Minako Kotobuki

Acting career At the age of three years, Kotobuki, along with her parents, was caught up in the Great Hanshin earthquake. Not long after having seen a 1997 Japanese film entitled Chikyuu ga Ugoita Hi ("The Day the Earth Moved"), all of these events inspired Kotobuki to pursue her career as a voice actress.

Kotobuki played Tsumugi Kotobuki in K-On!, Karina Lyle/Blue Rose in Tiger & Bunny, Mizuki Kanzaki in Aikatsu!, Rikka Hishikawa/Cure Diamond in DokiDoki! PreCure, Mitsuko Kongō in A Certain Magical Index and A Certain Scientific Railgun, Yūko Nishi in A Channel, Lana and Cia from Hyrule Warriors, Natsumi Aizawa in Natsuiro Kiseki, Touko Nanami in Bloom Into You, Asuka Tanaka in Hibike! Euphonium and Yoriko Fukase in A Whisker Away.

Music career Kotobuki performed the opening and ending themes of the 2009 anime series K-On!, alongside Aki Toyosaki, Yōko Hikasa, Satomi Satō and Ayana Taketatsu. She performed the opening theme for Hatsukoi Limited series, with Aki Toyosaki, Ayahi Takagaki and Haruka Tomatsu. They are currently known as the musical group Sphere and released their first single, "Future Stream", on April 22, 2009.

Coupled with the release of her first album My Stride, Kotobuki had her first solo Japan-wide concert tour entitled Our Stride in 2012 spanning across four dates and venues starting from November 18 in Kobe's International House Kokusai Hall and ending on December 9 in Ōmiya's Sonic City Hall.

Kotobuki is said to be "the fastest learner on how to dance" among her peers as far as her being a member of Sphere goes so much that she even guides the other three members of Sphere on dancing. Even in singing, Kotobuki is said to learn just as fast, "a pro in harmonization" according to her fellow castmate in K-On!, Satomi Satō, and "someone who has good sense in pitch" according to one of K-Ons staff members in charge of music.

During her stint in both seasons for K-On!, she and her fellow cast members were involved in two live events, and just like the character she portrayed in K-On!, she was in charge of playing the keyboard in both occasions. She also played the keyboard on some of her own songs during her Our Stride solo concert tour and on Sphere's first 2013 live event, Music Rainbow 02. She also participated in the anime series Aikatsu! and was the voice actress of Kanzaki Mizuki.

Personal life On July 24, 2023, Kotobuki announced her marriage to a man outside of the entertainment industry.

Filmography

Live-action film 2005 Hibi – Young Kumiko Kamiyama

2006 Ghost of Yesterday – Fumiko Koufuku no Switch – Young Hitomi Hinami – Mina, Satsuki

2008 Bluebird – Michiru -x- (Minus Kakeru Minus) – Rin Fujimoto

2013 Schoolgirl Complex: Broadcasting Club Edition – Ikumi Motonishi (School teacher)

2014 Kiki's Delivery Service – Jiji Onodera no Otōto, Onodera no Ane – Asako Saitō

2019 Brave Father Online: Our Story of Final Fantasy XIV – Aru-chan (voice)

Anime series 2006 Red Garden – Student C, Grace A

2007 Kamichama Karin – Kirika (age 5)

2008 Kyōran Kazoku Nikki – Hijiri Yamaguchi Birdy the Mighty: Decode – Kanae Kitamura

2009 First Love Limited – Rika Dobashi K-On! – Tsumugi Kotobuki Mobile Suit Gundam AGE – Fram Nara Medaka Box – Nekomi Nabeshima Medaka Box Abnormal – Nekomi Nabeshima Dog Days` – Vert Far Breton Aikatsu! – Mizuki Kanzaki Inazuma Eleven Go: Chrono Stone – Jeanne d'Arc Hyouka – Henmi Tari Tari – Youko Mizuno Say I Love You – Megumi Kitagawa Sket Dance – Akina Queen's Blade Rebellion – Izumi Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere II – Gin Tachibana, Matsu Pokémon: Black & White – Stella

2013 DokiDoki! PreCure – Rikka Hishikawa/Cure Diamond Hyakka Ryōran Samurai Bride – Sen Tokugawa A Certain Scientific Railgun S – Mitsuko Kongou My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected – Minami Sagami Valvrave the Liberator – Takahi Ninomiya Tamayura: More Aggressive – Chihiro Miyoshi Ro-Kyu-Bu! SS – Natsuhi Takenaka Yuushibu – Herself

