Rie Kugimiya

Rie Kugimiya is a professional Japanese voice actress (seiyuu) known for her roles in many popular animes as well as several drama CDs and video games. Some of her most notable voices include Alphonse Elric (Full Metal Alchemist), Shana (Shakugan no Shana), Louise (Zero no Tsukaima) and Kagura (Gintama). You will find a list of Rie Kugimiya's roles in anime below.

While many English fans call Rie Kugimiya a "Queen of Tsundere" because she voiced so many bratty and childish tsundere girls in anime (such as Taiga Aisaka from Toradora, or previously mentioned Shana and Louise), she is in fact capable of playing a broad spectrum of voices and has acted many roles ranging from a tomboy to a soft-spoken adult. You are welcome to listen to some of them in the videos below, as well as read more about this great and very talented voice actress. Don't forget to leave a comment and vote in the poll on your way out!

Rie Kugimya was born on May 30th, 1979 in Osaka, Japan. She grew up in the city of Kumamoto which is located on the island of Kyushu, the most southwesterly island of Japan's four main ones. Her first notable role in voicing anime characters was Yukari from Excel Saga back in 1999.

Rie has been nominated for the Best Actress in Leading Role in the first Seiyu Awards (for voicing Louise in Zero no Tsukaima) back in 2007. In the second Seiyuu Awards she jointly won Best Actress in a Supporting Role together with her colleague Mitsuki Saiga. Finally, in the third Seiyu Awards, Rie Kugimiya won the Best Actress in leading role award for her skillful voicing of the adorable, yet fiery Taiga Aisaka in Toradora.

Rie Kugimya is 1.59 m tall, and her blood type is B (Japanese consider blood types to be important factors in determining personality, and they often mention them when talking about someone). Some of her funny nicknames include "Kugimi", "Kugyu" and "Kugi". Her favorite things include fairy tales, pool and strawberries. Her favorite color is light blue. Rie is also a skilled baton user. She is currently employed with a Japanese voice talent company I'm Enterprise.

The following are some of the best-known Japanese anime series where Rie Kugimiya voices the main character.

Zero no Tsukaima is a very enjoyable light fantasy, comedy, adventure and romance anime. Rie Kugimiya voices Louise: a haughty and short-tempered, yet cute and caring magician girl.

Synopsis

Louise is a young noble girl studying magic at a wizard's academy on another world. She's nicknamed "Zero" by her friends because she has very little talent for magic (or so it seems). During a ritual where second year students summon a familiar to serve them for the rest of their lives, Louise ends up calling up Saito - a completely normal teenage boy from our world. Even though she insults him, treats him like a dog, and makes him wash her frilly panties, Saito soon falls for Louise (and vice versa, although she's loath to admit it).

Shakugan no Shana is an awesome action, fantasy and romance anime packed with outstanding fighting scenes and superb soundtracks. Rie Kugimiya voices Shana - the cold and rude female lead who eventually warms up to the male protagonist Yuji.

Synopsis

A highschool student Sakai Yuji is about to learn that there is more to the world than meets the eye when he encounters a sword-wielding girl with fiery red eyes and flame colored hair. Denizens of the Crimson Realm are invading our world and it's up to the Flame Haze, Shana, to slay them.

Fullmetal Alchemist is a legendary anime, regarded by many fans as one of the best series ever created. Rie Kugimiya voices Alphonse, the younger brother of the duo. Her prodigious talent really shines in this one!

Synopsis

After two young brothers - Edward and Alphonse - attempt to resurrect their dead mother through the use of alchemy, they end up unleashing a great evil and getting gravely injured. Now they travel in search of the mythical Philosopher's Stone in order to restore their bodies.

Gintama is a rather unique anime series which combines comedy with action, sci-fi, and Japanese history. Rie Kugimya voices Kagura, a teenage, tomboyish alien girl who possesses superhuman strength.

Synopsis

Gintoki Sakata is a skilled samurai living in the feudal Japan... Except this version of the country has been taken over by aliens and is full of anachronisms like cellphones and other modern technology. Gin, along with Shimura Shinpachi and Kagura, work as freelancers doing all sorts of odd jobs, which frequently gets them into trouble.

Many fans associate Rie Kugimiya with her (in)famous tsundere roles like Shana, Louise, Taiga, Aria, Nagi, and Lotte. However, she is certainly able to bring other kind of characters to live, as evidenced by such roles as Alphonse Elric. See this Wikipedia article for a full list, which is conveniently arranged by year.

A short compilation of many different anime roles by Kugimi.

Catchy song by Rie Kugimiya.