Rika Matsumoto

is a Japanese actress, voice actress, and singer who was born in Yokohama, Japan. Her name is also sometimes romanized as Rika Matsumoto. She was one of the founders of the anison band JAM Project.

After early stage work, she began both voice acting and singing careers. Her most notable role is Satoshi (Ash Ketchum in English localizations), the original main character of the anime series Pokémon. Other notable roles include Rumi Hidaka in Perfect Blue , Ryo Bakura in Yu-Gi-Oh!, Midori Kodama in Azuki Chan, and Aoi Futaba in You're Under Arrest. Matsumoto also performs the songs for many of the openings for the Japanese Pokémon anime.

Matsumoto has had lead or supporting roles in dozens of series. She has also had a radio show in Japan and does some dubbing work for translations of American films and TV series into Japanese. In April 2008, she announced in she was taking time off from JAM Project to focus on her solo work.

Filmography Television animation

Year Title Role Other notes 1988 Anpan Man Rakugaki Kozō Osomatsu-kun Choromatsu Debut role Wowser Blackie 1990 Anpan Man Piano Man Heisei Tensai Bakabon Nise Musuko, Kumada-kun, ryokan employee, lazy wife, multiple other roles Magical Angel Sweet Mint Aru, Gureamu 1991 Anpan Man Baby Donut City Hunter '91 Sonya Jankenman Soccer-kun Magical Princess Minky Momo kid B Marude Dameo Kanemochi Sugoi, young dinosaur, Prince, town girl Ochame na Futago Kerry Matchless Raijin-Oh Jin Hyuga First leading role Moero! Top Striker Julian 1992 Anpan Man Natto Man, Shūmai Musume, Medamayaki-kun The Brave Fighter of Legend Da-Garn Seiji Takasugi Calimero Pankuratcho Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger Jin Hyuga My Patrasche Jan Tekkaman Blade Rick 1993 Anpan Man Tengu Boy Mobile Suit Victory Gundam Haro, Warren Trace, Renda de Paloma Muka Muka Paradise Hazuki 1994 Akazukin Chacha Poppy-kun Tonde Burin Keiko Kuroha, Buta Session, Buta Session G Yu Yu Hakusho Kiyoshi Mitarai, Koashura 1995 Azuki-chan Midori Kodama, Yōko's mother Mama Loves the Poyopoyo-Saurus Miki Poyota Ninku Fūsuke 1996 Ganba! Fly High Mariko Sagara Kaiketsu Zorro Bernardo Magical Girl Pretty Sammy Chihiro You're Under Arrest Aoi Futaba 1997 Anpan Man Kurukuru Okoma-chan Pocket Monsters: Episode Sekiei League Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian 1998 Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden Shuringe Dokkiri Doctor Tomoko Asaoka Hikarian Hikarian Star Queen If I See You in My Dreams Namiko Isobe The Kindaichi Case Files Narumi Fuwa, Reiko Kitami Master Keaton Ilya Outlaw Star James "Jim" Hawking Trigun Kaite 1999 Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden V Witchy Hoshin Engi Raishinshi Now and Then, Here and There Sis Pocket Monsters: Episode Orange Archipelago Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian Pocket Monsters: Episode Gold & Silver Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian 2000 Case Closed Ritsuko Usui Hidamari no Ki Okon Lupin III: $1 Money Wars Sandy Fishburne Mon Colle Knights Flame Angel Mewtwo! I Am Here Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian TV special Rerere no Tensai Bakabon Momotarō, Non-chan Vandread Fanieta 2001 Captain Tsubasa Kojirō Hyūga As a boy Star Ocean EX Opera Vectra You're Under Arrest Second Season Aoi Futaba Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Ryo Bakura (Dark Bakura/Thief King Bakura) Succeeded Yo Inoue 2002 Bomberman Jetters Misty Case Closed Reiko Kujō Dragon Drive Mukai Fortune Dogs Pochi Gun Frontier Sinunora Hanada Shōnen Shi Jiro, Yōhei, Madame Katherine, Satsuki Baa-san, Yoshiko's friend Pocket Monsters Side Stories Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian Pocket Monsters: Advanced Generation Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian You're Under Arrest Aoi Futaba 2003 Astro Boy Reno Case Closed Jun Kataoka Machine Robo Rescue Chāmī Satō Ninja Scroll Nekome 2004 Gokusen Shizuka Fujiyama Gravion Zwei Dr. Barnett The Prince of Tennis Hanna 2005 Black Jack Jun, Satoru Naruto Suzume-bachi Oku-sama wa Mahō Shōjo: Bewitched Agnes Freya Paradise Kiss Koizumi-kun Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! Chiro 2006 Majime ni Fumajime Kaiketsu Zorori Mirai Saeda The Terrifying Mirage Pokémon Satoshi (Ash Ketchum) TV special Pocket Monsters: Diamond and Pearl Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian 2007 MapleStory Puudou Neuro: Supernatural Detective Ayumi Kaku (Hysteria) Sgt. Frog Yamato You're Under Arrest: Full Throttle Aoi Futaba 2008 Atashin'chi Monta 2009 Chi's Sweet Home: Chi's New Address Tora 2010 Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian 2012 Stitch! ~ Best Friends Forever ~ Zuruko (Tsuruko Sasuga) Stitch! ~ The Mischievous Alien's Great Adventure ~ Zuruko (Tsuruko Sasuga) Super Robot Wars Original Generation: The Inspector Carla Borgnine Humanity Has Declined Doc Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Season 2 Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian Stitch and the Planet of Sand Zuruko (Tsuruko Sasuga) 2013 Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Season 2: Episode N Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! Season 2: Decolora Adventure Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), Sakaki's Persian Pocket Monsters: XY Satoshi (Ash Ketchum) 2015 Panpaka Pants Silky Pocket Monsters: XY&Z Satoshi (Ash Ketchum) 2016 Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon Satoshi (Ash Ketchum) 2019 Pocket Monsters Satoshi (Ash Ketchum) 2021 Seven Knights Revolution: Hero Successor Jabe

