Creator / Kikuko Inoue

A picture of a fine 17-year-old.^note Oi, oi!

Good morning, Troper-san. Please describe a 17-year old seiyuu named Kikuko Inoue, if you would, please?

Oi oi... Anyway, Kikuko Inoue ^note  her married name is Kikuko Kumagai, but still goes by her maiden name for voice acting (born September 25, 1964) is a Japanese voice actress born in Yokosuka. She was a member of the Goddess Family Club singing club, and like Megumi Hayashibara, was also part of the singing club DoCo.

Making her debut in 1988, Inoue's known for her dignified, angelic voice, which lends well for her to get picked to play Yamato Nadeshiko, Team Mom, or Onee-sama roles. However, she's also well known for playing mega-bitches like I-No from Guilty Gear, Grace from Macross Frontier, among others.

Inoue always refers to herself in public as "17-years old + XXXX days" despite being born in 1964 and no longer looking anywhere close to 17. This has led to numerous Shout Outs in anime, such as My-HiME^note with regards to Midori Sugiura's dubious age, by Maria from Hayate the Combat Butler^note who actually is 17 (but is constantly mistaken for someone older), by Virgilia from Umineko: When They Cry^note who obviously isn't 17-years old but is voiced by Inoue, by Shizuka Nekonome from Rosario + Vampire, and by Shuuko Komi from Komi Can't Communicate^note Shouko Komi's mom, who refers to her as this as an Actress Allusion. Some voice actresses, such as Yukari Tamura (who voices Midori) have also picked up this habit for laughs.

Inoue is also very fond of cosplay and often◊ does so herself.

As of 2022, according to Anime News Network, she's the most prolific Japanese voice actress with 500+ roles.

Actress Honoka Inoue, who voices Xiaomei in EDENS ZERO and Kotone in RPG Real Estate, is Inoue's only child.

Despite her very common surname, she is not related to voice actors who share the same last name, including the late Makio Inoue, the late You Inoue, Kazuhiko Inoue and Marina Inoue.

Her personal website can be found here and her Twitter account can be found here.

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These notable roles are all 17 years old!^note Oi oi!

