is a Japanese voice actress, singer, lyricist and radio personality from Kita ward in Tokyo and is affiliated with self-founded Woodpark Office. One of the most prominent Japanese voice actresses since the 1990s, Hayashibara is best known for her roles in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Saber Marionette J, Magical Princess Minky Momo, Mashin Hero Wataru, Ranma ½, Cowboy Bebop, Slayers, Detective Conan, Pokémon, All Purpose Cultural Catgirl Nuku Nuku, Hello Kitty, Video Girl Ai, and Shaman King for which she also performed various OP and ED themes in both the 2001 and 2021 adaptations.
Biography
Hayashibara was born on March 30, 1967, in Kita Tokyo, Japan. She studied at a Catholic school and at one point was bullied in fifth grade. She was an active club member and participated in the Badminton, Biology, Broadcasting, Drama and English clubs. She played the role of Alice in an English language production of Alice in Wonderland. Despite qualifying as a nurse, she has never been employed in a nursing position.
On March 30, 1998, Hayashibara got married. On January 10, 2004, Hayashibara announced on her radio show that she was pregnant with her first child. On June 28 of the same year, she gave birth to her daughter via caesarian section.
Voice acting On the same day as submitting the application for nursing school, Hayashibara went to a book store and found an advert offering free anime voice acting auditions at Arts Vision. Several months after submitting a demo tape, she received a confirmation of passing the first stage of the audition, and eventually decided to continue training as a nurse while doing voice acting. In 1986, after a year of voice actor training, Hayashibara was chosen to voice small roles on Maison Ikkoku. Initially, she had difficulty with her lines and had to redo many lines after the main recording sessions. Hayashibara later auditioned for Ranma ½ expecting to be cast as Akane Tendo, but was cast as the female half of Ranma Saotome instead. In 1993 and 1995, Hayashibara was a guest at Anime America. At the 1995 event, she decided to give a speech in English after believing the translation at the 1993 event did not reflect what she had said. In 1995, Hayashibara provided the voice of Rei Ayanami in Neon Genesis Evangelion, a role referred to as "innovative casting".
In addition to voicing Jessie of Team Rocket in Pokémon, Hayashibara has also voiced Ash's Pidgeotto and Pidgeot, May's Skitty, Whitney's Miltank, Clair's Dratini and Dragonair, Latios, Latias, and Anabel's Espeon in both the Japanese and English-language versions of the anime. She also provides the voice for Ai Haibara in the ongoing anime series, Detective Conan.
While Hayashibara rarely voices male characters, she voiced as Shuichi Saihara in Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony due to her deep and vast experience connected to detective characters. She has actually helped the team on making Shuichi more detective-like.
In 2001, Hayashibara was cast as Anna Kyoyama in the anime adaptation of the shonen series Shaman King, while also performing the opening themes "Over Soul" and "Northern Lights". Twenty years later she reprised her role as Anna in the 2021 remake and performed the first opening theme, "Soul Salvation", and the first ending theme, "Boku no Yubisaki". "Over Soul" was used as the credits song for episode 5. Hayashibara's 2010 song "Osorezan Revoir" would also be used as the ending theme of episode 33, which concluded the Osorezan Revoir arc of the story.
DJ While at nursing school, Hayashibara started a temporary job as a DJ at a local ice skating rink. After becoming better known as a voice actress, she was given her own radio show, Heartful Station. After 17 shows, the broadcasting station cancelled the show and other anime related programming to concentrate on traditional music. However, six months later, Hayashibara started a new radio show at another broadcaster.
Writing Hayashibara wrote a series of manga for Anime V magazine, with artwork by Sakura Asagi. The comics, known as "Megumi-Toons", talked about her personal life and career. The individual chapters were collected into the book , which has been reprinted several times. Hayashibara has also contributed two columns to Newtype magazine; Aitakute Aitakute, and Speaking in Character. Aitakute Aitakute is a series of interviews conducted by Hayashibara with people from all walks of life. Three compilations of the column have been published. Speaking in Character has been translated into English for Newtype USA.