Original video animation (OVA) Moldiver (1993) - Nozomu Ozora Dirty Pair Flash (1994–1996) - Kei Phantom Quest Corp (1994–1995) - Ayaka Kisaragi Ruin Explorers (1995–1996) - Rasha Miyuki-chan in Wonderland (1995) - Sumire-chan Magical Girl Pretty Sammy (1995) - Chihiro Fake (1996) - Bikky Shamanic Princess (1996–1998) - Japolo Sol Bianca: The Legacy (1999–2000) - April

Theatrical animation Metropolis (2001) (Female customer) Piano no Mori (2007) (Daigaku Kanehira) Roujin Z (1991) (Chie Satō) Taiho Shichauzo the Movie (1999) (Aoi Futaba) Hunter x Hunter (1998) (Gon Freecss) Perfect Blue (1998) (Rumi) Pocket Monsters films (1998–2020) (Satoshi) Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions (Bakura) (2016) DC Super Heroes vs. Eagle Talon (2017) (Wonder Woman)

Video games GeGeGe no Kitarō: Gyakushū! Yōma Dai Kessen (2003) (Kitarō) GeGeGe no Kitarō: Ibun Yōkai Kitan (2003) (Kitarō) GeGeGe no Kitarō: Kikiippotsu! Yōkai Rettō (2003) (Kitarō) Super Robot Wars Original Generations (2007, PlayStation 2) (Ricarla Borgnine) Lunar 2: Eternal Blue (1994) (Nall) Super Robot Wars Y (2025) (Seiji Takasugi)

Tokusatsu Kousoku Sentai Turboranger (1989) (Bell Chime Boma (ep. 27), Amulet Boma (ep. 31)) The Mobile Cop Jiban (1989) (Reporter (Actor) (ep. 9), Queen Cosmo (voice) (ep. 46)) Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman (1990) (Arthur G6) Choujin Sentai Jetman (1991) (Trash Dimension (ep. 21)) Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (1992) (Dora Laygor (ep. 33)) Engine Sentai Go-onger (2008) (Savage Land Barbaric Machine Beast Bōseki Banki (ep. 22)) Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger (2012) (Masako "Miyabi" Yamada) Kamen Rider Jeanne & Kamen Rider Aguilera with Girls Remix (2022) (Ms. Titan) Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger (2024) (Bundorio Bunderas, Boonboomger Equipment (Voice), Shiho Sato (Actor) (ep. 41))

