Who in the World Is Ayako Kawasumi

YA RLY.

Ayako Kawasumi’s wikipedia.jp article is a good start, if it isn’t a little fanboy-ish. There just hasn’t been a good write-up for her that I’ve come across, that has been keeping up to date, in English. As tempting as it may be, I’m certainly not qualified to write about her beyond parroting what others have said.

A good and brief bio would go a long way to help me ask questions at Otakon! It’s a little rare to get a relatively new generational voice acting guest from Japan who is in the precious position she is in–venerable and respectable and makes both Alex and I having a hard time picking an autographable item. She has (relatively) little hype, yet she’s in a billion shows. Well, that’s on top of the fact that she has long, long since overcame “the problem” plaguing Mamiko Noto when it comes to voice acting :)

The fact that she is going to be here means a few things, such as she’s taking a (minor) break this season. I would too if I had to play a main role in Fate Stay Night…. Anyways, I’m pretty excited, even if now is not the height of her popularity in Japan.

But discovering or re-discovering Kawasumi’s talents has been a bit of an eye opener even for me. I know she has her solo CDs, but I didn’t know Taku Iwasaki was a part of Primary (or I might have just forgotten). And funnily her rather amatuer style of composition fits my mood lately as it totally reminds me of a game like this. It’s also a good time to rewatch Piano.

Even if most people would find her more emblematic as Mahoro, Fuu, Saber, Lafiel, Koishi Herikawa (one of her best performance ever IMO!!!), or even Hinako from KOF, that’s all fine. I am excited! Aren’t you?