Tomoko Kawakami (川上 とも子 Kawakami Tomoko, April 25, 1970 – June 9, 2011) was a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo, Japan. She graduated from the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music, and was affiliated with Production Baobab at the time of her death. She was best known for voicing characters such as Utena Tenjō (Revolutionary Girl Utena), Hikaru Shindō (Hikaru no Go), Fuyuki Hinata (Sgt. Frog), Akane Motomiya (Harukanaru Toki no Naka de), Ai Mori (The Law of Ueki), Rosette Christopher (Chrono Crusade) and Miu Furinji (Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple).
In August 2008, Kawakami was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which required surgery. She took 20 months of sick leave, during which time she was replaced by other actresses in most of her ongoing roles, though Kawakami was able to continue some of her roles during her illness. The cancer eventually led to her death on June 9, 2011 at 4:45 P.M. She was 41 years old at the time of her death.
Dub Actors[]
| Actor | No. of Roles | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Rachael Lillis | 4 | 
|
| Luci Christian | 3 |
|
| Rebecca Forstadt | 3 |
|
| Christine Auten | 2 |
|
| Maria Darling | 2 | 
|
| Dorothy Elias-Fahn | 2 |
|
| Amber Hood | 2 |
|
| Rachel Preece | 2 |
|
| Cindy Robinson | 2 |
|
| Kayzie Rogers | 2 |
|
| Stephanie Sheh | 2 |
|
| Karen Strassman | 2 |
|
| Tia Ballard | 1 |
|
| Maggie Blue O'Hara | 1 | 
|
| Heather Bryson | 1 |
|
| Jessica Calvello | 1 |
|
| Christiane Crawford | 1 |
|
| Melissa Cybele | 1 |
|
| Melissa Davis | 1 |
|
| Tiffany Grant | 1 |
|
| Christy Greene | 1 |
|
| Hilary Haag | 1 |
|
| Jennifer Hale | 1 |
|
| Autumn Harvest | 1 |
|
| Sarah Hauser | 1 | 
|
| Junie Hoang | 1 |
|
| Bridget Hoffman | 1 |
|
| Rebecca Honig | 1 |
|
| Carol Jacobanis | 1 |
|
| Michele Knotz | 1 |
|
| Diana Kou | 1 |
|
| Amanda Winn Lee | 1 |
|
| Mela Lee | 1 |
|
| Wendee Lee | 1 |
|
| Lalainia Lindbjerg | 1 |
|
| Julie Maddalena | 1 |
|
| Natasha Malinsky | 1 |
|
| M.J. McCann | 1 |
|
| Meredith McCoy | 1 |
|
| Beth McGowan | 1 |
|
| Jillian Michaels | 1 |
|
| Stephanie Morgenstern | 1 |
|
| Michelle Newman | 1 |
|
| Brina Palencia | 1 |
|
| Stacie Lynn Renna | 1 |
|
| Monica Rial | 1 |
|
| Katie Rowan | 1 |
|
| Carrie Savage | 1 |
|
| Dina Sherman | 1 |
|
| Peggy Small | 1 |
|
| Casey Strand | 1 |
|
| Allison Sumrall | 1 |
|
| Hilary Thomas | 1 |
|
| Claudia Thompson | 1 |
|
| Marc Thompson | 1 |
|
| Larissa Wolcott | 1 |
|
| Kimberly Yates | 1 |
|
Filmography[]
| Year | Character | Title | Dub Voice | Dub Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-1997 | Ai | Martian Successor Nadesico | Kimberly Yates | United States |
| Eri Uemura | Junie Hoang | |||
| 1996-1997 | Karura | Lunatic Night | Jessica Calvello | United States |
| 1996-1997 | Pichi | Those Who Hunt Elves | Tiffany Grant | United States |
| Anette | Melissa Cybele | |||
| Emily | Heather Bryson | |||
| 1997 | Noriko Ibuki | Tokio Private Police | ¿? | United States |
| 1997 | Coo | Knights of Ramune | Autumn Harvest | United States |
| 1997-1998 | Kris Christopher | Battle Athletes | Dorothy Elias-Fahn | United States |
| Battle Athletes Victory | United States | |||
| 1997-2002 | Ayame | Pokémon | Rachael Lillis | United States |
| Takami (ep. 217) |
Carol Jacobanis | |||
| 1997 | Utena Tenjō | Revolutionary Girl Utena | Rachael Lillis | United States |
| 1998-2000 | Rika Sasaki | Cardcaptor Sakura | ¿? | Canada |
| Sarah Hauser (eps. 1-46) |
Hong Kong | |||
| Claudia Thompson (eps. 47-70) | ||||
| 1998 | Hanmyo | Outlaw Star | Rebecca Forstadt | United States |
| 1998-1999 | Jannis | Spaceship Agga Ruter | Stacie Lynn Renna | United States |
| 1999 | Natsumi | Ape Escape | Christiane Crawford | United States |
| ¿? | United Kingdom | |||
| Charu | Peggy Small | United States | ||
| ¿? | United Kingdom | |||
| 1999 | Ritsuko Fuchi | Betterman | Christy Greene | Canada |
| Seeme | M.J. McCann | |||
| 1999 | Michelle | Gundress | Bridget Hoffman | United States |
| 1999 | Noelle | I'm Gonna Be An Angel! | Diana Kou | United States |
| 1999 | Ayame | Power Stone | Stephanie Morgenstern | Canada |
| 1999-2000 | Licorice Nielsen | Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: Revenge | Luci Christian | United States |
| 1999-2000 | Eiko Kichijoyi | Steel Angel Kurumi | Christine Auten | United States |