Dubbing roles

Live-action Patricia Arquette True Romance (Alabama Whitman) Holy Matrimony (Havana) Flirting with Disaster (Nancy Coplin) Nightwatch (Katherine) Bringing Out the Dead (Mary Burke) Little Nicky (Valerie Veran) Human Nature (Lila Jute) Holes (Katherine "Kissin' Kate" Barlow) Medium (Allison Dubois) Boyhood (Olivia Evans) CSI: Cyber (Avery Ryan) Otherhood (Gillian Lieberman) Drew Barrymore Bad Girls (1997 TV Asahi edition) (Lily Laronette) Ever After (Danielle De Barbarac) Never Been Kissed (Josie Geller) Charlie's Angels (Dylan Sanders) Riding in Cars with Boys (Beverly Ann "Bev" Donofrio) Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (Dylan Sanders) 50 First Dates (Lucy Whitmore) Fever Pitch (Lindsey Meeks) Renée Zellweger A Price Above Rubies (Sonia Horowitz) The Bachelor (Anne Arden) Bridget Jones's Diary (Bridget Jones) Chicago (Roxanne "Roxie" Hart) Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (Bridget Jones) Cinderella Man (Mae Braddock) Leatherheads (Lexie Littleton) Bridget Jones's Baby (Bridget Jones) Sandra Bullock Demolition Man (1997 TV Asahi edition) (Lieutenant Lenina Huxley) Speed (1998 TV Asahi edition) (Annie Porter) The Net (TV Asahi edition) (Angela Bennett) Miss Congeniality (2005 NTV edition) (Gracie Hart) Crash (Jean Cabot) Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2008 NTV edition) (Gracie Hart) Reese Witherspoon Pleasantville (Jennifer) Little Nicky (Holly) Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (Elle Woods) This Means War (Lauren Scott) Juliette Lewis Cape Fear (Danielle Bowden) The Basketball Diaries (Diane Moody) From Dusk till Dawn (Kate Fuller) The Way of the Gun (Robin) All the Right Moves (1991 NTV edition) (Lisa Lietzke (Lea Thompson)) Armour of God II: Operation Condor (Elsa) Beverly Hills, 90210 (Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth)) BH90210 (Jennie Garth/Kelly Taylor) Big Eyes (Margaret Keane (Amy Adams)) Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (Elizabeth (Annette Azcuy)) Blue Velvet (1991 TV Tokyo edition) (Sandy Williams (Laura Dern)) Bram Stoker's Dracula (1995 TV Asahi edition) (Mina Harker (Winona Ryder)) Crank (Eve Lydon (Amy Smart)) Crank: High Voltage (Eve Lydon (Amy Smart)) Dinosaurs (Charlene Sinclair) A Discovery of Witches (Sarah Bishop (Alex Kingston)) The Father (Anne (Olivia Colman)) Father of the Bride (Annie Banks (Kimberly Williams-Paisley)) Father of the Bride Part II (Annie Banks-Mackenzie (Kimberly Williams-Paisley)) The Fifth Element (Leeloo Minaï Lekatariba-Laminaï-Tchaï Ekbat de Sebat (Milla Jovovich)) Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (J.J. (Saffron Henderson)) Friends (Melissa Warburton (Winona Ryder)) Ghost Stories (Simon Rifkind (Alex Lawther)) The Gilded Age (Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski)) He Got Game (Dakota Barns (Milla Jovovich)) Heartbreakers (Page Conners (Jennifer Love Hewitt)) The Huntsman: Winter's War (Bromwyn (Sheridan Smith)) Kindergarten Cop (Cindy (Alix Koromzay)) Kissing Jessica Stein (Helen Cooper (Heather Juergensen)) Little Voice (Laura Hoff / LV (Jane Horrocks)) The Medium (Nim (Sawanee Utoomma)) Peaceful (Crystal (Catherine Deneuve)) Romeo Must Die (Trish O'Day (Aaliyah)) Secret Sunshine (Lee Shin-ae (Jeon Do-yeon)) Stealing Beauty (Lucy Harmon (Liv Tyler)) Ted (Norah Jones) The Terminator (2003 TV Tokyo edition) (Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton)) The War (Elvadine) Thunderbolt (Amy Yip) (Anita Yuen) Wonka (Mrs. Scrubbit (Olivia Colman)) Wrong Turn (Jessie Burlingame (Eliza Dushku)) Zoolander (Matilda Jeffries (Christine Taylor))

Animation Deep (Deep) Despicable Me 4 (Valentina) Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart (Madeleine #1) The Road to El Dorado (Chel) Terra Willy (Willy) Trolls World Tour (Delta Dawn)

Live action

Koeharu! (2021), as herself (guest star, episode 5)

