Megumi Hayashibara Information & Megumi Hayashibara Links at HealthHaven.com

Megumi Hayashibara
Megumi Hayashibara
Born	March 30, 1967 (age 42); Tokyo, Japan
Other name(s)	MEGUMI (as a lyricist), Megu-san, Megu-nee, Bara-san, Kakka, Daijin
Occupation	Seiyū, singer, radio personality, lyricist, nurse
Years active	1986–present
Spouse(s)	Ari (unofficial proclamation)
	Official website

Megumi Hayashibara (林原めぐみ, Hayashibara Megumi^?) (born March 30, 1967) is a Japanese seiyū, singer, radio personality and lyricist from Tokyo. She is currently affiliated with Aksent. Her nicknames include "Megu-san", "Megu-nee", "Bara-san", "Kakka" and "Daijin". She is most known for her roles in Ranma ½ (as Ranma Saotome), Neon Genesis Evangelion (as Rei Ayanami), Cowboy Bebop (as Faye Valentine), Slayers (as Lina Inverse), Detective Conan (as Ai Haibara), Pokémon (as Musashi/Jessie of Team Rocket) and Shaman King (as Anna Kyoyama). Hayashibara is also a registered nurse.^[1]

[edit] Biography

Megumi Hayashibara was born on March 30, 1967 in Tokyo, Japan.^[2] Hayashibara studied at a Catholic school, and at one point was bullied in fifth grade.^[3] She was an active club member and participated in the Badminton, Biology, Broadcasting, Drama and English clubs. She played the role of Alice in an English language production of Alice in Wonderland.^[4] Despite qualifying as a nurse, she has never been employed in a nursing position.^[5]

On 30 March 1999, she married^[6]. On January 10, 2004, she announced on her radio show that she was pregnant with her first child.^[7] In June of the same year, she gave birth to a daughter.

[edit] Voice acting

On the same day as submitting the application for nursing school, she went to a book store and found an advert offering free anime voice acting auditions at Arts Vision. Several months after submitting a demo tape, she received a confirmation of passing the first stage of the audition, and eventually decided to continue training as a nurse while doing voice acting.^[8]^[9] After a year of voice actor training, Hayashibara was chosen to voice small roles on Maison Ikkoku.^[10] Initially, she had difficulty with her lines and had to redo many lines after the main recording sessions.^[11] Hayashibara later auditioned for Ranma ½ expecting to be cast as Akane Tendo, but was cast as the female half of Ranma Saotome instead.^[12] In 1993 and 1995, Hayashibara was a guest at Anime America.^[13] At the 1995 event, she decided to give a speech in English after believing the translation at the 1993 event did not reflect what she had said.^[14] In 1995, Hayashibara provided the voice of Rei Ayanami in Neon Genesis Evangelion, a role referred to as "innovative casting".^[15]

[edit] DJ

While at nursing school, she started a temporary job as a DJ at a local ice skating rink. After becoming better known as a voice actress, she was given her own Radio show, "Heartfull Station".^[16] After 17 shows, the broadcasting station cancelled the show and other anime related programming to concentrate on traditional music. However, 6 months later, Hayashibara started a new radio show at another broadcaster.^[17]

