Kaoru Sakura

Kaoru Sakura
佐倉薫
Born (1990-09-29) 29 September 1990 (age 34)
Occupations
  • Voice actress
  • singer
Years active2011–present
EmployerRemax
Notable work

Kaoru Sakura (Japanese: 佐倉 薫, Hepburn: Sakura Kaoru, born 29 September 1990) is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Yamaguchi Prefecture, affiliated with Remax.[1] She is known for voicing Witch in the Puyo Puyo video game series, Nagi Kobotoke in Chunithm and its spinoff Irodorimidori, Koharun in The Lost Village, Chitose Kurosaki in The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, and Eru Amami in D Cide Traumerei.

Biography

Kaoru Sakura, a native of Shūnan, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was born on 29 September 1990.[1][2][3] She was part of a broadcasting club with only two members while in junior high school.[4] She decided to start a voice acting career because after playing the visual novel Kamaitachi no Yoru, she thought it would be interesting if it had dialogue, which the game lacks due to being a Super Nintendo Entertainment System game.[4] She was educated at Remax Attached Training School, and her first starring role was in the 2014 American film Ask Me Anything; she later recalled that she had done the job with Yōko Honna.[4]

In 2011, Sakura began voicing Witch in the Puyo Puyo video game series. The producer of Puyo Puyo, Mizuki Hosoyamada, remarked that she mistook Sakura for Witch the first time he heard her voice, and Sakura herself listened to every other voice of Witch in order to protect the fandom's illusion toward Witch.[5] She also regularly appears on the Puyo Puyo Channel and Puyo Quest Namahōsō Niconico channels, and she often mentions that she is the same age as the Puyo Puyo series.[3]

Sakura voices Chitose Kurosaki in The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, a sub-franchise in The Idolmaster franchise.[6] Since then, she has performed as a singer on several Idolmaster music releases, including the 2020 single "The Idolmaster Cinderella Starlight Master for the Next! 01: True Colors" and the 2021 single "The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls Starlight Master 38: Fascinate" (which both charted at #7 in the Oricon Singles Chart).[7][8]

Sakura voices Nagi Kobotoke, the fictional keyboardist for the in-universe band Irodorimidori in Chunithm,[9] and she reprised her role in the 2022 Irodorimidori anime.[10] She also starred as Koharun in The Lost Village (2016), Chiko Sekino in Dropout Idol Fruit Tart (2020), Eru Amami in D Cide Traumerei (2021).[11][12][13]

In addition to voice acting, Sakura appears in music videos and works as a parts model [ja].[4] Originally working in video production prior to her voice acting debut, her first job was on TV Asahi's late-night variety show SmaSTATION!!  [ja].[4] In November 2017, as part of Moe Summit [ja] 7, she was appointed as station master-for-a-day at Tokuyama Station.[2]

One of Sakura's special skills is archery,[1] having been part of an archery club in high school.[4] Another of her special skills is swimming,[1] having practiced the hobby since kindergarten.[4]

Filmography

Animated television

Year Title Role Ref.
2013 Kurokan Hitomi Kunieda [1]
2015 Dance with Devils female student, etc. [1]
2015 Durarara!! female clerk [1]
2016 The Lost Village Koharun [11]
2017 Anonymous Noise woman 3 [1]
2017 Grimoire of Zero beautiful woman B, Magic Corps member A [1]
2017 Hinako Note woman, clerk [1]
2017 Scum's Wish elementary school student A, female student [1]
2019 Outburst Dreamer Boys Kujuku Tsukiho, Kujuku Haruka [1]
2019 Rifle Is Beautiful Takae Tachibana [1]
2019 The Quintessential Quintuplets Otori [1]
2020 D4DJ First Mix [1]
2020 Dropout Idol Fruit Tart Chiko Sekino [12]
2020 Interspecies Reviewers Miss Clula [1]
2021 D Cide Traumerei Eru Amami [13]
2022 Irodorimidori Nagi Kobotoke [10]

Animated film

Year Title Role Ref.
2009 Mai Mai Miracle high school girl [1]
2016 Pop in Q Jerry, etc. [1]

Original video animation

Year Title Role Ref.
2012 Saikyō Jump Spy Penguin lady [1]
2014 Sakura Cupusule Mahiru's senpai [1]

Original net animation

Year Title Role Ref.
2012 Yahabee Kagome [1]
2013 Double Hard Mai Sugiura [1]
2013 Tomotoon! Sakura Taisen female customer [1]
2016 Jewelpet: Attack Chance?! Ruri [1]
2019 The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls 8th Anniversary Special Project: Spin-off! Chitose Kurosaki [6]

Video games

Year Title Role Ref.
2011 Puyo Puyo Witch, Sylph [1]
2013 Mugen Souls Z Sharefull [1]
2014 Sword Art Online: Code Register Aya [1]
2015 Chunithm Nagi Kotoboke [9]
2015 Durarara!! Relay Saika, high school girl, others [1]
2015 Trillion: God of Destruction rabbit maid [1]
2016 Genkai Tokki: Seven Pirates Neko [1]
2016 Shadowverse Isabelle [1]
2016 Summon Night 6 Claret [1]
2018 Shōjo Kageki Revue Starlight: Re LIVE Elle Nishino [1]
2019 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Natsuno Minami [14]
2019 The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls Chitose Kurosaki [1]
2020 Arknights Andreana [1]
2020 Last Period Teonia, Alicia [1]
2021 D Cide Traumerei Eru Amami [1]
2021 Touhou Danmaku Kagura Reisen Udongein Inaba [1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al "佐倉 薫". Remax (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b "周南で「萌えサミット」 徳山駅1日駅長に声優・佐倉薫さん". Shunan Keizai Shimbun. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b Sasa, Izumirobo (8 February 2015). "『ぷよぷよ』シリーズ24周年記念番組 "ぷよきねんテレビ"公開生放送は大盛況!!". Famitsu (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Sakura, Kaoru (20 July 2016). "「佐倉薫」声優インタビュー＆ミニグラビア【声優図鑑】". Seiyū Zukan (Interview). Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  5. ^ "主人公3人とウィッチが登場！ 園崎未恵さん、菊池志穂さん、今井麻美さん、佐倉薫さんが集合した『ぷよぷよ』ステージ". Dengeki Online (in Japanese). 17 September 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b Loo, Egan (10 November 2019). "The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Gets 'Spin-off!' Anime Promo Short". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  7. ^ "THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS STARLIGHT MASTER for the NEXT!01 TRUE COLORS". Oricon News. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  8. ^ "THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS STARLIGHT MASTER 38 Fascinate". Oricon News. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  9. ^ a b Loveridge, Lynzee (20 July 2015). "Trigger Animates Music Video for Sega's Chunithm Rhythm Game". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  10. ^ a b Pineda, Rafael Antonio (1 November 2021). "Frontwing Produces Short Anime for Chunithm's Irodorimidori Music Group". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  11. ^ a b Hodgkins, Crystalyn (4 February 2016). "Mayoiga Original TV Anime Stars Kōdai Sakai, Yuka Aisaka". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  12. ^ a b Sherman, Jennifer (27 April 2020). "Dropout Idol Fruit Tart TV Anime Reveals Additional Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  13. ^ a b Pineda, Rafael Antonio (16 March 2021). "Bushiroad, Sumzap, Drecom Unveil D_Cide Traumerei Project With Game, TV Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  14. ^ Luster, Joseph (10 November 2020). "13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim Lines Up 1st Anniversary Live Stream". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 3 March 2024.