Discography

Albums Title Released Label Format(s) Catalog # Peak position Sales Notes Cluster April 28, 1993 EMI Music Japan CD TYCY-5301 — 華の宴(Hana no Utage) May 19, 1993 EMI Music Japan CD TYTY-5302 — Destiny July 12, 1995 Pioneer LDC CD PICA–1067 — Rica the Best May 23, 2001 VAP CD VPCD-81374/5 — 2 CDs まんまる(Manmaru) September 30, 2009 Sound Mission Label CD ZMCZ-5087 — 松本梨香が歌うポケモンソングベスト(Matsumoto Rika ga Utau Pokemon Songu Besuto) July 16, 2011 Kadokawa / Media Factory CD, digital download ZMCP-7317 #85 Spent 7 weeks on the Oricon charts

Other songs "Get a Dream" (Opening of Sunrise Eiyuutan/Sunrise Eiyuutan R) "Alive A life" (Opening for Kamen Rider Ryuki, Remix tracks of Rider Chips' Song Attack Ride Vol.1) "Mezase Pokémon Master" (Opening for Pokémon: Original Series Chapter 1: Sekiei Rīgu) "Mezase Pokémon Master '98" (Opening for Pokémon Movie 1: Myūtsū no Gyakushū) "Mezase Pokémon Master 2001" (Opening for Pokémon Movie 4: Serebii Toki wo Koeta Deai) "Mezase Pokémon Master 2002" (Opening for Pokémon Movie 5: Mizu no Miyako no Mamori Gami - Latias to Latios) "Oyasumi, Boku no Pikachu" (from the Mezase Pokémon Masutā album) "Pokémon Master e no Michi" (from the Pokémon Rocket Gang! It's a White Tomorrow! CD drama) sung with Naoki Takao "Type: Wild" (Ending for Pokémon: Original Series Chapter 1: Sekiei Rīgu & Pokémon: Original Series Chapter 2: Orenji Shotō Hen) "Rival!" (Opening for Pokémon: Original Series Chapter 2: Orenji Shotō Hen & for Pokémon Movie 2: Maboroshi no Pokémon: Lugia Bakutan) "Minna de Aruko!" (from the Pokémon Rapurasu ni Notte album), sung with Ikue Ōtani, Mayumi Iizuka, Satomi Koorogi, Yūji Ueda, Rikako Aikawa, Tomokazu Seki, Mika Kanai & Megumi Hayashibara "Minna ga Itakara" (Insert song for Pokémon Movie 2: Maboroshi no Pokémon: Lugia Bakutan) "OK!" (Opening for Pokémon: Original Series Chapter 3: Kin-Gin Hen) "OK! 2000" (Opening for Pokémon Movie 3: Kesshou Tou no Teiou: Entei) "Challenger!" (Opening for Pokémon: Advanced Generation) "Spurt!" (Opening for Pokémon: Advanced Generation) "High Touch!" (Opening for Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl, sung with Megumi Toyoguchi) "High Tough! 2009" (Opening song of Gekijouban Pocket Monsters Diamond and Pearl: Arceus Chōkoku no Jikū e, and Opening for Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl, sung with Megumi Toyoguchi) "Burning Soul" (Hyuga Kojiro image song for the Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002 Song Of Kickers CD) "Chiisana Dai Bouken" (Opening for Chi's Sweet Home: Chi's New Address) "Best Wishes!" (Opening for Pokémon: Best Wishes!) "In Your Heart" (From Ultraman Neos), sung with Project DMM "Yajirushi ni Natte!" (Opening for Pokémon: Best Wishes! Season 2) "Yajirushi ni Natte! 2013" (Opening for Pokémon: Best Wishes! Season 2 Episode N) "V (Boruto)" (Alternate Version) (Opening for Pokémon XY, sung with Jewel (J☆Dee'Z)) "Getta Ban Ban" (Alternate Version) (Opening for Pokémon XY, sung with Ikue Ōtani) "XY&Z (Ekkusu Wai & Zetto)" (Opening for Pokémon XY&Z) "Arōra!!" (Opening for Pokémon Sun & Moon, sung with Ikue Ōtani) "Mezase Pokémon Masutā 20th Anniversary" (Opening for Pokémon Sun & Moon and for Gekijō-ban Poketto Monsutā Kimi ni kimeta!) "Mezase Pokémon Master 20th Anniversary Ballad ver." "Oyasumi, Boku no Pikachu 2017 ver." "Mezase Pokémon Master '98 (2019 Remaster)" (Opening for Myūtsū no Gyakushū EVOLUTION) "Go! Now! ~Alive A life neo~" (Ending theme for Kamen Rider Zi-O Spinoff - Rider Time: Kamen Rider Ryuki) "1・2・3" (Opening for Pokémon Journeys, sung with Daiki Yamashita) Kotsukotsu-Pon-Pon (Ending theme for Boonboomger)