[edit] Music career

Release Date^[18]	Album^[18]	Catalog Number^[18]	Chart Position	Notes
February 28, 1990	Pulse	TYDY-5127	92	Single
March 5, 1991	Niji-iro no Sneaker	KIDA-15	43	Single
March 21, 1991	Half and half	KICS-100	45^[19]	Album
March 5, 1992	Whatever	KICS-176	18^[20]	Album
June 24, 1992	Yume wo dakishimete	KIDA-42	90	Single - Magical Princess Minky Momo Theme
August 5, 1992	Haruneko fushigi tsukiyo -oshiete Happiness-	KIDA-45	49	Single - All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku Ending
August 5, 1992	Perfume	KICS-215	13^[21]	Album
March 24, 1993	Our Goody Day...Bokura no Good Day	KIDA-54	54	Single
August 23, 1993	SHAMROCK	KICS-345	12^[22]	Album
November 26, 1993	Yume Hurry Up	KIDA-69	58	Single - All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku OVA Themes
May 25, 1994	Until Strawberry Sherbet	KIDA-81	42	Single - contains themes for Bakuretsu Hunter
November 3, 1994	Touch and Go!!	KIDA-90	37	Single - Contain themes for the show Blue Seed
December 21, 1994	Pulse	TYCY-5413		Single (re-release)
July 2, 1994	SpHERE	KICS-430	8^[23]	Album
March 3, 1995	Enfleurage	KICS-475	6^[24]	Album
July 21, 1995	Midnight Blue	KIDA-108	27	Single - Slayers the Motion Picture Theme
December 6, 1995	Going History	KIDA-124	25	Single - Slayers EXTRA Theme
April 24, 1996	Give a reason	KIDA-128	9	Single - Slayers Next Theme
May 22, 1996	Kagirinai Yokubou no Naka ni	KIDA-134	20	Single - Slayers Special OVA Theme
July 5, 1996	Just be conscious	KIDA-b36	11	Single - Slayers Return Theme
October 23, 1996	Successful Mission	KIDA-138	7	Single - Contains themes for Saber Marionette J
November 1, 1996	bertemu	KICS-590	3^[25]	Album
April 23, 1997	Don't Be Discouraged	KIDA-148	4	Single - Slayers Try Ending
August 6, 1997	Iráváti	KICS-640	5 ^[26]	Album
July 2, 1997	Reflection	KIDA-154	7	Single - Slayers Great Theme
February 4, 1998	Fine Colorday	KIDA-158	9	Single - Contains themes for the show All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku
April 24, 1998	~infinity~	KIDA-161	8	Single Lost Universe Theme
July 3, 1998	Raging Waves	KIDA-163	8	Single - Slayers Gorgeous Theme
September 4, 1998	A House Cat	KIDA-165	6	Single - Contains themes to the show All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku
October 10, 1998	Proof of myself	KIDA-170	9	Single Saber Marionette J to X Theme
May 28, 1999	Question at Me	KIDA-180	13	Single
October 27, 1999	FUWARI (ふわり)	KICS-755	5^[27]	Album
December 3, 1999	Booska! Booska!!	KIDA-190	50	Single
April 26, 2000	Vintage S	KICS-790	6 ^[28]	Greatest Hits compilation
May 24, 2000	Sakura Saku	KICA-506	7	Single - Contains Love Hina Themes
June 21, 2000	Vintage A	KICS-810	4^[29]	Greatest Hits compilation
October 25, 2000	unsteady	KIDA-204	14	Single - Contains themes from Muteki-O Trizenon
August 29, 2001	Over Soul	KICM-3016	7	Single - Shaman King Themes
December 29, 2001	Brave Heart	KICM-3021	11	Single - Shaman King related
December 5, 2001	feel well	KICM-3020	11	Single - Slayers Premium Theme
March 27, 2002	Northern Lights	KICM-3027	3	Single - Shaman King Theme
April 24, 2002	Treat or Goblins	KICM-3030	19	Single
June 26, 2002	feel well	KICS-955	7^[30]	Album
September 25, 2002	KOIBUMI	KICM-3035	7	Single
September 26, 2003	Makenaide Makenaide	KICM-1083	8	Single - Contains the themes for Hayashibara's radio show Heartfull Station
January 7, 2004	Center Color	KICS-1070	10^[31]	Album
July 26, 2006	Meet again	KICM-1164	12	Single - Made in commemoration of Slayers' 10th anniversary
February 7, 2007	A Happy Life	KICM-1196	12	Single - Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight! Themes
April 21, 2007	Plain	KICS-1303	18^[32]	Album
April 21, 2007	Tanoshii Douyou	KICG-53~55	70^[33]
June 25, 2008	Slayers MEGUMIX	KICA-916~918	14^[34]	Collection of Slayers Theme Songs and remixes
July 23, 2008	Plenty of grit	KICM-1245	6	Single - Slayers Revolution Opening/Ending
February 18, 2009	Front Breaking	KICM-1268	15	Single - Slayers Evolution-R Opening/Ending
April 22, 2009	Shuuketsu no sono he	KICM-1271	7	Single - Neon Genesis Evangelion related (CR Shin Seiki Evangelion -Saigo no Shisha-)
October 4, 2009	MOE FIRE			Mini Album - (Were sold only in Megumi Hayashibara's "TBN900 Event")

[edit] Writing

Hayashibara wrote a series of comics for Anime V magazine, with artwork by Sakura Asagi. The comics, known as "Megumi Toons", talked about her personal life and career. The individual chapters were collected into the book Ashita ga aru sa (明日があるさ^?, "There is always Tomorrow"), which has been reprinted several times.^[35] Hayashibara has also contributed two columns to Newtype; Aitakute Aitakue, and Speaking in Character. Aitakute Aitakute is a series of interviews conducted by Hayashibara with people from all walks of life. Three compilations of the column have been published. Speaking in Character was translated into English for Newtype USA.