In February 2021, Yen Press announced the release of Hayashibara's memoir The Characters Taught Me Everything: Living Life One Episode at a Time, in which she examines her career and the ways the characters she portrayed in various anime series affected it. The book is currently available for digital release, with the physical release slated for August 2021.
Filmography Television animation Year Title Role Notes Ref 1986 Maison Ikkoku Various roles 1988 Osomatsu-kun Todomatsu Mashin Hero Wataru Himiko Shinobibe Moeru! Oniisan Kaede 1989 Chinpui Eri Kasuga City Hunter Misuzu Alfred J. Kwak Alfred J. Kwak Madō King Granzort Patlabor: The TV Series Momoko Sakurayama Ranma ½ Ranma Saotome (female and childhood) Tenkuu Senki Shurato Naraou Renge 1990 Idol Angel Yokoso Yoko Saki Yamamori Kyatto Ninden Teyandee Chomoranma #1/2 Heisei Tensai Bakabon Bakabon 1991 Kinkyū Hasshin Saver Kids Seira Magical Princess Minky Momo Minky Momo Second series Zettai Muteki Raijin-Oh Yū Izumi, Ruruko Himeki, Falzeb, Kozue Yamaguchi, Asuka's mother, Yoppā's mother 1992 Flanders no Inu, Boku no Patrasche Nero Floral Magician Mary Bell Mory Tekkaman Blade Aki Kisaragi YuYu Hakusho Genkai (young) 1993 Nekketsu Saikyo Gozaurer Hiromi Tachibana, Erika Kozu, Harue Yamamoto 1994 Blue Seed Momiji Fujimiya Mizuki Tateno DNA² Tomoko Saeki Macross Plus Lucy McMillan Tico of the Seven Seas Nanami Simpson 1995 Neon Genesis Evangelion Rei Ayanami, Yui Ikari, Penpen, Unit 01 Slayers Lina Inverse Sorcerer Hunters Tira Misu 1996 Detective Conan Shiho Miyano (Ai Haibara) Slayers Next Lina Inverse Saber Marionette J Lime 1997 Pokémon Musashi (Jessie), Rumika (Jessiebelle), Mutsuko (Cindy), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Pigeon (Ash's Pidgeotto), Satoshi's Pigeot (Ash's Pidgeot) Saber Marionette J Again Lime Slayers Try Lina Inverse The Puzzling Challenge Letter of the Mysterious Thief Dorapan Wang Dora 1998 All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku TV Atsuko Natsume Cowboy Bebop Faye Valentine Cyber Team in Akihabara Tsubame Otorii Lost Universe Canal Vorfeed Saber Marionette J to X Lime Shadow Skill Elle Regu 1999 Pokémon: Adventures on the Orange Islands Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Pigeon/Pidgeot (Ash's Pidgeotto/Pidgeot) Pokémon: The Johto Journeys Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Gomazou (Ash's Phanpy), Akane's Miltank (Whitney's Miltank), Ibuki's Miniryu/Hakuryu (Clair's Dratini/Dragonair), Silver Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko Madoka Midou 2000 Love Hina Haruka Urashima Mewtwo! I Am Here Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Pikachutwo Invincible King Tri-Zenon Kana Uryuu 2001 Shaman King Anna Kyoyama, Opacho Tales of Eternia: The Animation Marone Bluecarno 2002 Cheeky Angel Megumi Amatsuka Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat Piyoko Pokémon Chronicles Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Gomazou (Ash's Phanpy) Pokémon: Advanced Generation Musashi (Jessie), Hoenn Pokédex, Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Gomazou (Ash's Phanpy), Takeshi's Mizugorou (Brock's Mudkip), Kasumi's Ruriri (Misty's Azurill), Haruka's Eneco (May's Skitty), Haruka's Eievui (May's Eevee) 2003 Di Gi Charat Nyo! Piyoko Hitsuji no Uta Chizuna Takashiro 2005 The Law of Ueki Haruko Ueki 2004 Sergeant Keroro Rei Kinoshita Ep. 48 2006 