Saori Sugimoto

Saori Sugimoto, a native of Fujisawa, Kanagawa, was born on 17 November 1964.[1] She was educated at Aonijuku's Tokyo campus, where she was part of the sixth graduating class.[2] She voiced Asuka in Fist of the North Star 2, which she later said was her debut role.[3]

She was nationally-known as a voice actress in children's programming.[4][5] In 1993, she began voicing Ramurin Makiba in Shima Shima Tora no Shimajirō and continued doing so afterwards;[6] she also voiced Nyakkii Momoyama.[4] She also voiced Kisanta Yamamura in Nintama Rantarō, succeeding Tomiko Suzuki.[6] She also starred as Martina von Trapp in Trapp Family Story, Catherine Bloom in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, and Sanae Minami in Green Green.[7][6] On 1 January 2003, she changed her stage name from Saori Suzuki (鈴木 砂織, Suzuki Saori) to Saori Sugimoto.[8]

Sugimoto was a licenced chef and nutritionist.[2] She collected spoons as a hobby and her special skill was flower therapy.[2]

Sugimoto took a career hiatus from May 2017 until April 2018 due to health issues.[9] Sugimoto died on 21 October 2021, aged 56, due to congestive heart failure associated with anorexia.[6] Her family held a private funeral on 28 October.[4] An in memoriam caption was added to the end of the 30 October 2021 broadcast of Shimajiro no Wao!.[10]