Junko Iwao
Voice ActorJunko Iwao is a Japanese actress and singer who voices Hikari Horaki, Shinji Ikari's class representative, in Neon Genesis Evangelion, though she is best known outside the franchise for playing Tomoyo Daidoji in Cardcaptor Sakura and Mima Kirigoe in Perfect Blue.
Neon Genesis Evangelion Role
Iwao provides the Japanese voice of Hikari Horaki, the class representative in Shinji Ikari's homeroom and one of the series' steady supporting presences amid the chaos surrounding NERV and the Angels. She also voices Hikari's two younger twin sisters, Kodama and Nozomi Horaki, across both the Japanese track and the English dub, a small but distinctive double duty within the show's voice casting. Hikari's grounded, responsible personality offers a counterweight to the more volatile characters in Shinji's orbit.
Career and Notable Roles
Iwao is most widely recognized for voicing Tomoyo Daidōji, the loyal best friend and cousin of the title character in Cardcaptor Sakura. Her other major anime credits include lead character Mima Kirigoe in the psychological thriller Perfect Blue, the priestess Kikyo in Hunter x Hunter, and Ceres in Ceres, Celestial Legend. In video games she has voiced Pai Chan in the Virtua Fighter series, Mint in Tales of Phantasia, Serika in To Heart, and more recently Carole Pepper in Honkai Impact 3rd.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Junko Iwao voice in Neon Genesis Evangelion?
Iwao is credited among the Japanese voice cast connected to Neon Genesis Evangelion, though the specific character has not been widely documented outside the original production credits. She is best known instead for a handful of signature lead roles in other anime.
What is Junko Iwao best known for voicing?
Iwao is most widely recognized for voicing Tomoyo Daidoji, the loyal best friend and cousin of the title character in Cardcaptor Sakura. She also voiced lead character Mima Kirigoe in the psychological thriller Perfect Blue.
What other anime characters has Junko Iwao voiced?
Iwao voices the priestess Kikyo in Hunter x Hunter and the title role in Ceres, Celestial Legend.
What video games has Junko Iwao voiced characters in?
Iwao has voiced Pai Chan in the Virtua Fighter series, Mint in Tales of Phantasia, and Serika in To Heart. More recently she voiced Carole Pepper in Honkai Impact 3rd.
When did Junko Iwao begin her voice acting career?
Iwao was born in 1970 and has been active as a Japanese voice actress and singer since 1994.
Sources & Information
This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Anime based on the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series, manga, and official materials. Neon Genesis Evangelion was created by Hideaki Anno, published by Kadokawa, and animated by khara and Gainax. All rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Rights holders
- Created byHideaki Anno
- Published byKadokawa
- Animated bykhara
- Animated byGainax
All rights belong to their respective owners.
Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Anime, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:
- Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to khara, Gainax and Kadokawa.
- Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Kadokawa and Hideaki Anno.
- Licensed imagery: Photographs of real people, including creators, voice actors and production staff, are used under licence from the rights holder or the applicable stock provider, or under the terms of a public licence permitting editorial use. Each such image is reproduced in its licensed form and remains the property of its owner.
- Exceptions: Limited exceptions to the practices described above may apply to individual entries. Where an exception applies, it is noted on the entry itself alongside the applicable attribution. Rights holders may contact us regarding any attribution and it will be reviewed promptly.
Official resources:
Help Us Keep This Wiki Accurate
Daddy Jim Anime maintains this encyclopedia. If you spot an error, a translation issue, or something that doesn't look right, let us know.