2014 Go! Go! 575 – Yuzu Yosano Saki: Zenkoku-hen – Kyōko Suehara Sekai Seifuku: Bōryaku no Zvezda – Miki Shirasagi/White Egret Baby Steps – Natsu Takasaki Pokémon XY – Ellie Majin Bone – Tomoko Ryūjin Gundam Reconguista in G – Noredo Nug Robot Girls Z – Imaichi Moenai Ko (Girl lacking in moe) Girl Friend Beta – Saya Kagurazaka Terra Formars – Rosa (Adolf's ex-wife)

2015 Baby Steps Season 2 – Natsu Takasaki Dog Days`` – Vert Far Breton Sound! Euphonium – Asuka Tanaka Punch Line – Ito Hikiotani The Seven Deadly Sins – Vivian Your Lie in April – Izumi Tokyo Ghoul √A – Ukina Akagami no Shirayukihime – Actress (ep 12) Kamisama Minarai: Himitsu no Cocotama – Konoka Yamada

2016 Time Travel Girl – Waka Mizuki Ange Vierge – Saya Sōgetsu Sound! Euphonium 2 – Asuka Tanaka Berserk – Rickert

2017 Case Closed – Eiko Ikeguchi (ep. 859) Bungo Stray Dogs OVA – Aya Re:Creators – Shunma Suruga Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor – Sera Silvers Senki Zesshō Symphogear AXZ – Saint-Germain

2018 Bloom Into You – Tōko Nanami

2019 Fairy Gone – "Sweety" Bitter Sweet 7 Seeds – Maria Miki Senki Zesshō Symphogear XV – Saint-Germain

2020 A Certain Scientific Railgun T – Mitsuko Kongō

2021 Idoly Pride – Ai Komiyama

2022 Detective Conan – Mina Katsumata Love All Play – Rika Mizushima Tiger & Bunny 2 – Karina Lyle/Blue Rose Fanfare of Adolescence – Miku Kashino Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal – Sandra

2023 Pokémon: Paldean Winds – Aliquis

2024 Tower of God 2nd Season – Khun Ran Sound! Euphonium 3 – Asuka Tanaka

2026 Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk – Kanade Gujō Kusunoki's Garden of Gods – Torika Sparks of Tomorrow – Noriko Momokawa Fool Night – Yomiko Horai

2027 LONA – Ao

Anime films 2009 Redline – Hime

2011 K-On! The Movie – Tsumugi Kotobuki Towa no Quon – Cyborg Delta AKA Hizuru Asuka Heaven's Lost Property the Movie: The Angeloid of Clockwork – Tsukino Hououin

2012 Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and White—Victini and Zekrom – Yorterrie Fuse Teppō Musume no Torimonochō – Hamaji Berserk Golden Age Arc I: The Egg of the King – Rickert Berserk Golden Age Arc II: The Battle for Doldrey – Rickert After School Midnighters – Mutsuko Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning – Karina Lyle/Blue Rose

2013 A Certain Magical Index: The Movie – The Miracle of Endymion – Mitsuko Kongou Berserk Golden Age Arc III: Descent – Rickert Dokidoki! PreCure the Movie: Mana's Getting Married!!? The Dress of Hope Tied to the Future – Rikka Hishikawa/Cure Diamond Pretty Cure All Stars New Stage 2 : Kokoro no Tomodachi – Rikka Hishikawa/Cure Diamond

2014 Tiger & Bunny: The Rising – Karina Lyle/Blue Rose Pretty Cure All Stars New Stage 3 : Eien no Tomodachi – Rikka Hishikawa/Cure Diamond Aikatsu!: The Movie – Mizuki Kanzaki

2015 Cyborg 009 Vs. Devilman – Eva Maria Parallels Tamayura: Sotsugyou Shashin – Chihiro Miyoshi

2017 Lu Over the Wall – Yuho Ebina

2018 Flavors of Youth – Yi Lin

2019 Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day – Asuka Tanaka Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll – Isabella York Hello World – Yiyi Xu

2020 A Whisker Away – Yoriko Fukase

2023 The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store – Sea Mink (Daughter)

2024 My Hero Academia: You're Next – Deborah Gorrini The Colors Within – Sumika Yatsushika

Video games 2004 Mega Man – Cinnamon 2009 Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) – Serah Farron

