Megumi Hayashibara | |
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Born | March 30, 1967 Tokyo, Japan |
Other names | MEGUMI (as a lyricist), Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, Daijin |
Occupation | Voice actress, singer, radio personality, lyricist, nurse |
Years active | 1986–present |
Spouse | Unknown |
Website | |
http://www.starchild.co.jp/artist/hayashi/ |
Megumi Hayashibara (林原 めぐみ Hayashibara Megumi ) (born March 30, 1967) is a Japanese voice actress, singer, radio personality, and lyricist from Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with Aksent. Her nicknames include: Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, and Daijin. She is best known for her roles in Ranma ½, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop, Slayers, Detective Conan, Pokémon, All Purpose Cultural Catgirl Nuku Nuku and Shaman King. She is also a fully qualified and registered nurse.[1]
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Megumi Hayashibara was born on March 30, 1967 in Tokyo, Japan.[2] She studied at a Catholic school, and at one point was bullied in fifth grade.[3] 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.[4] Despite qualifying as a nurse, she has never been employed in a nursing position.[5]
On March 30, 1998, she married.[6] On January 10, 2004, she announced on her radio show that she was pregnant with her first child.[7] On June 28 of the same year, she gave birth to a daughter.
On the same day as submitting the application for nursing school, she 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.[8][9] After a year of voice actor training, Hayashibara was chosen to voice small roles on Maison Ikkoku.[10] Initially, she had difficulty with her lines and had to redo many lines after the main recording sessions.[11] Hayashibara later auditioned for Ranma ½ expecting to be cast as Akane Tendo, but was cast as the female half of Ranma Saotome instead.[12] In 1993 and 1995, Hayashibara was a guest at Anime America.[13] 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.[14] In 1995, Hayashibara provided the voice of Rei Ayanami in Neon Genesis Evangelion, a role referred to as "innovative casting".[15]
In addition to voicing Musashi/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 as well as Anabel's Espeon in both the Japanese and English-language versions of the anime.
While at nursing school, she 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".[16] After 17 shows, the broadcasting station cancelled the show and other anime related programming to concentrate on traditional music. However, 6 months later, Hayashibara started a new radio show at another broadcaster.[17]
Hayashibara wrote a series of comics 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 Ashita ga aru sa (明日があるさ?, "There is always Tomorrow"), which has been reprinted several times.[18] Hayashibara has also contributed two columns to Newtype magazine; Aitakute Aitakue, 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.
Major roles are in bold
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Release Date[19] | Album[19] | Catalog Number[19] | Chart Position | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
February 28, 1990 | Pulse | TYDY-5127 | 92 | Single |
March 5, 1991 | Niji-iro no Sneaker | KIDA-15 | 43 | Single |
March 21, 1991 | Half and half | KICS-100 | 45[20] | Album |
March 5, 1992 | Whatever | KICS-176 | 18[21] | Album |
June 24, 1992 | Yume wo dakishimete | KIDA-42 | 90 | Single - Magical Princess Minky Momo Theme |
August 5, 1992 | Haruneko fushigi tsukiyo -oshiete Happiness- | KIDA-45 | 49 | Single - All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku Ending |
August 5, 1992 | Perfume | KICS-215 | 13[22] | Album |
March 24, 1993 | Our Goody Day...Bokura no Good Day | KIDA-54 | 54 | Single |
August 23, 1993 | SHAMROCK | KICS-345 | 12[23] | Album |
November 26, 1993 | Yume Hurry Up | KIDA-69 | 58 | Single - All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku OVA Themes |
