History Creator / Tarako

* ''Anime/NGKnightLamune40' (and its sequels): Hebimetako

* ''Anime/CombatMechaXabungle'': Chill (also including the ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' games.)
* ''Manga/ChibiMarukoChan'': Momoko "Maruko" Sakura (her [[StarMakingRole most well-known and longest-running role]], also voiced herself in one instance.)

* ''Anime/NGKnightLamune40'': Heavy Meta-Ko

* ''Manga/ChibiMarukoChan'': Momoko "Maruko" Sakura (her [[StarMakingRole most well known and longest-running role]], also voiced herself in one instance.)

Sadly, on March 8th of 2024, it was revealed that she passed away four days earlier at the age of 63, after battling with an illness since the beginning of 2024. And while her passing may have been globally overshadowed by the passing of manga artist Creator/AkiraToriyama (who's death just three days before hers would actually be announced on the same day, less than 24 hours beforehand), it didn't stop fans, colleagues, and news outlets alike from paying tribute to the legendary actress. Her final time as Maruko, was in the episode, "Maruko, Can You Taste Water?" which was the last segment broadcast in a one-hour time slot on March 24th, 2024.

Sadly, on March 8th of 2024, it was revealed that she passed away four days earlier at the age of 63, after battling with an illness since the beginning of 2024. And while her passing may have been globally overshadowed by the passing of manga artist Creator/AkiraToriyama (who's death just three days prior to hers would actually be announced on the same day, less than 24 hours beforehand), it didn't stop fans, colleagues, and news outlets alike from paying tribute to the legendary actress. Her final time as Maruko, will be in the episode, "Maruko, Can You Taste Water?" which will be broadcast in a one-hour time slot on March 24th, 2024.

Tarako Isono (磯野たらこ Isono Tarako, December 17, 1960 - March 4, 2024), known under the professional name TARAKO, was a Japanese voice actress and singer employed by the talent management firm Troubadour Musique Office.

TARAKO made her debut as a voice actor in 1981, playing a minor role as a kindergartener in the TV anime adaptation of Shogakukan's ''Manga/UruseiYatsura''. During this time in her life, she was unable to make a living through voice acting alone, and had part-time jobs such as selling food samples at a supermarket, working as a convenience store clerk, and surveying traffic.

It wasn't until the premiere of the initial anime adaptation of Shueisha's ''Manga/ChibiMarukoChan'' in 1990 where TARAKO had become a national phenomenon in Japan by voicing the lead character, Momoko "Maruko" Sakura, which would become her longest-running role when the series was revived in 1995. It was also later in 1990 that she would provide the voice of Taruruto in another Shueisha series, ''Manga/MagicalTarurutoKun'', which co-starred Creator/MinamiTakayama as Honmaru Edojo, its true lead character, and would also provide TARAKO with her earliest video game credit via the LicensedGame for the Platform/SegaMegaDrive.

In a bit of trivia, the reason why TARAKO earned the role of Maruko in the first place was that she sounded exactly like the real Momoko Sakura, the original creator of the ''Chibi Maruko-chan'' manga, and had been told that she even looked like Sakura. She was such an integral part of the series that she even became a screenplay director for several episodes. Years before her own death, TARAKO had written a heartwarming eulogy for Sakura's passing in 2018, mentioning that when she joined her, they wanted to talk to each other in voices just like their own.

Sadly, on March 8th of 2024, it was revealed that she passed away four days earlier at the age of 63, after battling with an illness since the beginning of 2024. And while her passing may have been globally overshadowed by the passing of manga artist Creator/AkiraToriyama (who's death just three days prior to hers would actually been announced on the same day, less than 24 hours beforehand), it didn't stop fans, colleagues, and news outlets alike from paying tribute to the legendary actress. Her final time as Maruko, will be in the episode, "Maruko, Can You Taste Water?" which will be broadcast in a one-hour time slot on March 24th, 2024.

Since then, TARAKO became known for her distinct raspy voice playing cutesy, light-hearted characters with {{moe}} traces, plus more than one TeamPet, including Kirara of ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'', which was more than likely how many westerners were introduced to her as it was the only role of hers to ever be kept for an English release. That doesn't mean she couldn't break through, however: she also voiced the very softspoken but VERY creepy Altena from ''Anime/{{Noir}}'', and in 2015 was chosen to replace Nobuyo Oyama as [[{{Franchise/Danganronpa}} Monokuma]] for the ''Anime/Danganronpa3'' anime series due to Oyama suffering from dementia.

Sadly, on March 8th of 2024, it was revealed that she passed away four days earlier at the age of 63, after battling with an illness since the beginning of 2024. And while her passing may have been globally overshadowed by the passing of manga artist Creator/AkiraToriyama (who's death just three days prior had actually been announced less than 24 hours beforehand), it didn't stop fans, colleagues, and news outlets alike from paying tribute to the legendary actress. Her final time as Maruko, will be in the episode, ''Maruko, Can You Taste Water?'' which will be broadcast in a one-hour time slot on March 24th, 2024.

* ''Manga/MagicalTarurutoKun'' as Taruruto (Sings the opening as herself and she also sang the 2nd ending in-character as Taruruto. Reprises her role for the Platform/MegaDrive game.)