• Ai Sunakawa in My Love Story!!.
• Aina Sahalin in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Super Robot Wars A Portable, Super Robot Wars Impact, Super Robot Wars GC/XO.
• Akane Sonozaki in Higurashi: When They Cry.
• Akira Yoshii in Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts.
• Alcina Dimitrescu in the Japanese dub of Resident Evil Village.
• Alex Kidd in Segagaga. She also reprises the role in the Japanese dub of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
• Alice in Genshin Impact.
• Alv in Kiddy Grade.
• Anju Kitahara in Marmalade Boy.
• Anna in Brave Command Dagwon.
• Ari Mamano in Laughing Salesman NEW.
• Ashe the Frost Archer in the Japanese dub of League of Legends.
• Belldandy in the Ah! My Goddess franchise.
• Benigio in Maho Girls Pretty Cure!.
• Birman in Weiß Kreuz.
• Blue Diamond (Lisa Hannigan) in the Japanese dub of Steven Universe.
• The Boss, Rosemary, Sunny Emmerich and Ricardo "Chico" Valenciano Libre in the Metal Gear franchise.
• Bridget Strand and Samantha America "Amelie" Strand in Death Stranding.
• Calamity Mary in Magical Girl Raising Project.
• Princess Calla in the Japanese dub of Adventures of the Gummi Bears (from episode 22, replacing Keiko Han).
• Caridad Yamato in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.
• Carmen Delgado (Paz Vega) in the Japanese dub of Rambo: Last Blood.
• Carta Issue in Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.
• Carul "Carmen 99" Mendosa in GUN×SWORD.
• Caster of Nightless City aka Scheherazade in Fate/Grand Order.
• Cecile Croomy, Inoue and Dorothea "Knight of Four" Ernst in Code Geass.
• Princess Celestia (Nicole Oliver) in the Japanese dub of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
• Chianti in Case Closed.
• Chiemi Takakura in Penguindrum.
• Chika Hatori from The Ancient Magus' Bride.
• Chitose Hibiya from Chobits.
• Claire Majoram in Mitsumete Knight.
• Claudia McCunnen in Phantom of Inferno and its OVA adaptation.
• Cyberdoll Mami in Hand Maid May.
• Deirdre (Yes, she's officially listed as 17 years old.) and Niime (This one's 17 years old + XXXX day) in Fire Emblem Heroes.
• Dorothea Viehmann in Grimms Notes.
• Durga in Asura's Wrath.
• Electra in Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water.
• Eleonore in The Familiar of Zero.
• Elisha Elfrieden in How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom.
• Elizabeth Starling in Lollipop Chainsaw.
• Empusa in Dragon Goes House-Hunting.
• Eratoeir in Mega Man X DiVE.
• Queen Ercell in Petite Princess Yucie.
• Eris Anthule in Shadowverse.
• Fabula from Final Fantasy: Unlimited.
• Gloria in the Hot Shots Golf and Tennis series.
• The Goddess of Incineration in Tokimeki Memorial: Only Love.
• Goei Hakufu in Ikki Tousen.
• Goodly Godly Godness in I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level (Azusa will look "17 years old, just the way I like it").
• Grace O'Connor in Macross Frontier and the Second Super Robot Wars Z: Saisei-hen.
• Grizzly's mother in Shirokuma Cafe.
• Guinevere Green in Argento Soma.
• Hydaelyn/Venat in Final Fantasy XIV.
• I-No in Guilty Gear.
• Ihadurca in Eretzvaju.
• Insarn in Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger.
• Irina Girikanan from Inazuma Eleven Orion no Kokuin.
• Izayoi (Inuyasha's mother) in Inuyasha.
• Izumi Morino in Never7.
• Jennifer Record in ID-0.
• Jill in Radiant.
• June Thunders in Gate Keepers.
• Karen the Suit Lady (Jennifer Connelly) in the Japanese dub of Spider-Man: Homecoming.
  • Eleanor Bishop (Vera Farmiga) in the Japanese dub of Hawkeye (2021).
• Kasumi Tendo in Ranma ½.
• Kazue Sonokawa in Sabagebu!.
• Kelly Medd in the Japanese dub of Night Trap.
• Professor Latoya Hamilton in The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak.
• Lisa in Sdorica. She's also Lisa's younger self as Lisa SP.
• Kasuga no Tsubone in Ōoku: The Inner Chambers
• Kirumi Toujou in Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony.
• Kuma in Onipan!.
• Captain Kuune in Cat Planet Cuties.
• Kyouko Sakura's mother in Puella Magi Madoka Magica Drama CD 3.
• Leandra in the Japanese version of Dragon Age II.
• Liala in The Testament of Sister New Devil.
• Liete in Grandia and Grandia Online.
• Lila Test in the Japanese dub of Johnny Test.
• Lily in Rune Factory Oceans.
• Lily McGuire in Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf and Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture.
• Ling in Arknights.
• Lobelia Carlini from Sakura Wars 3: Is Paris Burning? and Sakura Wars 4: Fall in Love, Maidens.
• Louisa Ferre in Shin Megami Tensei: Deep Strange Journey.
• Lulutia in By the Grace of the Gods.
• Lust in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
• Macrophage in Cells at Work!.
• Mamnalia in World Flipper.
• Maria in both the Gungrave game and anime series.
• Marie in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.
• Marina Sugisaki in Mitsudomoe.
• Mercury in Dragalia Lost.
• Mei Momozono in Mouse.
• Melissa (Fantina) in Pokémon: The Series. Also Nurse Joy for DP eps 25-50 and Dawn's Togekiss.
• Mercédès de Morcerf in Gankutsuou.
• Meyza in Platinum End.
