# Eri Kitamura
**Eri Kitamura** (喜多村英梨) is a Japanese voice actress and singer, born 1987 in Tokyo, known by the nickname KitaEri (キタエリ). She began voice acting in 2003, debuted as a singer in April 2004 on character songs, and in 2011 moved to King Records' Starchild label, debuting as a personal-name artist with the single "Be Starters!".[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=13838) • [2](https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2) • [3](https://king-cr.jp/artist/kitaeri/discography/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987, Tokyo, Japan[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=13838) |
| Voice-acting start | 2003[2](https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2) |
| Solo artist debut | "Be Starters!", August 10, 2011, Starchild/King Records[3](https://king-cr.jp/artist/kitaeri/discography/) • [4](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/) |
| Highest-charting single | "Happy Girl", No. 5 Oricon weekly, 2012[4](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/) |
| Highest first-week album | RE;STORY, 16,747 copies, No. 5 Oricon weekly, July 2012[2](https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2) • [5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/) |
| Signature roles | Sayaka Miki (Madoka Magica), Araragi Karen (Monogatari Series), Cure Berry (Fresh Precure!), Mina Ashido (My Hero Academia)[6](https://erikitamura.com/) |
| Third album | IMPACT!!!SCREAM, digital release August 1, 2026[7](https://gallery-o5.jp/work/?p=3415) |
## Voice-acting career and signature roles
Kitamura started voice-acting work in 2003.[2](https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2) Her official site lists Araragi Karen in the Monogatari Series, Sayaka Miki in [Puella Magi Madoka Magica](https://www.edgepedia.org/puella-magi-madoka-magica), Aono Miki/Cure Berry in Fresh Precure!, and Mina Ashido in [My Hero Academia](https://www.edgepedia.org/my-hero-academia) among her signature roles.[6](https://erikitamura.com/) Japanese profiles describe her appeal as a distinctive high-range voice and strong acting, citing Sayaka Miki as a representative role.[8](https://otenki-girl.jp/kitamura_eri/) • [14](https://thetvdb.com/series/infinite-stratos)
In [Toradora!](https://www.edgepedia.org/toradora) she played Kawashima Ami.[9](https://repotama.com/2011/08/5483/) Her game work includes Rimi Sakihata in [Chaos;Head](https://www.edgepedia.org/chaos-head) and Han Juri in Super Street Fighter IV.[10](https://www.anisearch.jp/person/1866,eri-kitamura)
## Solo music career: from character songs to Starchild
Her singing career began with tie-in songs: she debuted as a singer in April 2004.[2](https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2) Her debut solo single "Before the Moment" (2004-04-21), tied to the Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch Pure opening theme, sold 1,027 copies in its first week.[5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/) She has said her path to a solo career ran through character songs for Minami-ke and the Toradora! opening "Pre-Parade", which ranked high on Oricon.[9](https://repotama.com/2011/08/5483/)
In 2011 she moved to Starchild and released her 1st single "Be Starters!" (August 10, 2011), the opening theme of the TBS anime [Mayo Chiki!](https://www.edgepedia.org/mayo-chiki); it peaked at No. 14 on Oricon and charted 7 weeks.[3](https://king-cr.jp/artist/kitaeri/discography/) • [4](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/) She followed with "紋 (Mon)" (November 9, 2011), opening theme of C3 -Cube x Cursed x Curious-, which peaked at No. 16 and charted 11 weeks.[4](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/)
Her first full album RE;STORY (July 2012) reached No. 5 on the Oricon weekly album chart.[2](https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2) Singles followed at a steady pace: "Destiny" in November 2012, "Miracle Gliders" in January 2013, and "Birth" in 2013, then the second album 証×明 -SHOMEI- on April 9, 2014.[2](https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2) "凛麗 (Rinrei)" (October 29, 2014), the ending theme of [Cross Ange](https://www.edgepedia.org/cross-ange), peaked at No. 10.[4](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/) • [11](https://king-cr.jp/artist/kitaeri/information/)
In interviews she frames her artistic identity around what a "voice-actress artist" (声優アーティスト) is, and describes a deliberate Japanese-style (和) symphonic-metal direction on songs like 「彩 -sai-」 and 「証×炎」.[2](https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2) She has cited veteran anison singer [Megumi Hayashibara](https://www.edgepedia.org/megumi-hayashibara) as a childhood dream, placing her in the lineage of voice-actress anison singers.[12](https://www.en.gekirock.com/interview/2014/05/kitamura_eri.php)
