Yoshiko Saka (阪 淑子, Saka Yoshiko; née Ōta, April 25, 1932 – October 29, 2021) known professionally as Yoshiko Ōta (太田淑子, Ōta Yoshiko) was a Japanese voice actress and actress from Kyoto Prefecture, affiliated with Theater Echo.
She is best known for voice roles such as Leo/Kimba in Kimba the White Lion, Tanpei in Time Bokan, Gan-chan/Yatterman No.1 in Yatterman, Sewashi in Doraemon, Nobita Nobi in Doraemon, Princess Sapphire in Princess Knight, Atsuko "Akko" Kagami in The Secret of Akko-chan, Kyoko Otowa in Aim for the Ace!, Chizuko Makieda in D.N.Angel, Panny/Baby Panda in Panda! Go Panda!, Peebo in Chodenshi Bioman, and Urasue in InuYasha.
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Biography
Ōta was born in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Empire of Japan on April 25, 1932.
She joined Takarazuka Revue in 1947, and remained with them until 1952. She joined Theater Echo in 1963.
In 2016, she received the Tokyo Anime Award Festival's Merit Award.
Ōta died from heart failure on October 29, 2021, at the age of 89. Her death was announced on November 9 by Theater Echo.
Personal life
She married fellow voice actor Osamu Saka, whom she met while a member of the Takarazuka Revue. The couple moved to Tokyo in 1964.
Throughout the 1960s, Ōta voiced the heroes and heroines in animated adaptations of Osamu Tezuka's works. She even managed to appear as a voice actress in all three anime series of The Secret of Akko-chan. When she was cast to voice Princess Sapphire in Princess Knight, she was overjoyed, as it was a role she always wanted to play.
She was the original voice of Nobita Nobi for the first Doraemon anime series. In the second Doraemon anime series that ran from 1979 to 2005, she voiced Nobita's great-great-grandson Sewashi.
Originally, Time Bokan and Yatterman were intended to focus on the main hero and heroine, voiced by her and Mari Okamoto. However, the villainous trios of both series were so entertaining with audiences and the staff that they became the main characters. Ōta expressed her personal frustration at this decision, remarking, "It's always the bad guys who get all the attention."
Successors
The following individuals took over some of Ōta's acting roles after her death.
Filmography
Video games
Time Bokan Series: Bokan to Ippatsu! Doronbo (1997): Tanpei, Gan-chan/Yatterman No.1
Bokan Desu yo (1998): Tanpei, Gan-chan/Yatterman No.1
The Secret of Akko-chan: Little Witching Mischiefs (1999): Atsuko Kagami
Kids Station: Doraemon: Himitsu no Yojigen Pocket (2001): Sewashi Nobi
Inuyasha (2001): Urasue
Bokan GoGoGo (2001): Tanpei, Gan-chan/Yatterman No.1
Slotter Up Core 3: Yuda! Doronjo ni Omakase (2004): Tanpei, Gan-chan/Yatterman No.1
Dubbing
Dumbo (1941): Elephant Giddy (Dorothy Scott) (1983 re-release version)
Bambi (1942): Mrs. Rabbit (Margaret Lee) (digital version)
Fun and Fancy Free (1947): Mickey Mouse (TBS version)
Peanuts (1950): Linus van Pelt (Theatrical version)
Peter Pan (1953): Mary Darling (1984 version and current version)
The Snow Queen (1957): Kai (TV Tokyo version)
Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles (1966): Buzz Conroy (Dick Beals)
The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show (1980): Jerry
The Silly, Silly Tom and Jerry Parade (1980): Jerry
The Fox and the Hound (1981): Vixey (Sandy Duncan)
The Black Cauldron (1985): Orwen (Adele Malis-Morey)
The Great Mouse Detective (1986): additional voice
Bambi II (2006): Mrs. Rabbit (Kath Soucie)