• Miho Azuki's mother in Bakuman。.
• Miki Hiiragi from Lucky Star.
• Mimosa in Hi-Fi RUSH
• Minerva Orland in Fairy Tail.
• Miria in Claymore.
• Misaki Senomiya in Robotics;Notes. (She even got to play her 17-year-old self!)
• Mishra and Ms. Miranda in Granblue Fantasy.
• Mitsuka Yoshimine-sensei in DearS.
• Miyoshino in Nioh 2.
• Mizuho Kazami in Please Teacher!.
• Moominmamma in the 2019 Japanese Dub of Moominvalley.
• Mother in EDENS ZERO.
• Myers in Magi: Labyrinth of Magic.
• Myrrine in the Japanese dub of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey.
• Nagi in Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth.
• Nanase Senjou/Silk in Yumeria.
• Nanase Tsukumo in Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!.
• The Narrator of Binchou-tan.
• The Narrator from Musou Kakyou: A Summer Day's Dream (though many fans suspect that the narrator is Yukari Yakumo). Reprised the role in the Chinese / Japanese fanime The Sealed Esoteric History.
• The Narrator and Salem in the Japanese Dub of RWBY.
• The Narrator from Urara Meirocho.
• The Narrator and Shatoyan in Galaxy Angel.
• Nephila in Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger
• Nygglatho in WorldEnd: What Do You Do at the End of the World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us? (Honoka voices Phyracorlybia Dorio).
• Okusa Manami and herself in Zoku Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei.
• Olga Strand in In Another World with My Smartphone (Honoka voices Alma).
• Oukatsu in Brave10.
• Panther from Saber Marionette J.
• Penelope Pitstop/Milk-chan in the Japanese dub of Wacky Races (2017) (she darrins Noriko Ohara who herself was darrin'd by Haruko Miyaji^note in The Perils of Penelope Pitstop and Kumi Sakuma^note in the Wacky Races pachinko game prior to this).
• Philia Felice in Tales of Destiny.
• The Dominatrix Queen of Hearts in Miyuki-chan in Wonderland.
• Queen Cletia in Dragon Quest Heroes II: Twin Kings and the Prophecy's End.
• Queen Mirelia Q Melromarc in The Rising of the Shield Hero.
• Queen Stuart of Sorcier in My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!.
• Reiko in Phantasy Star Online 2 -ON STAGE-.
• Rhea in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.
• Rosa Royal Ivy in The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess To Savior
• Ruko Tatase from Ogenki Clinic.
• Rune Venus in El-Hazard: The Magnificent World.
• Ryoki from Senran Kagura.
• Sailor Aluminum Siren in Sailor Moon.
• Sakura Shimano in Shima Shima Tora no Shimajirō.
• Sanae Furukawa in CLANNAD.
• Satou's Aunt in Happy Sugar Life.
• Seira Mimori in Kaitou Saint Tail.
• Selva Norte in Granado Espada.
• Sephie Michaela Devilduke in To Love Ru.
• Sephera in the Japanese version of Arena of Valor.
• Sephiria Arks in Black Cat.
• Shadow Weaver in the Japanese dub of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.
• Sharon Lendrott in The Duke of Death and His Black Maid
• Shiina Kamijou in A Certain Magical Index.
• Shinigami and Arleen Nazon from Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO 2: The Gravity Front.
• Shizuka Nekonome in Rosario + Vampire.
• Shizuna Minamoto in Negima! Magister Negi Magi.
• Shuuko Komi in Komi Can't Communicate.
• Sorceress in Dragon's Crown.
• Steel Angel Nadeshiko in Steel Angel Kurumi.
• Sumire in Arcana Famiglia.
• Summer Gleeson in the Japanese dub of Batman: The Animated Series.
• Tampopo Anno in HuGtto! Pretty Cure.
• Tangram in Virtual-ON.
• (Female) Tico in Devil Survivor 2.
• Tome in the Namu Amida Butsu! -UTENA- anime.
• Tomi in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
• Torino Kasami in Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid.
• Touko Aozaki in the The Garden of Sinners drama CD. Another "eternally 17" role, sorta. She's made a number of perfect backup bodies for herself; when her current self dies, another activates.
• Tsubasa Oozora (young) in Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002
• Tsukuyomi in Onmyoji (shared with Hiroki Takahashi)
• Tytti Noorbuck in Super Robot Wars.
• Uni-Lord in Shy
• Uraha in Air.
• Ureshiko Asaba in Oku-sama wa Mahou Shoujo.
• Valara in Baten Kaitos Origins.
• Valkyrie in Namco × Capcom and Project × Zone.
• Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) in the Japanese dub of Spaceballs.
• Virgilia in Umineko: When They Cry.
• The Witch of the Woods/Freya in the Japanese dub of God of War (PS4).
• Yamabuki in Good Luck Girl!.
• Yasho from Shin/New Cutey Honey.
• Yayoi Sanzenin in Happy Lesson.
• Yoriko Yasaka in the Nyaruko: Crawling with Love! Drama CDs (succeeded in the anime by her friend Aya Hisakawa).
• Sister Yukariko Sanada from My-HiME.
• Yukariko Steinberg and Laura Bianchi in My-Otome and My-Otome Zwei.
• Yuri-ka Hakonaka in Yuri Kuma Arashi.
• "Macloid" software Macne Coco White and Black, who are 17-year-old twin sisters. They were the older sisters of Macne Nana. (The old Macloid software has since been discontinued; see below.)
• Vocaloid Haruno Sora; somewhat of a "spiritual successor" to the Macne Coco twins with two matching voicetypes.
• ZeStraight in Submarine Super 99.