The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon Musashi (Jessie) Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Hikozaru (Ash's Chimchar), Haruka's Glacia (May's Glaceon) Hello Kitty: Ringo no Mori no Fantasy Hello Kitty 2008 Slayers Revolution Lina Inverse 2009 Slayers Evolution-R Lina Inverse 2010 Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Tsutarja (Ash's Snivy), Cabernet's Futachimaru (Burgundy's Dewott), Joy's Tabunne (Nurse Joy's Audino) Rainbow: Nisha Rokubō no Shichinin Narrator 2011 Blue Exorcist Yuri Egin 2012 Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Season 2 Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Tsutarja (Ash's Snivy), Cabernet's Futachimaru (Burgundy's Dewott), Joy's Tabunne (Nurse Joy's Audino) 2013 Chihayafuru 2 Midori Sakurazawa Pokémon: Black & White: Adventures in Unova Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Pigeon (Ash's Pidgeotto), Satoshi's Tsutarja (Ash's Snivy), Joy's Tabunne (Nurse Joy's Audino) Pokémon: Black & White: Adventures in Unova and Beyond Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Tsutarja (Ash's Snivy), Joy's Tabunne (Nurse Joy's Audino) Pocket Monsters: XY Musashi (Jessie), Serena's Fokko/Tairenar (Serena's Fennekin/Braixen), Florges 2014 Insufficient Direction Ronpāsu Magic Kaito 1412 Ai Haibara One Piece Rebecca Wildernuts Ludo Space Dandy Pine-Pine Sword Art Online II Kyouko Yuuki/Erika Cross Ange Sophia Ikaruga Misurugi 2015 Pocket Monsters: XY&Z Musashi (Jessie), Serena's Tairenar (Serena's Braixen), Florges 2016 Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū Miyokichi Ushio and Tora Hakumen no Mono Sengoku Chōjū Giga Narrator Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon Musashi (Jessie), Satoshi's Fushigidane (Ash's Bulbasaur), Satoshi's Mokuroh (Ash's Rowlet), Satoshi's Iwanko (Ash's Rockruff) 2017 Onihei Hankachō Ofusa Episode 2 The Dragon Dentist Shibana Natsume Rin-ne Otome Rokudō 2018 FLCL Progressive Haruha Raharu Karakuri Circus Shirogane (Éléonore) Saiga, Francine, Angelina Saiga, Doll Francine, Fake Doll Francine 2019 Carole & Tuesday Flora Pokémon Journeys: The Series Musashi (Jessie), Goh's Scorbunny/Raboot/Cinderace 2020 Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 Takashi Shimamura 2021 Shaman King (2021) Anna Kyoyama, Opacho Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut Irina Luminesk 2022 Detective Conan: The Culprit Hanzawa Ai Haibara Reiwa no Di Gi Charat Piyocola Analogue III 2024 Ranma ½ Ranma Saotome (female) 2025LazarusHersch2026Jujutsu KaisenKaori Itadori
Original video animation (OVA) Year Title Role(s) Notes Ref 1989 Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket Christina Mackenzie Riding Bean Carrie 1991 3×3 Eyes Pai Ayanokoji/Sanjiyan Unkara 1992 Video Girl Ai Ai Amano Bannō Bunka Nekomusume Atsuko 'Nuku Nuku' Natsume 1993 Bad Boys Kumi Yoshimoto 1994 Minky Momo: Tabidachi no Eki Momo Tekkaman Blade II Aki Macross Plus Lucy Macmillan 1995 3×3 Eyes Seima Densetsu Pai Saber Marionette R Lime 1996Starship Girl Yamamoto YohkoMadoka MidouBlue Seed 2Momiji FujimiyaSlayers SpecialsLina InverseShadow SkillElle RaguBakuretsu HuntersTira Misu1997Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko IIMadoka MidouSaber Marionette J AgainLime1998Queen EmeraldasHiroshi UminoAll Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku Nuku DASH!Atsuko HiguchiSlayers ExcellentLina Inverse
Anime films