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:Rico Sasaki

{{Short description|Japanese voice actress}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}

{{Expand Japanese|topic=bio|佐々木李子|date=November 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Rico Sasaki

| image = SasakiRico.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| native_name = 佐々木 李子

| native_name_lang = ja

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|11|10}}

| birth_place = Akita Prefecture, Japan

| occupation = {{flatlist|

}}

| years_active = 2008–present

| agent = Honeycomb Entertainment

| notable_works = {{unbulleted list|Kiratto Pri Chan as Daia|Dropkick on My Devil! as Poporon|Kageki Shojo!! as Ayako Yamada|BanG Dream! as Doloris/Uika Misumi}}

| website = {{URL|http://sasakirico.com/}}

}}

{{Nihongo|Rico Sasaki|佐々木 李子|Sasaki Riko|born November 10, 1997}} is a Japanese actress and singer who is affiliated with Honeycomb Entertainment. Her entertainment career began in 2008 when she was selected to play Annie in a musical production of Annie in 2008. She started a music career in 2014 under the stage name Rico, before reverting to using her real name in 2016. That same year, she started a voice acting career. As a voice actress, she is known for her roles as Poporon in Dropkick on My Devil!, Daia in Kiratto Pri Chan, and Ayako Yamada in Kageki Shojo!!, while her music has been featured in anime series such as Danchi Tomoo, Duel Masters, and Bofuri. She is the vocalist and lead guitarist for the band Ave Mujica of the BanG Dream! multimedia franchise, which includes portraying the character Uika Misumi/Doloris.

Biography

Sasaki was born in Akita Prefecture on November 10, 1997.{{cite web |title=2016年、アニメ界話題騒然！声優としても活躍する、まさに"二刀流"の10代女性シンガー佐々木李子、6月22日リリースのトリプルA面シングルでデビュー決定！！ |url=https://www.lisani.jp/0000013670/ |publisher=LisAni |access-date=November 18, 2021 |language=Japanese |date=May 16, 2016}} She had an interest in music from an early age, partly under the influence of her grandmother, and she began taking voice lessons while in elementary school.{{cite web |title=Profile |url=https://sasakirico.com/profile.html |website=Rico Sasaki official website |publisher=Honeycomb Entertainment |access-date=November 18, 2021 |language=Japanese}}{{cite web |title=佐々木李子：「キラッとプリ☆チャン」で話題の歌手＆声優 「唯一無二の存在になりたい！」 |url=https://mantan-web.jp/article/20190518dog00m200027000c.html |website=Mantan Web |access-date=November 18, 2021 |language=Japanese |date=May 19, 2019}} While in her third year of elementary, she watched a Japanese production of the musical Annie, which inspired her to pursue a career in theater. Partly at the suggestion of her teacher, she auditioned for a role in Annie, and out of around 9,000 applicants, she was selected to play the titular role Annie; she began appearing in productions in late 2008.

In 2013, Sasaki launched a music career after winning a competition held by Teichiku Records as part of its 80th anniversary, beating 3,836 other applicants; she debuted under the stage name Rico.{{cite web |title=テイチク80周年記念新人オーディション |url=https://www.teichiku.co.jp/80th/audition/ |publisher=Teichiku Records |access-date=November 18, 2021 |language=Japanese}} Her first single, "Come and Get It!", was released on July 23, 2014. That same year, she joined Honeycomb Entertainment.

Sasaki studied music at the Tokiwagi Gakuen High School in Sendai and graduated from the school in 2016.{{cite web |title=第38回音楽科コンサート 未来への翼 |url=https://www.tokiwagi.ed.jp/old-diary/38/ |publisher=Tokiwagi Gakuin High School |access-date=November 18, 2021 |language=Japanese |date=April 30, 2014}} That same year, she started using her real name for entertainment activities and released the single {{nihongo|"Kasabuta/Omoi no Kakera/Dream Climber"|カサブタ/想いのかけら/ドリームクライマー}}. She also started a voice acting career, a decision she originally made while still in junior high school at the urging of a friend and one of her agency's staff members. Among her early roles was as the character Nanami in the anime television series Clione no Akari.{{cite web |title=Clione no Akari TV Anime Reveals Cast, Staff, July Premiere |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-04-26/clione-no-akari-tv-anime-reveals-cast-staff-july-premiere/.115317 |publisher=Anime News Network |access-date=November 18, 2021 |date=April 26, 2017}}

In 2018, she formed the music duo Re-connect together with singer Kyoco; the duo was forced to suspend activities in 2019 after Kyoco's contract with her agency was terminated.{{cite web |title=Re-connect（リコネクト）佐々木李子とKyocoによるパワフルボーカルユニット |url=http://reconnect-music.com/ |access-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002074532/http://reconnect-music.com/ |archive-date=October 2, 2019 |language=Japanese |url-status=dead}} Her song {{nihongo|"Ashita e no Kaze"|明日への風}}, released on February 21 of that year, was used as an ending theme to the anime series Duel Masters. She was also cast as the character Poporon in the anime television series Dropkick on My Devil!.{{cite web |title=Dropkick on My Devil! Anime Reveals Promo Video, Main Cast |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-02-08/dropkick-on-my-devil-anime-reveals-promo-video-main-cast/.127531 |publisher=Anime News Network |access-date=November 18, 2021 |date=February 8, 2018}} In 2019, she played the role of Daia in Kiratto Pri Chan.