May 25, 1994 | Until Strawberry Sherbet | KIDA-81 | 42 | Single - contains themes for Bakuretsu Hunter |
November 3, 1994 | Touch and Go!! | KIDA-90 | 37 | Single - Contain themes for the show Blue Seed |
December 21, 1994 | Pulse | TYCY-5413 | 84 | Single (re-release) |
July 2, 1994 | SpHERE | KICS-430 | 8[24] | Album |
March 3, 1995 | Enfleurage | KICS-475 | 6[25] | Album |
July 21, 1995 | Midnight Blue | KIDA-108 | 27 | Single - Slayers the Motion Picture Theme |
December 6, 1995 | Going History | KIDA-124 | 25 | Single - Slayers EXTRA Theme |
April 24, 1996 | Give a reason | KIDA-128 | 9 | Single - Slayers Next Theme |
May 22, 1996 | Kagirinai Yokubou no Naka ni | KIDA-134 | 20 | Single - Slayers Special OVA Theme |
July 5, 1996 | Just be conscious | KIDA-b36 | 11 | Single - Slayers Return Theme |
October 23, 1996 | Successful Mission | KIDA-138 | 7 | Single - Contains themes for Saber Marionette J |
November 1, 1996 | bertemu | KICS-590 | 3[26] | Album |
April 23, 1997 | Don't Be Discouraged | KIDA-148 | 4 | Single - Slayers Try Ending |
August 6, 1997 | Iráváti | KICS-640 | 5 [27] | Album |
July 2, 1997 | Reflection | KIDA-154 | 7 | Single - Slayers Great Theme |
February 4, 1998 | Fine Colorday | KIDA-158 | 9 | Single - Contains themes for the show All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku |
April 24, 1998 | ~infinity~ | KIDA-161 | 8 | Single Lost Universe Theme |
July 3, 1998 | Raging Waves | KIDA-163 | 8 | Single - Slayers Gorgeous Theme |
September 4, 1998 | A House Cat | KIDA-165 | 6 | Single - Contains themes to the show All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku |
October 10, 1998 | Proof of myself | KIDA-170 | 9 | Single Saber Marionette J to X Theme |
May 28, 1999 | Question at Me | KIDA-180 | 13 | Single |
October 27, 1999 | FUWARI (ふわり) | KICS-755 | 5[28] | Album |
December 3, 1999 | Booska! Booska!! | KIDA-190 | 50 | Single |
April 26, 2000 | Vintage S | KICS-790 | 6 [29] | Greatest Hits compilation |
May 24, 2000 | Sakura Saku | KICA-506 | 7 | Single - Contains Love Hina Themes |
June 21, 2000 | Vintage A | KICS-810 | 4[30] | Greatest Hits compilation |
October 25, 2000 | unsteady | KIDA-204 | 14 | Single - Contains themes from Muteki-O Trizenon |
July 21, 2001 | Maemuki Roketto-dan | ZMCP-1259 | 62 | Pocket Monsters 12th ending single. |
August 29, 2001 | Over Soul | KICM-3016 | 7 | Single - Shaman King Themes |
December 29, 2001 | Brave Heart | KICM-3021 | 11 | Single - Shaman King related |
December 5, 2001 | feel well | KICM-3020 | 11 | Single - Slayers Premium Theme |
March 27, 2002 | Northern Lights | KICM-3027 | 3 | Single - Shaman King Theme |
April 24, 2002 | Treat or Goblins | KICM-3030 | 19 | Single |
June 26, 2002 | feel well | KICS-955 | 7[31] | Album |
September 25, 2002 | KOIBUMI | KICM-3035 | 7 | Single |
September 26, 2003 | Makenaide Makenaide | KICM-1083 | 8 | Single - Contains the themes for Hayashibara's radio show Heartfull Station |
January 7, 2004 | Center Color | KICS-1070 | 10[32] | Album |
July 26, 2006 | Meet again | KICM-1164 | 12 | Single - Made in commemoration of Slayers' 10th anniversary |
February 7, 2007 | A Happy Life | KICM-1196 | 12 | Single - Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! Themes |
April 21, 2007 | Plain | KICS-1303 | 18[33] | Album |
April 21, 2007 | Tanoshii Douyou | KICG-53~55 | 70[34] | |
June 25, 2008 | Slayers MEGUMIX | KICA-916~918 | 14[35] | Collection of Slayers Theme Songs and remixes |
July 23, 2008 | Plenty of grit | KICM-1245 | 6 | Single - Slayers Revolution Opening/Ending |
February 18, 2009 | Front Breaking | KICM-1268 | 15 | Single - Slayers Evolution-R Opening/Ending |
April 22, 2009 | Shuuketsu no sono he | KICM-1271 | 7 | Single - Neon Genesis Evangelion related (CR Shin Seiki Evangelion -Saigo no Shisha-) |
October 4, 2009 | MOE FIRE | NMAX-80005 | Mini Album | |
July 21, 2010 | CHOICE | KICS-91548 | 6 | Album |
July 21, 2010 | Shuuketsu no sadame | KICM-1310 | 6 | Single |
June 11, 2011 | VINTAGE White | KICS-91670 | 9 | Greatest Hits compilation |