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Kikuko Inoue's works provide examples of:

• Contralto of Strength: Whenever she's voicing a villainess or a bitch, she adjusts her cadence to this effect, moreso if they happen to be intimidating and powerful.
• Cool Old Lady: Regardless of her 17-years old Running Gag, it's telling that she's born in 1964, and in 2023, she'll be 59-years old (well, around 17-years old + 14XXX days), one of the older female seiyuus in the business. Yet despite her longevity, she's still capable of doing all those maternal/sisterly roles.
• Creator Backlash: Before Kasumi Tendo and Belldandy propelled her to fame and respectability, she was known for her role as a "naughty nurse" in the erotic OVA Ogenki Clinic. Inoue regretted the role so much she managed to take down the Japanese dubbing of the Original Video Animation when it was being distributed outside Japan.
• The Danza: Played Inoue in Code Geass, and Kikuko in Miss Monochrome.
• Follow the Leader: Her "17-years old" shtick started when she hosted a radio show and her co-host was known for declaring herself "16-years old!", so she followed and evolved when said co-host is 17-years old. Later, as her 17-years old cult began growing, other similar movements such as "Forever 23" (spearheaded by Chiaki Takahashi) and "Forever 29" (spearheaded by Yūko Gotō) started to sprout.

• Pigeonholed Voice Actor: Not that most have a problem with this when she's practically codified the performance of the Yamato Nadeshiko archetype for voice actors (which, according to this trope page, stands at 20 roles).
• Playing Against Type:
  • If you think she can only do sweet, pure, angelic women, wait until you hear I-No, Grace O'Connor, Lobelia Carlini, Lust from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, or Irina Girikanan.
    • Her as Benigio in Maho Girls Pretty Cure! plays with this: while another villainous role for her, it's made more amusing because she talks like a gyaru (which is naturally rendered as a Valley Girl accent in Fan Translations).
  • Professor Nastassja from Zesshou Symphogear G is one of the few times Inoue plays an old lady.
  • The Boss from Metal Gear Solid 3 isn't just The Mentor for Naked Snake: this motherly figure is the World's Best Warrior who can kick your ass six ways from Sunday.
  • Carta Issue would count, especially when she's the hammiest character in Kikuko's recent portrayals.
  • Ryouki normally fits Inoue's usual roles...until you touch her halo and her sweet, caring personality switches to an incredibly harsh and violent Lady Swears-a-Lot.

• Produced by Cast Member: Beginning with Symphogear GX, she earned her first animation staff role as an assistant designer for the Alca-Noise seen from that point on for the series.
• Running Gag: "I'm 17-years old", which is usually followed by her and/or someone else replying "Oi, oi!"^note "Hey, hey!" (or "Oi, Oi!" if you're a Brit).

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Inoue-san as a fine 17-year-old GPS system^note Oi, oi!

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