In 2020 Sasaki released the single "Play the world"; the title song was used as the ending theme to the anime series Bofuri.{{cite web |title=佐々木李子のシングル作品 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/602419/products/single/ |publisher=Oricon |access-date=November 18, 2021 |language=Japanese}} In 2021, she played the role of Ayako Yamada in the anime series Kageki Shojo!.{{cite web |title=Kageki Shoujo!! The Curtain Rises TV Anime's 1st Full Promo Reveals Cast, Opening Song Artists, July Debut |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-04-16/kageki-shoujo-the-curtain-rises-tv-anime-1st-full-promo-reveals-cast-opening-song-artists-july-debut/.171782 |publisher=Anime News Network |access-date=November 18, 2021 |date=April 16, 2021}}

Filmography

=Anime=

;2016

;2017

;2018

;2019

;2020

;2021

;2023

;2024

  • Rinkai! as Tsutsuji Kurume{{cite web |title=Rinkai! Women's Cycling Anime's Video Unveils Opening Song, Staff, April 9 Debut |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-21/rinkai-women-cycling-anime-video-unveils-opening-song-staff-april-9-debut/.207816 |publisher=Anime News Network |access-date=February 21, 2024 |date=February 21, 2024}}

;2025

  • BanG Dream! Ave Mujica as Doloris/Uika Misumi
  • Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! as Mewi{{cite web |title='Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!' TV Anime Reveals More Cast, Theme Songs, January 2025 Debut |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-10-17/welcome-to-japan-ms-elf-tv-anime-reveals-more-cast-theme-songs-january-2025-debut/.216847 |publisher=Anime News Network |access-date=October 17, 2024 |date=October 17, 2024}}
  • Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra as Emle{{cite web |title=Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra Anime Casts Kikuko Inoue, Rico Sasaki |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-02-18/apocalypse-bringer-mynoghra-anime-casts-kikuko-inoue-rico-sasaki/.221340 |publisher=Anime News Network |access-date=February 18, 2025 |date=February 18, 2025}}

=Video games=

;2020

  • Death End Request 2 as Makoto Franper{{cite web |script-title=ja:Death end re;Quest2（デス エンド リクエスト2）{{!}} CHARACTERS |url=https://www.compileheart.com/derq2/chara/?page=other13 |publisher=Compile Heart |access-date=December 25, 2022 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125075813/https://www.compileheart.com/derq2/chara/?page=other13 |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |url-status=live}}

;2022

;2023

;2024

  • ''[[Tokyo 7th Sisters;2020
  • Death End Request 2 as Makoto Franper{{cite web |script-title=ja:Death end re;Quest2（デス エンド リクエスト2）{{!}} CHARACTERS |url=https://www.compileheart.com/derq2/chara/?page=other13 |publisher=Compile Heart |access-date=December 25, 2022 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125075813/https://www.compileheart.com/derq2/chara/?page=other13 |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |url-status=live}}

;2022

;2023

;2024

  • Tokyo 7th Sisters as Alina Laisto
  • Gunvolt Records Cychronicle as Luxia{{Cite web|last=Romano|first=Sal|date=September 13, 2023|title=Rhythm game Gunvolt Records Cychronicle announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2023/09/rhythm-game-gunvolt-records-cychronicle-announced-for-ps5-xbox-series-ps4-xbox-one-switch-and-pc|access-date=September 15, 2023}}

Discography

=Singles=

As Rico Sasaki:

  • {{nihongo|"Kasabuta/Omoi no Kakera/Dream Climber"|カサブタ/想いのかけら/ドリームクライマー}} (Release date: July 22, 2016)
  • "Recollections" (Release date: June 21, 2017)
  • {{nihongo|"Ashita e no Kaze"|明日への風}} (Release date: February 21, 2018)
  • {{nihongo|"Tsumugu Logic Music Selection Type A (Blooming!)|紡ロジック Music Selection【Type A】(Blooming!)}} (Release date: January 9, 2019)
  • {{nihongo|"Tsumugu Logic Music Selection Type B (Freedom)|紡ロジック Music Selection【Type A】(Freedom)}} (Release date: January 9, 2019)
  • {{nihongo|"Tsumugu Logic Music Selection Type C (Blooming!/Freedom)|紡ロジック Music Selection【Type A】(Blooming!/Freedom)}} (Release date: January 9, 2019)
  • {{nihongo|"Curtain Cull o Yurashite"|カーテンコールを揺らして|Kātenkōru o yurashite}} (Release date: November 20, 2019)
  • "Play the world" (Release date: February 26, 2020)
  • {{nihongo|"Start!"|スタート!|Sutāto!}} (Release date: November 10, 2020)

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://sasakirico.com/ Official website] {{in lang|ja}}
  • {{anime News Network|people|146961}}

{{BanG Dream}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sasaki, Rico}}

Category:1997 births

Category:Living people

Category:Anime singers

Category:Ave Mujica members

Category:Japanese child actresses

Category:Japanese musical theatre actresses

Category:Japanese video game actresses

Category:Teichiku Records artists

Category:Victor Entertainment artists

Category:Voice actresses from Akita Prefecture

Category:21st-century Japanese actresses