Rica Matsumoto

Rica Matsumoto (松本 梨香) is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who was born in Yokohama, Japan. Her name is also sometimes romanized as Rika Matsumoto. She was one of the original members of the popular vocal group JAM Project. After the way of the stage, she embarked on voice acting and a singing career. The most popular role by Rica is Satoshi (Ash Ketchum), the main character of the anime series Pokémon (Pocket Monsters). She especially likes to take on roles for young boys.

Matsumoto is another widely-heard voice artist, both in her music recordings and her work in anime, where she has had lead or supporting roles in dozens of series. She has also had a radio show in Japan and does some dubbing work for translations of American films and TV series into Japanese. While she is still active in voice acting, her major performance now is with the group JAM Project, which performs songs for and from anime; one of their famous performances was a 24-hour marathon during which members of the group sang excerpts from one thousand anime songs. Matsumoto's CD "Mezase Pokémon Master" (Pokémon Japanese theme song) has sold over 1.85 million copies in Japan.

Since April 7, 2008, she announced that she was taking time off from JAM Project as well as her solo work. She then resumed when she and Megumi Toyoguchi sang the 3rd OP of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl but has no plans on going back to the group.

Notable songs

 * "Get a Dream" (Opening of Sunrise Eiyuutan/Sunrise Eiyuutan R)
 * "Alive A life" (Opening for Kamen Rider Ryuki, Remix tracks of Rider Chips' Song Attack Ride Vol.1)
 * "Mezase Pokémon Master" (Opening for Pokémon)
 * "Rival!" (Opening for Pokémon)
 * "OK!" (Opening for Pokémon)
 * "Challenger!" (Opening for Pokémon: Advanced Generation)
 * "SPURT!" (Opening for Pokémon: Advanced Generation)
 * "High Touch!" (Opening for Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, sung with Megumi Toyoguchi)
 * "Burning Soul" (Hyuga Kojiro image song for the Captain Tsubasa ROAD to 2002 Song Of Kickers CD)
 * "Chiisana Dai Bouken" (Opening for Chi's Sweet Home:Chi's New Address)
 * "High Touch! 2009" (Opening song of Gekijōban Pocket Monsters Diamond and Pearl: Arceus Chōkoku no Jikū e)

Roles

 * Ayaka Kisaragi - Phantom Quest Corp (Yuugenkaishya)
 * Aoi Futaba - Taiho Shicchauzo! (You're Under Arrest!)
 * April - Sol Bianca
 * Asahina Mutsuki - Haunted Junction (Playstation)
 * Bikky - Fake
 * Binbou - Obotchama Kun
 * Bakura Ryou' - Yu-Gi-Oh! (second series anime) (Episodes 50-224)
 * Chihiro - Pretty Sammy
 * Chyoromatsu - Osomatsu-kun
 * Fanieta - Vandread
 * Fuusuke - Ninku
 * Guramu - Shamanic Princess
 * Haro - Gundam V
 * Hayami Naoki - Cutey Honey Flash
 * Hibiki - Boku no Marie
 * Hyuga Kojiro (child) - Captain Tsubasa Road to 2002
 * Ichimonji Tsukasa - Suchipai Mecha Gentei-Ban (Sega Saturn)
 * Intress - Chaotic
 * Japoro - Shamanic Princess
 * Jidama - Hazukichan
 * Jim Hawking - Outlaw Star
 * Jinno Hazumi - Bakuen Campus Guardress
 * Jounai Reika - My Dream/On Air ga Matenakute (Playstation, Sega Saturn)
 * Kaite - Trigun
 * Katayama Aika - Over Rev!
 * Kei - Dirty Pair Flash
 * Kiyohei - Hanada Shounenshi
 * Kesley Uruga - Princess Minerva
 * Koashura, Kiyoshi Mitarai (Seaman) - Yu Yu Hakusho
 * Kuroha Keiko - Tonde Buurin
 * Kurusu - Master Mosquiton '99
 * Kujou Reiko - Detective Conan
 * Lemonpai - Idol Fight Suuchiipai 2
 * Moriki - Danasite 999.9
 * Misty - Bomberman Jetters
 * Mariko - Ganbarist! Shun
 * Miki Poyota - Mama ha Poyo Poyo Zaurus ga Osuki
 * Mizuki - Shin Samurai Spirits (Neo Geo)
 * Mule Moscow - Mahou Shoujo Fancy Coco (Playstation)
 * Matsumoto Youta - Tokumu Sentai Shinesman
 * Nataku - X/1999
 * Oota Rie - Lemon Angel
 * Oozora Nozomu - Moldiver
 * Otoi Moriko - Twin Signal
 * Opera Vectra - Star Ocean EX
 * Ogata Shizuka - Friends Seishin no Kagayaki (Sega Saturn)
 * Prettz - Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals
 * Piano Man - Anpan Man
 * Persian - Pokémon - Mewtwo Returns
 * Raishinshi - Senkaiden Houshin Engi
 * Rikki Chadwick - H2O: Just Add Water
 * Ricarla Borgnine - Super Robot Wars Alpha (Playstation), Super Robot Wars Original Generations (Playstation 2)
 * Rika Sanada - Sokkou Seitokai
 * Rahsya - Fam & Irie
 * Satoh Tomoe - Roujin Z
 * Satoshi (Ash Ketchum) - Pokémon
 * Shiberia Hazuki - Muka Muka Paradise
 * Sinunora - Gun Frontier
 * Sonia Field - City Hunter
 * Souma Akio - Meguri Aishite (Playstation)
 * Suzumebachi - Naruto
 * Tachibana Reika - Su Chi Pai (Playstation, Sega Saturn)
 * Tsukasa - Su-Chi-Pai Adventure Doki Doki Nightmare (Playstation, Sega Saturn)
 * Takizawa - Doki Doki Pretty League (Playstation)
 * Takasugi Seiji - The Brave Fighter of Legend Da Garn

OVA

 * The Land Before Time series (Cera)

Theater animation

 * The Land Before Time (Cera)
 * Metropolis (Female customer)
 * Perfect Blue (Rumi)
 * Piano no Mori (Daigaku Kanehira)
 * Pokémon film series (Satoshi)
 * Roujin Z (Chie Satō)
 * Taiho Shichauzo the Movie (Aoi Futaba)

Web animation

 * The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon (Satoshi)

Video games

 * Brave Fencer Musashi (Musashi)
 * GeGeGe no Kitarō: Gyakushū! Yōma Dai Kessen (Kitarō)
 * GeGeGe no Kitarō: Ibun Yōkai Kitan (Kitarō)
 * GeGeGe no Kitarō: Kikiippotsu! Yōkai Rettō (Kitarō)
 * Kingdom Hearts II (Megara)
 * Lunar 2: Eternal Blue (Nall)
 * Maria 2: Jutaikokuchi no Nazo (Maria Kunitoma)

Tokusatsu

 * Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman (Arthur G6)
 * Choujin Sentai Jetman (Gomi Jigen)
 * Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (Dora Reiger)
 * ''Engine Sentai Go-onger (Bōseki Banki)

Dubbing roles

 * Angela Anaconda (Angela Anaconda)
 * Back at the Barnyard (Bessy the Cow)
 * Bram Stoker's Dracula (2nd Japanese version) (Mina Harker)
 * Charlie's Angels series(Dylan Sanders)
 * Crash (Jean Cabot)
 * Miss Congeniality and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (Gracie Hart)
 * The Net (Angela Bennett)
 * Speed (TV Asahi version) (Annie Porter)