Mariko Kouda is a Japanese voice actor and singer who has been part of the dubbing industry since 1991.
Kouda grew up in a family of five with her being the middle child. She was rather active in school, having been part of the choir club in junior high and later the photography, flower arrangement, and tea ceremony clubs upon entering high school. This may have been due to the influence of her parents who worked as elementary school teachers.
Although Kouda enrolled in Tamagawa University as a communications major, she began to reconsider her future due to setbacks going on in her life. One day, she became emotionally impressed by the sight of the cherry blossoms she saw while hanging out with friends. Wanting to at least express that kind of feeling, she decided to try her luck as an actor.
Kouda went to Aoni Juku for training courses and graduated as a full-fledged member of their agency. While the young woman felt her seniors at the time were strict and intimidating, she came to realize their severity meant they wanted to properly guide her and other newcomers to their full potential. Along the way, Kouda became a member of the voice unit Drops which gave her the opportunity to demonstrate her singing talents. She later formed another band with Mami Kingetsu called MK-Connection in 2012.
Being a dog lover, Kouda once owned a chihuahua named Happy who helped motivate her during the height of her career. In 20120, she was appointed as a representative of her home town of Miyashiro alongside actor Jin Katagiri.
Kouda's vocal range is versatile enough to let her perform cheerful or motherly characters naturally. Back in the day, she was among the most popular voice actors of the 90s together with Megumi Hayashibara and Hekiru Shiina. A few of her roles include Nayuki Minase in Kanon, Serafina in Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper, and Misato Aikawa in Princess Connect! Re:Dive.
Works
The following roles listed below come from titles associated with Koei Tecmo and third party works distributed as part of a deal with other companies.
- Holly - Monster Rancher TV series
- Reina - Nanatsu no Hikan
- Lisa Roberts - WinBack
- Gilgilganko - Robot Girls Z ONLINE