| 1999 | Wakana Nanamiya | Tenamonya Voyagers | Maggie Blue O'Hara | Canada |
| 2000 | Rika Sasaki | Cardcaptor Sakura The Movie 2: The Sealed Card | Dina Sherman | United States |
| 2000 | Karna | NieA 7 | Casey Strand | United States |
| 2000-2001 | Kazusa Otonashi | Descendants of Darkness | Beth McGowan | United States |
| 2000-2004 | Kumiko Morita | Fighting Spirit | Stephanie Sheh | United States |
| 2000-2001 | Satsuki Miyanoshita | Ghost Stories | Hilary Haag | United States |
| 2000 | Eiko Kichijoyi | Steel Angel Kurumi Encore | Christine Auten | United States |
| 2001-2002 | Sugar | A Little Snow Fairy Sugar | Rebecca Forstadt | United States |
| 2001-2002 | Cynthia Finder (ep. 10) |
Cyborg 009 | Julie Maddalena | United States |
| 2001 | Hari | InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time | Lalainia Lindbjerg | Canada |
| 2001-2002 | Mina Montgomery | Shaman King | Michelle Newman | United States |
| Pilika Usui | Rachael Lillis | |||
| 2002 | Natsumi | Ape Escape 2 | Rachel Preece | United Kingdom |
| Rachael Lillis | United States | |||
| 2002-2003 | Princess Pride | MegaMan NT Warrior | Jillian Michaels | Canada |
| 2002-2006 | Kazuchi (eps. 38, 52) |
Pokémon Advanced Generation | Rebecca Honig | United States |
| 2002-2003 | Rangyoku | The Twelve Kingdoms | Mela Lee | United States |
| 2003 | Sugar | A Little Snow Fairy Sugar Summer Special | Rebecca Forstadt | United States |
| 2003 | Yukiko Kawasaki | Dear Boys | Katie Rowan | Canada |
| 2003 | Margaret | Early Reins | Stephanie Sheh | United States |
| 2003-2004 | Kyle (ep. 9) | Fullmetal Alchemist | Meredith McCoy | United States |
| 2003-2004 | Lirin | Saiyuki Reload | Cindy Robinson | United States |
| 2004 | Natsumi | Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed | Wendee Lee | United States |
| Charu | Amanda Winn Lee | |||
| 2004-2012 | Soi Fong (1st voice; eps. 24-182) |
Bleach | Karen Strassman | United States |
| 2004 | Mariko | Elfen Lied | Luci Christian | United States |
| 2004 | Lirin | Saiyuki Reload Gunlock | Cindy Robinson | United States |
| 2005 | Misuzu Kamio | Air | Monica Rial | United States |
| 2005 | Natsumi | Ape Escape: On the Loose | Amber Hood | United States |
| Maria Darling | United Kingdom | |||
| Charu | Jennifer Hale | United States | ||
| Maria Darling | United Kingdom | |||
| Natsumi | Ape Escape 3 | Amber Hood | United States | |
| Rachel Preece | United Kingdom | |||
| 2005-2006 | Aya Kuroda (ep. 1) |
Hell Girl | Luci Christian | United States |
| 2005-2006 | Aki (ep. 21) |
Mushi-Shi | Larissa Wolcott | United States |
| 2005 | Elise Wasmayer | Trinity Blood | Brina Palencia | United States |
| 2006-2007 | Miu Furinji | Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple | Carrie Savage | United States |
| 2006-2010 | Sinnoh Pokédex (eps. 1-101) |
Pokémon Diamond & Pearl | Michele Knotz | United States |
| Momoan (eps. 11-95) |
Hilary Thomas | |||
| Yumomi's Mother (ep. 63) |
Kayzie Rogers | |||
| Mitsuki (ep. 90) |
Marc Thompson | |||
| Female Galactic Gang Grunt (ep. 96) |
Natasha Malinsky | |||
| Aoi's Mother (ep. 98) |
Kayzie Rogers | |||
| 2007 | Kasagoi | Blue Drop | Allison Sumrall | United States |
| 2007-2008 | Illusionary Girl | Clannad | Melissa Davis | United States |
| 2007 | Elise | Nodame Cantabile | Karen Strassman | United States |
| 2007-2008 | Karendayu (ep. 3) |
Tsubasa: Tokyo Revelations | Tia Ballard | United States |
Trivia[]
- Due to Tomoko Kawakami's cancer diagnosis and her death in 2011 some of her ongoing roles were recast.
- Satsuki Yukino replaced Kawakami as Buneary, Marian and the Pokedex in Pokémon Diamond & Pearl from episodes 102 to 191.
- Hōko Kuwashima replaced Kawakami as Fuyuki Hinata in Sgt. Frog, Starting with episode 232 onwards. Kuwashima also replaced her as Suì-Fēng in Bleach, starting with episode 206 onwards.
- Rie Kugimiya replaced Kawakami as Miu Fūrinji in Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple - The Attack of Darkness, the 2012 OVA of Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple.
- Asami Sanada replaced Kawakami as Sayuri Kurata and Misuzu Kamio for Kaginado.
- Rina Hidaka replaced Kawakami as Pirika Usui in Shaman King (2021).
- Saki Fujita replaced Kawakami as Rita Sasaki in Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card.