Megumi Ogata (緒方 恵美, Ogata Megumi; born June 6, 1965) is a Japanese actress and singer from the Greater Tokyo Area. As a singer, she goes by the name em:óu. She is best known for voicing Shinji Ikari in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Yugi Mutou and Dark Yugi in the Toei version of Yu-Gi-Oh!, Makoto Naegi and Nagito Komaeda in the Danganronpa series, Ken Amada in Persona 3, Kurama in YuYu Hakusho, Sailor Uranus in the Sailor Moon series, Yuta Okkotsu in Jujutsu Kaisen, Hanako and Tsukasa in Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun and Yukito Tsukishiro/Yue in Cardcaptor Sakura.
Due to her notability for playing male roles and boyish female roles, Ogata is sometimes referred to with the nickname aniki.
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Early life
Ogata was born into a musical family and was given singing lessons from a young age.
Ogata attended Tokai University, studying oceanography but later dropped out due to her lack of interest. Following this, she attended the Tokyo Seisen Music School, taking a musical theater course.
After graduation, Ogata began working as a musical actress, attending the same classes alongside Rumi Kasahara and Shiho Niiyama in the Neverland Musical Community troupe. While working in musical theater, Ogata developed a reputation for playing male roles.
Following the disbandment of the troupe, Ogata decided to pursue voice acting as a career. Also around this time, Ogata broke her hip, which influenced her decision to leave musical theater. Due to her reputation of playing male roles, it was suggested she try to do the same in voice acting.
Career
Ogata began attending a cram school associated with Aoni Production following her decision to become a voice actor. Following her graduation from the school, she debuted with the role of Kurama in YuYu Hakusho. Early in Ogata's career, she was affiliated with Aoni Production.
Ogata left Aoni Productions in 1998. In 2000, she had planned to take a hiatus from voice acting. However, due to a family emergency in which she had to pay off significant amounts of debt, she returned to voice acting soon after.
Ogata initially pursued a musical career singing idol-like music. After switching labels to Lantis in 1999, Ogata began pursuing different kinds of music. Due to Ogata's status as a popular voice actor, she was given freedom at Lantis to make music suited to her own taste.
In 2015, Ogata mentioned that the screaming she often does for roles has had negative effects on her health, including voice strain and headaches.
In 2021, Ogata contracted COVID-19, requiring her to pause her active recordings to recover. That same year, she published her autobiography.
Personal life
While attending Aoni Production's cram school, Ogata's father started suffering from a heart condition. To ensure that her father would see her as a bride before he died, Ogata married her then-boyfriend. Following her debut as a voice actor, she had less time to spend with her family, which strained her relationship with her husband. Six months after debuting as a voice actor, Ogata and her husband ended their relationship in divorce.
Ogata married for a second time in 2004. Ogata has chosen to remain private about this second relationship.
In 2022, speaking at the Seiyu Awards after winning the Best Lead Actress Award, Ogata spoke about her stance on gender and self-identity. She called for the Seiyu Awards to abolish gendered categories. She also said, "I have never really thought of myself as actress, per se. These days, we live in what's called a gender-free society, and in the world there are people who have come out [as LGBTQ+]. There are also many people, like me, who hardly think of themselves as 'women' at all as they live their daily lives." For this reason, she considered turning down the Best Lead Actress Award. However, she decided to accept it, believing that being given the platform to speak on the issue was more important.