Since then, TARAKO became known for her distinct raspy voice playing cutesy, light-hearted characters with {{moe}} traces, plus more than one TeamPet. That doesn't mean she couldn't break through, however: she also voiced the very softspoken but VERY creepy Altena from ''Anime/{{Noir}}'', and in 2015 was chosen to replace Nobuyo Oyama as [[{{Franchise/Danganronpa}} Monokuma]] for the ''Anime/Danganronpa3'' anime series due to Oyama suffering from dementia.

!!Some roles by Tarako are:

* ''Anime/InuYasha'': Kirara

It wasn't until the premiere of the initial anime adaptation of Shueisha's ''Manga/ChibiMarukoChan'' in 1990 where TARAKO had become a national phenomenon in Japan by voicing the lead character, Momoko "Maruko" Sakura, which would become her longest-running role when the series was revived in 1995. It was also later in 1990 that she would provide the voice of Taruruto in another Shueisha series, ''Manga/MagicalTarurutoKun'', which co-starred Creator/MinamiTakayama as Honmaru Edojo, its true lead character, and would also provide Tarako with her earliest video game credit via the LicensedGame for the Platform/SegaMegaDrive.

''"[[Manga/MagicalTarurutoKun Wahahaha! Behold myself, The Great Voice-Actress, TARAKO-sama! For real, For real!]]''

''"[[Manga/MagicalTarurutoKun Wahaha! Behold myself, The Great Voice-Actress, TARAKO-sama!]]''
[[quoteright:960:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/photo_l.jpg]]

[[caption-width-right:960:Taruru~!]]

Tarako Isono (磯野たらこ Isono Tarako, December 17, 1960 - March 4, 2024), known under the professional name TARAKO, was a Japanese voice actress and singer. TARAKO was employed by the talent management firm Troubadour Musique Office.

It wasn't until the premiere of the initial anime adpatation of ''Manga/ChibiMarukoChan'' in 1990 where TARAKO had become a national phenomenon in Japan by voicing the lead character, Momoko "Maruko" Sakura, which would become her longest running role when the series was revived in 1995. It was also later in 1990 where she would provide the voice or Taruruto in ''Manga/MagicalTarurutoKun'', which would also provide her with her earliest video game credit via the LicensedGame for the Platform/SegaMegaDrive.

Since then, TARAKO became known for her distinct raspy voice playing cutesy, light-hearted characters with {{moe}} traces, plus more than one TeamPet. That doesn't mean she can't break through, however: she also voices the very softspoken but VERY creepy Altena from ''Anime/{{Noir}}'', and in 2015 was chosen to replace Nobuyo Oyama as [[{{Franchise/Danganronpa}} Monokuma]] for the ''Anime/Danganronpa3'' anime series due to Oyama suffering from dementia.

Sadly, on March 8th of 2024, it was revealed that she passed away four days earlier at the age of 63, after battling with an illness since the beginning of 2024. And while her passing may have been globally overshadowed by the passing of manga artist Creator/AkiraToriyama (who's death just three days prior had actually been announced less than 24 hours beforehand), it didn't stop fans, colleagues, and news outlets alike from paying tribute to the legendary actress. Her final time as Maruko, will be in the episode, ''Maruko, Can You Taste Water?'' which will be broadcasted in a one-hour time slot on March 24th, 2024.

In a bit of trivia, the reason why TARAKO earned the role of Maruko in the first was because she sounded exactly like the real Momoko Sakura, the original creator of the ''Chibi Maruko-chan'' manga, and had been told that she even looks like Sakura. She was such an integral part of the series that she had even become a screenplay director for several episodes. Before her own death, TARAKO had written a heartwarming eulogy for Sakura's passing in 2018.

TARAKO became known for her distinct raspy voice playing cutesy, light-hearted characters with {{moe}} traces, plus more than one TeamPet. That doesn't mean she can't break through, however: she also voices the very softspoken but VERY creepy Altena from ''Anime/{{Noir}}'', and in 2015 was chosen to replace Nobuyo Oyama as [[{{Franchise/Danganronpa}} Monokuma]] for the ''Anime/Danganronpa3'' anime series due to Oyama suffering from dementia.

* ''Manga/ChibiMarukoChan'': Maruko (her [[StarMakingRole most well known role]], also voiced herself in one instance.)

Tarako Isono (磯野たらこ Isono Tarako, December 17, 1960-March 8, 2024), known under the professional name TARAKO, was a Japanese voice actress and singer. TARAKO was employed by the talent management firm Troubadour Musique Office.

Tarako Isono (磯野たらこ Isono Tarako, December 17, 1960-March 8, 2024 born, in Ota, Gunma Prefecture), known under the professional name TARAKO, was a Japanese voice actress and singer. TARAKO was employed by the talent management firm Troubadour Musique Office.

Tarako Isono (磯野たらこ Isono Tarako, born December 17, 1960 in Ota, Gunma Prefecture), known under the professional name TARAKO, is a Japanese voice actress and singer. TARAKO is currently employed by the talent management firm Troubadour Musique Office.

Tarako Isono (磯野たらこ Isono Tarako?, born December 17, 1960 in Ota, Gunma Prefecture), known under the professional name TARAKO, is a Japanese voice actress and singer. TARAKO is currently employed by the talent management firm Troubadour Musique Office.

* ''VideoGame/FantasticNightDreamsCotton'': Cotton (UsefulNotes/PCEngine CD port)

* ''Anime/{{Patlabor}}'': Tamiko Shinshi (Shinshi's wife) (OVA & TV Series, voiced by Creator/ShinobuAdachi in movie 2.)