## By the numbers
Oricon peaks and first-week sales trace the arc of her singles career:
- "Before the Moment" (2004): 1,027 first-week copies[5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/)
- "Be Starters!" (2011): No. 14 peak, 8,997 first-week copies[4](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/) • [5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/)
- "Happy Girl" (2012): No. 5 peak, 14,060 first-week copies, her largest listed first-week figure; opening theme of Papa no Iu Koto o Kikinasai • [5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/)
- RE;STORY (2012): No. 5 album, 16,747 first-week copies[5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/)
- "Birth" (2013): No. 20 peak, 10,002 first-week copies[4](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/) • [5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/)
- "凛麗" (2014): No. 10 peak, 7,442 first-week copies[5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/)
- "DiVE to GiG -K-AiM" (2017): No. 26 peak, 3,541 first-week copies; "妄想帝国蓄音機" (2018): No. 38 peak, 1,801 copies[5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/) • [4](https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/)
The pattern is a 2011–2014 peak tied to prominent anime tie-ins, followed by progressively smaller first-week sales for later singles.[5](https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/)
## Radio, events and the KitaEri persona
The KitaEri nickname appears on her own official site as her fan-facing identity.[6](https://erikitamura.com/) She has run her own radio program, 喜多村英梨のradio「キタエリ×モード」, since 2017.[6](https://erikitamura.com/)
Live performance with a backing band is a core part of her singer activity; venue listings describe her as a voice actress who has played main characters in numerous popular anime and a singer who actively performs live.[13](https://yui-incunet.com/20260802m05/) Her King Records tie-in work includes the Cross Ange ending theme.[11](https://king-cr.jp/artist/kitaeri/information/)
## Recent developments
Her third album IMPACT!!!SCREAM (インパクトスクリーム) was set for digital release on August 1, 2026, with four new songs plus remastered singles.[7](https://gallery-o5.jp/work/?p=3415) The tracklist includes new songs "As U Wish", 「狂乱メルトダウン」, 「泡沫」, and 「うりゃヲィ」 alongside remastered versions of "EVILALIVE", "KillER KillER", "Roar of Shangri-La," and "I SCREAM NOISE MAKER", among others.[7](https://gallery-o5.jp/work/?p=3415)
ERI KITAMURA LIVE TOUR 2026 〜IMPACT!!!SCREAM〜 ran August 1–8, 2026: Kashiwa PALOOZA in Chiba (August 1), Kawasaki Serbian Night in Kanagawa (August 2), and a Tokyo final at Shinjuku ReNY (August 8); tickets were all-standing at 8,800 yen, with a 15,400-yen S seat in Tokyo.[7](https://gallery-o5.jp/work/?p=3415) The Kawasaki show's backing band featured YUKI (Rayflower, DUSTAR-3) and 蘭丸 on guitars, IKUO on bass, and WATARU on drums.[13](https://yui-incunet.com/20260802m05/) Her official site also lists continued character roles and recent songs including 「薄明の翼」 and 「ファイア」.[6](https://erikitamura.com/)
## References
1. Eri KITAMURA - Anime News Network, https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=13838
2. 喜多村英梨「証×明 -SHOMEI-」インタビュー - 音楽ナタリー, https://natalie.mu/music/pp/kitamuraeri02/page/2
3. DISCOGRAPHY｜喜多村英梨 (King Records), https://king-cr.jp/artist/kitaeri/discography/
4. 喜多村英梨のシングル売上TOP13作品 | オリコンニュース, https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/336114/rank/single/
5. 【喜多村英梨】歴代リリースCD売上一覧, https://ranking.zonosite.com/2018/02/15/post-3004/
6. 喜多村英梨 キタエリ オフィシャルWEBサイト, https://erikitamura.com/
7. 【Trailer】喜多村英梨 – NEW ALBUM & LIVE TOUR 2026 – TRAILER, https://gallery-o5.jp/work/?p=3415
8. 喜多村英梨 | 声優プロフィール図鑑, https://otenki-girl.jp/kitamura_eri/
9. アーティスト・喜多村英梨にロングインタビューを決行!! - れポたま！, https://repotama.com/2011/08/5483/
10. Eri KITAMURA – aniSearch.jp, https://www.anisearch.jp/person/1866,eri-kitamura
11. INFORMATION｜喜多村英梨 (King Records), https://king-cr.jp/artist/kitaeri/information/
12. 喜多村英梨 | インタビュー | 激ロック, https://www.en.gekirock.com/interview/2014/05/kitamura_eri.php
13. 【セルビアンナイト】ERI KITAMURA LIVE TOUR 2026, https://yui-incunet.com/20260802m05/
14. IS ＜インフィニット・ストラトス＞ - TheTVDB.com, https://thetvdb.com/series/infinite-stratos
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › East and Southeast Asian pop scenes › Anime, Vocaloid, game, and doujin music › Artists, groups, and people: Anime, Vocaloid, game, and doujin music › Classic and hot-blooded anison singers*
*Initially written Sep 19, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Sep 19, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license