Filmography
Others
DRAMA CD
「Yuu ☆ Yuu ☆ Hakusho」Series 「幽☆遊☆白書シリーズ」 (Zou-Ba)
Rurouni Kenshin 〜 Meiji Kenkaku Roman Tan 「るろうに剣心〜明治剣客浪漫譚」 (Himura Kenshin)
Tenba No Ketsuzoku 「天馬の血族」 (Aruto Jin)
Time Leap 「タイム・リープ」 (Wakamatsu Kazuhiko)
Hana No Asuka Gumi Gaiden 「花のあすか組！ 外伝」 (Kuraku Asuka)
「Dear」Series 「Dearシリーズ」 (Kisaki Sumeragi)
Toki No Daichi 「刻の大地」 (Jendo)
Tentai Gikai 「天体議会」 (Mizu Hasu)
Shōnen Shinka-Ron 「少年進化論」 (Fujisaki Sana)
Fushigi Yuugi 〜 Genbu Kaiden 「ふしぎ遊戯〜玄武開伝」 (Shitsu yado)
Kaze No Oukoku 「風の王国」 (Ri Suiran)
Gakuen Kaku Meiden Mitsurugi 「学園革命伝ミツルギ」 (Mitsurugi Chiruchiru)
Ray Sweeper 「レイスイーパー」 (Ken Shin)
Shiritsu Kurearu Gakuen 「私立クレアール学園」 (Hyōdō Takaiku)
Ginga Tetsudou No Yoru 「銀河鉄道の夜」 (Tadashi)
「Shuuen No Shiori」 Series 「終焉ノ栞」シリーズ」 (A-ya)
Ima, Ai Ni Yukimasu 「いま、会いにゆきます」 (Aio Yuuji)
Radical Hospital 「ラディカル・ホスピタル」 (Yonezawa Amerika)
Love Cuisine 〜 Monster Recipe 〜 「Love Cuisine〜モンスターズ・レシピ〜」 (Rubinou & Koruri)
Broadcast radio
Ogata Megumi no MUSIC COAST
Ogata Megumi no Ginga ni Hoero! (1996–1998)
Ogata Megumi no Ai daze!BABY!
Kyou wa Ichinichi Anison Zanmai S.S.
Internet radio show
Ogata Megumi no Himitsu no Ha・Na・Zo・N
Ogata vs Domon MOEMOEWoo!toko-gumi! (M.O.Bay)
Bara Iro Tengoku (M.O.Bay)
Megumi Ogata's Yell ROCK
Personal show
Love Letter
Ogata Megumi no Tsuki no Yoru ni Ai ma Show
Full CDs
Half Moon (March 16, 1994)
Marine Legend (April 21, 1995)
Winter Bird (December 13, 1995)
Multipheno (October 28, 1996)
Santa Claus ni Naritai (November 11, 1996)
Megumi Ogata Live: Multipheno Concert Tour 1996 Winter Concert (March 5, 1997)
MO (em:óu) (March 11, 1998)
Megumi Ogata Live: [em:óu] Concert Tour 1998 ((in Tokio to Hong Kong)) (March 13, 1999)
Best "Runner" (June 30, 1999)
Rain (2001/01/10)
Aitai. ~passed and next 1992–2002~ (2002/12/04)
STOP, AND GO (2003/07/02)
Kagami no kuni no alice (2004/10/22)
Yoake no Jikan (2006/07/05)
Animegu (2007/10/03)
LiveCD「Christmas Rose2007～acoustic live」 (2008/04/08)
666:rock・lock・ROCK! (2008/12/24)
Desire - Kibou (2013/11/23)
real / dummy (2017/2/1)
Animegu. 25th (2017/10/11)
Early Ogata Best (2018/5/30)
Singles
Tenki Ame ga Futta Hi (January 21, 1996)
Kaze no Bohyou (May 25, 1996)
Kizutsukanai ai wa iranai (July 10, 1996)
Wine Red no Kokoro (October 7, 1996)
Time Leap (May 25, 1997)
Jealousy no aza (December 17, 1997)
Vacation map (February 11, 1998)
Rasen (November 18, 1998)
Hikari Wo Sagashite
Run
Silver Rain (July 1, 1999)
Animal Eyes (August 22, 1999)
Ouchi wo Tsukuro (2001/12/29)
Kuchen backen und dabeinnocent Prisoner (2013/2/10)
Kuchen backen und dabe (2013/2/10)
Innocent prisoner (2013/2/10)
Kodoku no Kakurenbo (September 23, 2015)