2010 K-On! Houkago Live!! (PSP) – Tsumugi Kotobuki Suzunone Seven! ~Rebirth Knot~ (PS2) – Mayo Shouno

2011 Final Fantasy Type-0 (PSP) – Kasumi Tobuki Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3) – Serah Farron Ro-Kyu-Bu! (PSP) – Natsuhi Takenaka A Certain Magical Index (PSP) – Mitsuko Kongou

2012 Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS) – Hitomi Tono, Nemissa YomeColle (Smartphone game) – Chifusa Manyū Girl Friend Beta (Smartphone game) – Saya Kagurazaka Mobile Suit Gundam AGE: Universe Accel / Cosmic Drive (PSP) – Fram Nara

2013 Tiger & Bunny: Heroes' Day (PSP) – Karina Lyle/Blue Rose Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere Portable (PSP) – Gin Tachibana Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) – Serah Farron Aikatsu! Futari No My Princess (3DS) – Mizuki Kanzaki

2014 Ro-Kyu-Bu!: Naisho no Shutter Chance (Vita) – Natsuhi Takenaka Suzunone Seven! Portable (PSP) – Mayo Shouno Hyrule Warriors (Wii U) – Lana, Cia Granblue Fantasy (Android, iOS, Browser) – Herja Grimoire 〜Shiritsu Grimoire Mahou Gakuen〜 (Smartphone game) – Senri Wagatsuma Heroes Placement (Smartphone game) – Obana Tonomine Aikatsu! 365 Idol Days (3DS) – Mizuki Kanzaki

2015 Persona 4: Dancing All Night (Vita) – Kanami Mashita Girl Friend Note (Smartphone rhythm game) – Saya Kagurazaka Hyrule Warriors – Lana/Cia Super Robot Wars BX – Fram Nara

2016 Hyrule Warriors Legends (3DS) – Lana, Cia Aikatsu! Photo on Stage (Smartphone game) – Mizuki Kanzaki Schoolgirl Strikers (Smartphone game) – Monica Punch Line – Ito Hikiotani Berserk and the Band of the Hawk (Multiple platforms) – Rickert

2017 Oshiro Project:RE – Tokugawa Osaka-jo Precure Tsunagaru Pazurun – Rikka Hishikawa/Cure Diamond Kirara Fantasia – Tsumugi Kotobuki, Yuuko

2018 Super Robot Wars X – Noredo Nug

2019 Gundam Extreme VS. 2 – Fram Nara, Noredo Nug

2021 Idoly Pride – Ai Komiyama Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger the Movie: The Exciting Circus Panic! – Nalia 2017 Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger vs. Ninninger the Movie: Super Sentai's Message from the Future – Nalia Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger Returns: Give Me Your Life! Earth Champion Tournament – Nalia

Theater 2014 Tanin no Me – Belinda Eclipse – Hanezu, Young Seimei

Overseas dubbing

Live-action Big Little Lies – Jane Chapman (Shailene Woodley) Byzantium – Eleanor Webb (Saoirse Ronan) Carrie – Nikki and Lizzi (Karissa and Katie Strain) The Edge of Seventeen – Nadine Franklin (Hailee Steinfeld) Gossip Girl – Ivy Dickens / Charlie Rhodes (Kaylee DeFer) Hick – Luli McMullen (Chloë Grace Moretz) I.T. – Kaitlyn Regan (Stefanie Scott) Les Misérables – Cosette (Ellie Bamber) Mindscape – Anna Greene (Taissa Farmiga) The Pillars of the Earth – Elizabeth (Skye Lourie) Priest – Lucy (Lily Collins) Safe – Mei (Catherine Chan) Stuber – Nicole Manning (Natalie Morales) Sucker Punch – Babydoll (Emily Browning) We Are Lady Parts – Amina (Anjana Vasan) The Winchesters – Latika "Lata" Desai (Nida Khurshid)

Animation Helluva Boss – Beelzebub How to Train Your Dragon — Astrid Hofferson Kpop Demon Hunters – Rumi Smurfs: The Lost Village – Smurfstorm Thunderbirds Are Go – Tanusha "Kayo" Kyrano

Discography Albums My Stride Tick Emotion

Singles "Shiny+" (September 15, 2010) "Startline" (November 24, 2010) "Dear My..." (September 14, 2011) "Kokoro Sky" (April 11, 2012) "Prism" (June 19, 2013) "Pretty Fever" (November 20, 2013) "Believe x" (Believe Cross) (April 16, 2014) "Black Hole" (April 8, 2015) "Candy Color Pop" (September 16, 2015) "Bye Bye Blue" (March 2, 2016) "Million Litmus" (December 7, 2016) "Save My World" (January 19, 2019)