Noriko Hidaka

Noriko Itō, known by her stage name Noriko Hidaka, is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer, and narrator. She has gained recognition for her roles in various anime and films. Hidaka has portrayed iconic characters such as Minami Asakura in Touch, Akane Tendo in Ranma ½, Satsuki Kusakabe in My Neighbor Totoro, Near in Death Note, Jean Roque Raltique in Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Kikyō in Inuyasha, Patricia O'Sullivan in Mischievous Twins: The Tales of St. Clare's, and Masumi Sera in Detective Conan. She has also provided the Japanese dub voice for Jayma Mays in the American TV series Glee and The Smurfs film series. Hidaka began her career as an idol star and later transitioned into voice acting, signing with talent management firm 81 Produce. She was born and raised in the Kudan area of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan.