Yui Makino

Yui Makino (牧野由依) is a Japanese seiyū, actress, singer and pianist. She is best known for her work in the anime Tsubasa Chronicle and Aria. She can speak basic English. She is well known as a nice, caring, polite and a down-to-earth person, according to her fans. Her fans sometimes call her "Yucchi", "Maki-Maki" or simply "Yui-chan". She is called "Yui-hime" by a fellow seiyuu, Yukari Fukui. She also participated voicing the character Sister in a short-anime movie Bavel no Hon when she was only 10. She was a child actor.

Because of her signature childish and girlish voice, she often voices cheerful and sweet girls (Sakura, Misaki, Kyoko). But, she also can voice girls with mysterious backgrounds (Misaki, Honoka, Ryphia), innocent and childish girls (Ryphia), up-beat girls (May-Yu, Tsubasa, Mio), lolita-chara (Mio), boyish girls (Hazuki, May-Yu) and even emotionless characters (Honoka, Cui Ling/Lapis).

Musical history
Makino took up piano at the age of four. Her talent for playing piano was discovered by the film director Shunji Iwai when she was seven years old and from the age of 8 to 17, she played piano solos for three of his films: Love Letter, All About Lily Chou-Chou and Hana and Alice.

She made her debut as a singer in 2005 with “Omna Magni”, produced by Yoko Kanno. It was used as the ending theme song for the anime Sousei no Aquarion. In the April of the same year, she also debuted as a seiyū, starring as heroine Sakura in Tsubasa Chronicle and recording several songs for its soundtrack. She released “Amrita”, the ending song for the Tsubasa Chronicle film, as well as “Undine”, the opening theme for the TV Tokyo anime Aria the Animation, coupled with its inserted song “Symphony”. It achieved #25 on the Oricon chart.

On 2006, Makino released two songs from another TV Tokyo anime, Aria the Natural, the theme song “Euphoria” and insert song “Amefuribana”. They were released on one product and achieved #18 on the Oricon chart. She released her debut album, Tenkyū no Ongaku on 6 December 2006.

In 2007, she was invited to represent Japan at the Japan-China cultural exchange event. She also released two singles for the programmes Sketchbook ~full color's~ and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.

On 23 January 2008, Makino released her seventh single, “Spirale” as the opening theme of Aria the Origination. Coupled with the anime’s insert song, “Yokogao”, the single reached #20 on the Oricon chart. She also performed her first solo concert at the Fuchuno Mori Geijutsu Gekijo Wien Hall in Tokyo, where she sang and played the piano accompaniment for each song. She released her eponymous second album, Makino Yui in March 2008. It reached #22 on the Oricon chart. She graduated from Tokyo College of Music as a piano major in the same month.

In 2009, Yui started traveling overseas to perform in various events, and on 7 October 2009, she released her single "Tampopo Suisha (たんぽぽ水車)".

Overseas Guest Appearances

 * 2007: Japan Ambassador, Beijing (Japan-China Cultural Exchange)
 * July 2009: Performance at Japan Expo, France
 * September 2009: Guest of Honor, New York Anime Festival, USA
 * 26 December 2009: Guest Artiste, Musical Concert in EOY2009 at Drama Centre @ National Library, Singapore
 * 16 January 2010: Guest Artiste, at Korea
 * 19 June 2010: Concert, in Rome, Italy
 * 21 June 2010: Ongaku no Hi in France, as guest

TV anime

 * 2005:
 * Tsubasa Chronicle as Sakura


 * 2006:
 * Aria The Natural as Akane in episode 26
 * Welcome to the NHK! as Misaki Nakahara
 * Spider Riders: Oracle of Heroes as Girl in episode 7
 * Coron-chan as Byobā
 * Zegapain as Jen May-Yu
 * Tsubasa Chronicle (second season) as Sakura


 * 2007:
 * Kaze no Stigma as Lapis Suirei/Cui Ling
 * Bokurano as Aiko Tokosumi
 * Sketchbook as Hazuki Torikai


 * 2009:
 * Asu no Yoichi! as Tsubasa Tsubame
 * Sora Kake Girl as Honoka Kawai
 * Taishō Yakyū Musume as Kyouko Sakurami
 * NEEDLESS as Mio


 * 2010:
 * Nodame Cantabile: Finale as Namuri Rima (Episode 4)
 * Angel Beats! as Yusa

OVA

 * ''Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations as Sakura
 * Hoshi no Umi no Amuri as Amuri
 * ''Tsubasa Shunraiki as Sakura
 * ''xxxHOLiC Shunmuki as Sakura

Anime films

 * Tsubasa Chronicle: Torikago no Kuni no Himegimi as Sakura
 * Top wo Nerae 2! & Top wo Nerae! Gattai Gekijō-ban!! as Akaitakami

Video Games

 * Arc Rise Fantasia as Ryfia
 * Which Witch? as Yuugi Saki
 * Tsubasa Chronicle as Sakura

Drama CDs

 * Welcome to the NHK! as Misaki Nakahara
 * Wagamama Sentai Bloom Heart as Tougaiji Yuri a.k.a White Lily
 * Zegapain as Jen May-Yu
 * Tsubasa Chronicle as Sakura

Live Stage

 * Hi Kara (2009) as Seiki Tomoyo

Radio

 * Yui to Mika no Puri Suite!-Tsubasa Chronicle radio, hosted by Makino Yui and Kikuchi Mika as host
 * Sketchbook Radio-Sketchbook radio, hosted by Hanazawa Kana, Nakase Asuka and Makino Yui as host
 * Puri Suite RETURNS!-Tsubasa Chronicle (second season) radio, hosted by Irino Miyu, Makino Yui, Kikuchi Mika, Inada Tetsu and Namikawa Daisuke as host
 * Sore Kake Radio & TV-Sora Kake Girl radio, hosted by MAKO as guest in several episodes
 * ArcRise LADY RADIO HOUR-Arc Rise Fantasia radio, hosted by Makino Yui and Katou Emiri as host.
 * Which Witch? Sora no Gakko Host Club?-Which Witch? radio, hosted by Asumi Kana and Toyosaki Aki as guest and host replacing Aki in two episodes.
 * Makino Yui no Daimondorobicchi-Makino's own radio.
 * Makino Yui no Fuwa Fuwa Radio-Makino's own radio, for Fuwa Fuwa single promo.

Fun Facts

 * She and a fellow seiyuu, Fukuyama Jun, engages in a blog war. They made a deal if Fukuyama Jun can learn the "Blind Type" in one year, he can punish her. If he can't she will punish him.
 * Her voice is somewhat perfect for a made-up language songs, such as Omna Magni and Imaginal Song (from Arc Rise Fantasia).
 * She has a pet ferret named Hokke-chan
 * She graduated from Tokyo College of Musicas piano major with the top score in her senior year
 * Her favourite anime is Nodame Cantabile
 * Her favourite sport is swimming
 * She was nominated for "best young seiyuu" for her outstanding portrayal of Misaki Nakahara from Welcome to the N.H.K.
 * She is close to other fellow seiyuus, like Inoue Marina, Mika Kikuchi, Katou Emiri, Sayaka Ohara, Endo Aya, MAKO and a lot more.
 * She refers herself as a boyish girl, but in the other hand, she also likes cute things.
 * She started in four different animes with Hanazawa Kana (Zegapain, Sketchbook, Asu no Yoichi! and Angel Beats!), three different animes/role with Katou Emiri (NEEDLESS, Arc Rise Fantasia and Angel Beats!.)
 * She called Fukuyama Jun with "Fukuyama-sama".
 * She made a piano piece called "Mezame, Mamoretta Sekai E" (Awakening, To A Protected World) for Arc Rise Fantasia, and played in the end of the game.
 * Some of her fans call her Princess Yui, due to her role as Princess Sakura, and her kind behavior that seems like a sweet princess.

Other

 * Anime soundtracks
 * Omna Magni
 * Notes: This song was used as an ending theme song in Genesis of Aquarion.


 * Sousei no Aquarion
 * Notes: This soing was used as the intro theme song in Genesis of Aquarion.


 * Yume no Tsubasa (ユメノツバサ)
 * Notes: She sang this song together with fellow seiyū, Miyu Irino who voices Syaoran. The song was used as an ending theme song in the 3rd Drama CD of Tsubasa Chronicle.


 * Tsuki no Shijima (つきのしじま)
 * Notes: This song was used as an insert song in episode 50 in Tsubasa Chronicle.


 * Dark Side ni Tsuitekite
 * Notes: This song was used as an insert song in Welcome to the N.H.K.


 * ''Synchronicity
 * Notes: This song is the opening theme song for Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations


 * Tenshi no Hashigo ~crepuscular rays~
 * Notes: This song is the ending theme for Arc Rise Fantasia


 * Imaginal Song
 * Notes: This song is one of Ryphia's songs with her vocalizing in Arc Rise Fantasia.


 * Jouka no Hikari (Light Of Purification)
 * Notes: This song is one of Ryphia's songs with her vocalizing in Arc Rise Fantasia


 * Ryfia no Negai (Ryfia's Wish)
 * Notes: This song is one of Ryphia's songs with her vocalizing in Arc Rise Fantasia


 * Ten no Namida (Heaven's Tears)
 * Notes: This song is one of Ryphia's songs with her vocalizing in Arc Rise Fantasia


 * Anime character songs
 * Towa no Omoi
 * Notes: Found on the first Tsubasa Chronicle Drama & Character Album.


 * Yacchaouyo!
 * Notes: This song was released on the first character song album for the OVA Amuri in Star Ocean.


 * Umidorika -Amuri Ver.-
 * Notes: This song was released on the first character song album for the OVA Amuri in Star Ocean.


 * Moroi Mirai Kirai
 * Notes: This song was released on the third character song album of Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo.


 * Wakakusa iro no Cliner Focal
 * Notes: This song was released on the second character song album of Which Witch?