Rie Murakawa

Biography

Early life

Murakawa was born in Saitama Prefecture on June 1, 1990. From an early age, she had an interest in playing games as well as magical girl anime such as Sailor Moon and Magic Knight Rayearth. During her fifth grade of elementary school, she transferred to another school, an event that years later she would later cite as a common point with her character Hotaru Ichijō in the anime series Non Non Biyori.

Also during her fifth grade of elementary school, Murakawa started becoming interested in voice acting after watching the anime series Hunter × Hunter (1999), which had been recommended to her by an older cousin. She was inspired by the voice acting performance of Yuki Kaida as the character Kurapika, and she also became interested in the voice of the series' main character, Gon Freecss. After this, she attempted to find ways to audition for voice acting roles, but was stopped. However, her parents promised her that they would let her become a voice actress in the future.

During her junior high school years, Murakawa attempted to join her school's theater club as a first step towards pursuing a voice acting career, but eventually abandoned this and instead joined the school's basketball club, which she would remain part of for three years. She then decided to enroll in a high school with a thriving theater club to help develop her acting skills. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at the vocational college Human Academy in 2009. Following her graduation from Human Academy in 2011, she enrolled at the Haikyō's voice acting school, finishing her studies that same year.

Acting career

After becoming a part of the Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society following her graduation from their acting school, Murakawa began playing roles in anime series. Her first anime role was as the character Coco in the 80th episode of the anime series Fairy Tail. She would continue to play supporting roles until 2013, when she was cast in her first main role as Aoi Futaba in the anime series Vividred Operation. That same year, she played a role in the anime film Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge, which greatly pleased her as Hunter × Hunter was what originally inspired her to become a voice actress. Later that year, she was cast as Hotaru Ichijō in the anime series Non Non Biyori, and Escha Malier in the video game Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky.

In 2014, Murakawa reprised the role of Escha for the anime series adaptation of Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky. She also played the role of Megumi Natsu in Is the Order a Rabbit? and Ruri Aoi in Minarai Diva. In 2015, she was cast as the role Nyaa-tan in Etotama, and in 2016 she played the role of Ram in Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World In 2017, she played the role of Constanze in Little Witch Academia, and in 2018 she played the role of Anzu in Hinamatsuri.

In 2019, she voiced Eyeone, a major villain in Star Twinkle PreCure, the 16th season of the Pretty Cure franchise. Murakawa has announced her interest in voicing a mainstream Pretty Cure.

On October 1, 2020, Murakawa transferred from Haikyō to Stay Luck.

Music career

Murakawa's music career began with the release of her first single "Sweet Sensation/Baby, My First Kiss" on June 1, 2016; the song "Sweet Sensation" was used as opening theme to the anime series Age 12: A Little Heart-Pounding. Her second single "Dokidoki no Kaze" (ドキドキの風) was released on November 2, 2016; the title track is used as the ending theme to the anime series Kiss Him, Not Me. She released her first album RiEMUSiC on January 11, 2017. This was followed by two singles that year: "Tiny Tiny"/"Mizuiro no Fantasy" (水色のFantasy) on May 17, and "Night terror" on October 11; "Tiny Tiny" was used as the opening theme to the anime series Frame Arms Girl, She released her second album RiESiNFONiA on February 28, 2018, and she released the single "Distance" on May 23, 2018; the song "Distance" was used as the opening theme to Hinamatsuri. She released the single "Hajimari no Basho" (はじまりの場所) on February 20, 2019; the title song is used as the ending theme to the anime series Forest of Piano. In the second season of Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World anime, the song "Anata no Shiranai Koto" (あなたの知らないこと) was used as the insert song in episode 23.

Personal life

Murakawa has an older sister and a younger brother. Voice actors who are close to her include Ayane Sakura, Aya Uchida, Mikako Komatsu, Maaya Uchida, Nozomi Yamamoto, Hiromi Igarashi, Minami Tsuda, and Yoshino Nanjō. When she and Aya Uchida appear together on TV programs, Uchida treats the high-spirited Murakawa like she's an idiot by saying, "Riesson, shut up! This has become a common practice. In response, Uchida said, "Aya-san always says, 'Shut up! But I think she really loves me, and I love her too. In the December 2013 issue of Seiyuu Grand Prix, she and Uchida participated in "Majitomo," a project in which two voice actors who are good friends of each other discuss the trajectory of their relationship since they met. in which she and Uchida were featured together.

Filmography

TV animation

2011

Fairy Tail, Coco

2012

Code:Breaker, Girl (ep 13)

Fairy Tail, Beth Vanderwood

Say "I love you", Girl (ep 5)

Shining Hearts: Shiawase no Pan, Child 1

2013

AKB0048 next stage, Research student A

A Certain Scientific Railgun S, Voice, Female Student B (ep 13), Client (ep 22)

Hyperdimension Neptunia: The Animation, Child

Kin-iro Mosaic, Mitsuki Inokuma, Female High School Student B (ep 2)

Non Non Biyori, Hotaru Ichijō

Oreshura, Female student A (ep 2)

Futari wa Milky Holmes, Alice's small bird, Girl C

The Severing Crime Edge, Female student (ep 2)

Unbreakable Machine-Doll, Female Student (ep 2)

Vividred Operation, Aoi Futaba

Yuyushiki, Female student 1 (ep 1), Kōhai B (ep 9)

Yozakura Quartet ~Hana no Uta~, 2nd District Girl B (ep 1), Girl 1, Girl

2014

Original net animation (ONA)

KY kei JC Kuuki-chan (2013), Kuuki Yominashi

Monster Strike (2015), Karin Homura

Original video animation (OVA)

Non Non Biyori OVA (2014), Hotaru Ichijō

Trinity Seven OVA (2015), Yui Kurata

Nekota no Koto ga Ki ni Natte Shikatanai OVA (2015), Haruna Inui

Robot Atom (2015), Atom

Non Non Biyori Repeat OVA (2016), Hotaru Ichijō

Theatrical animation

Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge (2013)

Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade (2015), Constanze Amalie von Braunschbank-Albrechtsberger

Kiniro Mosaic: Pretty Days (2016), Mitsuki Inokuma

Trinity Seven the Movie: The Eternal Library and the Alchemist Girl (2017), Yui Kurata

Non Non Biyori Vacation (2018), Hotaru Ichijo

Trinity Seven: Heavens Library & Crimson Lord (2019), Yui Kurata

Video games

Lord of Vermilion Re:2 (2011), Ishtar

Pop'n Music Portable 2 (2011), Mimi

Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky (2013), Escha Malier

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (2013 - Present), Alisaie

Girl Friend Beta (2013), Tsudzuri Shirase

Lord of Vermilion III (2013), Wu Zetian

The Idolm@ster Million Live! (2013), Arisa Matsuda

Valkyria Chronicles Duel (2013), Loretta Rembrandt

Vividred Operation: Hyper Intimate Power (2013), Aoi Futaba

Yome Collection (2013), Aoi Futaba

Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea (2014), Escha Malier

Fire Emblem If (2015), Kagerou

Moe Chronicle (2014), Lilia

Grimoire: Grimoire Private Magic School (2014)

Magica Wars Zanbatsu (2014), Rin Kobari

Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines (2014)

Schoolgirl Strikers (2014), Haruka Kurimoto

SoniPro (2014), Hibiki Komatsuri

Island (2016) - Sara Garando

Discography