hosted her own podcast, Saeko Shimazu's Voice Stories, which is sponsored by her fan club. She remains active, though most of her roles since the mid-2000s have been for video games.
Some of Saeko Shimazu's roles include:[]
- Shinobu Miyake from Urusei Yatsura (first RT role), 1981 to 2008. Darrin'd by Maaya Uchida in the 2020s anime reboot.
- Sayoko Kuroki from Maison Ikkoku (second role)
- Kodachi Kuno from Ranma One Half (third role), 1989 to 2008. Darrin'd by Ayane Sakura in the 2024 reboot.
- Princess Abi from Inuyasha (... see the pattern here?)
- Four Murasame from Zeta Gundam. As mentioned above, replaced by Yukana.
- Glycine from Sakura Taisen
- Miz Mishtal from El Hazard
- Yuri from the original Dirty Pair media. Replaced by Mariko Kouda.
- Saeko Mizuki in the Glass Mask OAV.
- Madoka Ayukawa in the Kimagure Orange Road pilot episode. Replaced by Hiromi Tsuru.
- Megumi in Creamy Mami.
- Rag Rawro in Xabungle
- Akiko Natsume in Nuku Nuku.
- Luna Rossa in Dancougar
- Fortuna in Tales of Destiny 2
- The Sexy Lady (Kirei na Onee-san) in Yarudora series vol.2: Kisetsu o Dakishimete