It was her role as Nibutani Shinka (a.k.a. Mori Summer) in Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai that made Akasaki Chinatsu 赤﨑千夏 a star. Nibutani seemed to dominate the screen whenever she appeared.After Chuunibyou, Akasaki-san appeared as Chiwa in OreShura, and she is about to start two new major roles this week: Maki in Love Lab and Shimeji in Fantasista Dolls.
She had her first six minor roles in 2010, just after graduating from the 81Produce agency's acting school. Ten more minor roles came in 2011.
Then in 2012, she was suddenly in high demand. Altogether, she had 17 named roles in 2012, as well as unnamed roles in twelve other anime. And she had two major roles -- Nibutani in Chuunibyou, and Yasuna in Kill Me, Baby.
This year, she already has named roles in 15 shows, with major roles in three. She can act, has a good range of voices, and outside her seiyuu work, she can sing and is an entertaining personality on radio and TV.
Chii-chan came to the profession comparatively late. She was already around 21 when she won prizes at an audition, and started at the 81Produce agency's school. She is now 25. Born 10 August 1987.
Chii-chan (she's also called Chii-sama) comes from Kagoshima, on Kyushu. That is about the furthest southwest point in Japan proper, and a long way from Tokyo. She was a school announcer in both elementary and middle school, and in high school she was in the drama club.
After graduation, she went off to teacher's college in Tokyo, and did some amateur acting on the side. She graduated from college, but meanwhile had begun moving toward a career in entertainment.
It was around this time -- before she became a seiyuu -- that she got to know Kayano Ai. They both worked part-time in the same cafe.
Her major recent roles: Nibutani Shinka (Chuunibyou), Harusaki Chiwa (OreShura):
As a TV and radio personality, she runs a show fairly efficiently, and can be quite commanding. But she can also be weird and cute, and people enjoy her conversation. Here is a recent episode of a monthly Internet TV show she hosts:
She and Uesaka Sumire -- who played her disciple/enemy Dekomori in Chuunibyou -- have developed a nice yuri act:
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| Sitting on Sumipe's lap. |
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| Kissed on cue at a Chuunibyou event. |
She and Yonezawa Madoka do an Internet TV show together:
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| Akasaki Chinatsu (left) and Yonezawa Madoka |
Here is a clip from OreShura radio, with Kayano Ai. Watch out for a sudden jump in volume, as things go wrong in the studio:
Her friends in the business include Kayano Ai and Tamura Mutsumi, with whom she starred in Kill Me, Baby. Chii-chan and Kanemoto Hisako became friends during the making of OreShura and have even traveled together.
Here is a clip from the Internet TV show "Suki Imo," on which she and Tamura Mutsumi (3rd and 4th from the left) are the guests, with hosts Satou Nagisa and Fuchigami Mai:
Fans sometimes refer to Chii-chan and Mucchan as a "golden combo." Here is a clip from Kill Me, Baby, in which Chii-chan displays a number of comic voices. Her character, Yasuna, is the dark-haired girl doing the voices of both puppets:
She has a good range of voices. Check out a sample of some voices from her agency home page. There is also a sample of her announcing work.
Here are pics of a few more of her characters.
Yasuna (Kill Me, Baby), Itaba Yumi (Symphogear):
Kinuhata Saiai (Railgun), Nino Akane (Idolmaster Cinderella Girls game):
New roles this summer: Shimeji (Fantasista Girls), Maki (Love Lab):
Finally, here is a fairly full list of her work, based largely on Japanese Wikipedia:
Anime
2010
-- unnamed roles (Kaichou wa Maid-sama, K-On!!, Milky Holmes, Bakuman, Metal Fighter Beyblade)
-- Shimajirou (Nacchii)
2011
-- unnamed roles (AnoHana, Three Kingdoms, Sket Dance, Fate/Zero, Manyuu Hikenchou, Hourou Musuko)
-- Shimajirou (Shikako sensei)
-- Sacred Seven (Akasaki Nanami)
-- Mashiro-iro Symphony (Asakura Itsuki)
-- Nana and Kaoru (Yurika)
2012
-- unnamed roles (Ixion Saga, Upotte, Sankarea, Sukitte ii, Zero no Tsukaima F, Milky Holmes 2, Papa no Iu Koto, Pretty Rhythm Dear My Future, Robin and His Hundred Friends, Precure movies, Hime Girl Paradise)
