Inoue Kikuko

Often called the voice of a Goddess, Inoue Kikuko is a very popular seiyuu mostly recognised for her very soft and gentle speaking voice.

Kikuko gained recognition from her role as Tendo Kasumi in Ranma 1/2. It was due to this role that she earned her nick name as "Onee-chan" (big sister). Her role as Belldandy in Ah! My Goddess is most known among seiyuu fans. Applying her tender angelic voice to great advantage, she was able to portray the gentleness of a pure goddess so fittingly.

Probably not as well known is Kikuko's ability to act as rougher characters. For example, Kikuko played Cyber Doll Panther in Saber Marionette J. A voice that even a experienced seiyuu fan might find it difficult to pick up. It is so much different that it's near impossible to imagine it's from the exact same person who did such gentle roles as Kasumi and Belldandy.

CC's comments (contains bias ^_^):

I admire Kikuko's ability to attract fans even though she's now in her 30s and is married with a child. ^_^;;;

Seriously though, Kikuko is a very capable seiyuu, although she is not recongised for it. While she's good, and mostly acknowledge with her gentle roles, personally I find her other roles to be more fascinating and more representative of her true abilities. Kikuko's natural speaking voice is gentle itself, so voice acting gentle roles is not of particular challenge to her, this is the very reason I find her ability to voice act characters such as Panthar to be a display of her true skills. I find it a shame that since her role as Belldandy, she had been so closely associated with gentle characters that her other roles are much neglected.