Yūko Mizutani


Yūko Mizutani was a Japanese actress, voice actress, narrator and singer from Ama District, Aichi. Throughout her career, she worked with Production Baobab, and was working with Aoni Production at the time of her death. Mizutani was best known for her anime voice roles of Sakiko Sakura in Chibi Maruko-chan, Mihoshi Kuramitsu in Tenchi Muyo! and Pinoko in Black Jack. She also portrayed Excellen Browning in Super Robot Wars, Sora Takenouchi in Digimon Adventure, Leina Stol in , and Sarah Zabiarov and Cheimin Noa in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. Mizutani was the official Japanese voice actress for Minnie Mouse, and voiced her in the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

Career

After graduating from the Institute for Youth Theater in 1985, Mizutani was signed to the Seinenza Theater Company's talent agency until 1989. She debuted in 1985 as an airfield announcer for Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam while appearing on television in TV dramas. After playing the role of Sarah Zabiarov in Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, her portrayals of Leina Stol in and Apple in Zillion were highly praised and her popularity grew. In 1988, she starred as Hiromi Oka in Aim for the Ace! 2.
Since 1989, Mizutani had been the official voice of Disney's Minnie Mouse. In addition to animation and video games at the Tokyo Disney Resort, she also appeared as Minnie Mouse in attractions, shows, and parades.
She voiced the role of Sakiko Sakura in the anime series Chibi Maruko-chan from 1990 until her death.
In 1993 she voiced Pinoko, Black Jack's loyal assistant/adopted daughter, in Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack OVA. She reprised the role in an anime series from 2004 to 2011.
Mizutani was cast from 1995 to 1997 as Galaxy Police detective Mihoshi Kuramitsu in Tenchi Muyo!.

Personal life

In November 1994, she married Mizuho Nishikubo.

Death

On May 17, 2016, Mizutani died as a result of breast cancer. She was 51 years old at the time of her death.

Filmography

Anime television

Live-action