-- Ad-lib Anime Laboratory (Satsuma, Nishizato Don)
-- AKB0048 (Niika)
-- Kill Me, Baby (Yasuna)
-- Ojarumaru (bit parts, Tsukushi)
-- Kokoro Connect (bit part, Nakayama Mariko)
-- Shimajirou (Shikako-sensei, Kento)
-- Smile Precure (bit parts; Midorikawa Haru, Terada Runa, Okada Mayu, Kisumi Mayumi, Yura)
-- Zero no Tsukaima F
-- Symphogear (bit part, Itaba Yumi)
-- Tari Tari (Hirohata Nanae)
-- Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai (Nibutani Shinka)
-- Total Eclipse (Li Lingmei)
-- High School DxD (Iru, Neru)
-- Bakuman 2, 3 (assistant)
-- Mouretsu Space Pirates (Harada Maki)
-- Rinne no Lagrange (Sagishima Kokoro, Arisato Chiharu, Sogabe Yuria, Senjou Nami)
-- Rinne no Lagrange 2 (Tsurugizaki An, Arisato Chiharu, Niino Azami)
2013
-- unnamed roles (Amnesia, Ixion Saga DT, Tanken Driland Thousand-year Treasure, Hayate no Gotoku Cuties)
-- Little Witch Academia (Barbara)
-- Ojarumaru (Harumi, Numaho, bit part)
-- Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi Shuraba Sugiru (Harusaki Chiwa)
-- Kotoura-san (Mai, Nurse B)
-- Symphogear G (Itaba Yumi)
-- Railgun S (Kinuhata Saiai)
-- Yuyushiki (student council president)
-- Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride (Sarutobisasuke)
-- Fantasista Doll (Shimeji)
-- Love Lab (Maki Natsuo)
-- Chuunibyou movie (Nibutani Shinka)
Radio/Video
She has done 17 radio and TV shows over the past five years. Here are her current shows:
Monthly Gagaga Channel (video, 2011 to present, host)
AG-ON Laboratory (2012 to present, with Sunayama Keitarou
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai radio (2012 to present, with Uchida Maaya, Uesaka Sumire, Asakura Asami)
OreShura radio (2012 to present, with Kayano Ai)
Sei-En Sisters (video, with Yonezawa Madoka)
Love Lab radio (June 2013 onward, with Numakura Manami)
Games
Idolmaster Cinderella Girls (for phones; Nino Akane)
Bride Collection (seiyuu voices for phones)
Dungeon Travellers 2 (PSP; Conet Santnore)
Higurashi no Naka koro ni Kizuna 4 (DS; Ryuun Ooku)
Gensosuikoden Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki (PSP; Efir and Nima)
Kokoro Connect Yochi Random (PSP; Nakayama Mariko)
Girl Friend (online phone game)
Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono 2G (PS3; Zohra)
Music
2011.06.29 TV Kids Songs -- Girls. artist: Akasaki Chinatsu. song: "La♪La♪La♪Sweet Precure♪"
2012.01.28 Kill Me, Baby! -- Futari no Kimochi no Honto no Himitsu（PCCG-1231 - 33） artist: Yasuna and Sonya（Akasaki Chinatsu, Tamura Mutsumi). songs: "Kill Me, Baby," "Futari no Kimochi no Honto no Himitsu."
2012.02.15 Kill Me, Baby Character Song CD - Yasuna. artist: Oribe Yasuna (Akasaki Chinatsu)(PCCG-1239). songs: "How to Enjoy," "Kyou mo Futari de."
2012.11.21 Inside Identity（LACM-14026）. artist: Black Raison d'être -- Takanashi Rikka, Nibutani Shinka, Tsuyuri Kumin, Dekomori Sanae (Uchida Maaya, Akasaki Chinatsu, Asakura Asami, Uesaka Sumire). songs: "Inside Identity," "Outsider." Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai ED.
2012.12.26 Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai Vocal Mini-album -- Ankoku Kousai Gakuten (LACA-15262）. artist: Nibutani Shinka (Akasaki Chinatsu). song: "Deinabayotte☆Masarimo"
2013.02.27 Ore no Kanojo to Osananajimi ga Shuraba Sugiru BD/DVD v1 special CD -- "Mizukara wo Enshitsu Suru Otome no Kai." artists: Akasaki Chinatsu, Tamura Yukari, Kanemoto Hisako, Kayano Ai. song: "Girlish Lover." anime OP.
She has put a toe into almost all categories of seiyuu work: some TV dubbing (on iCarly, The Sinking of the Laconia, Ringer, Pixie Hollow Games, and Full House Take 2); narrating a TV ad by Softbank for GA Bunko magazine; a couple of drama CDs (Nana to Kaoru, and Seiyuu Sentai Voicetorm 7); and a character in a pachinko slots game (Atena in Cinderella Blade); and she was one of fifteen young seiyuus featured in person on an NHK show last year (R no Housoku -- Open Talk About Work -- Voice Acting - video link).
Links
home page at her agency (81 Produce)
Anime News Network (in English)
Wikipedia (in English)
Japanese Wikipedia
more images (Japanese)
more images (English)
Finally, here are the two most recent pics to appear on the Net: cast photos from Love Lab and Fantasista Dolls. Chii-chan is front right in both:
