# Rei Sakuma (佐久間レイ)
**Rei Sakuma** (佐久間レイ, born 1965) is a Japanese voice actress, actress, and singer who has worked in television anime, theatrical films, dubbing, and narration since the mid-1980s. She is best known as the voice of Batako-san in the long-running children's series *Soreike! Anpanman*, and of Jiji in *Kiki's Delivery Service*.[1](https://www.tvguide.or.jp/db/cast/cast-2360/) • [2](https://www.tv-ranking.com/detail/1067/profile/) • [12](https://directorsfilms.com/film/my-neighbor-totoro)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1965, Tokyo (Setagaya)[2](https://www.tv-ranking.com/detail/1067/profile/) • [3](https://koikoi.co.jp/koikoi-anime-portal/seiyuu-detail.php?id=96111) |
| Professions | Voice actress, actress, singer; also narrator and scriptwriter[2](https://www.tv-ranking.com/detail/1067/profile/) • [4](https://www.aiport.jp/_files/00000383/no_47.pdf) |
| Voice debut | 1985, as Pierce in the television anime *Yume no Hoshi no Button Nose*[2](https://www.tv-ranking.com/detail/1067/profile/) |
| Signature roles | Batako-san (*Soreike! Anpanman*), Jiji (*Kiki's Delivery Service*) (Mei in *My Neighbor Totoro* is voiced by Chika Sakamoto, not Rei Sakuma)[1](https://www.tvguide.or.jp/db/cast/cast-2360/) • [12](https://directorsfilms.com/film/my-neighbor-totoro) |
| Other lead roles | My Melody (*Onegai My Melody*), Tatsuke-kun (*Oshiri Kajiri Mushi*)[5](https://thetv.jp/person/0000036727/) |
| Award | Tomiyama Kei and Takahashi Kazue Award at the 20th Seiyu Awards[6](https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2442426/full/) |
| Agency | 81 Produce[7](https://www.81produce.co.jp/actor_search/index.php/item?cell003=%E3%81%95%E8%A1%8C&cell004=&cell029=&empty=1&id=213&label=1&name=%E4%BD%90%E4%B9%85%E9%96%93%E3%80%80%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4&page=7) |
## Early career
Sakuma entered the entertainment industry through an audition, and her first credited work was on the NHK television program *Let's Go Young* with the group Sundees.[8](https://www.vip-times.co.jp/?talent_id=W93-1311) • [2](https://www.tv-ranking.com/detail/1067/profile/) After a period of stage and acting work, she moved into voice acting in the 1980s, and in 1985 she made her anime debut voicing the character Pierce in *Yume no Hoshi no Button Nose*.[2](https://www.tv-ranking.com/detail/1067/profile/) • [3](https://koikoi.co.jp/koikoi-anime-portal/seiyuu-detail.php?id=96111)
## Major anime and film roles
**Long-running children's characters.** Sakuma has voiced Batako-san in *Soreike! Anpanman* for decades; at a 2026 awards ceremony she remarked that she had been "throwing her face into Anpanman" for 37 years.[6](https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2442426/full/) She was chosen for the lead role of My Melody in the *Onegai My Melody* series and voices Tatsuke-kun in *Oshiri Kajiri Mushi*.[5](https://thetv.jp/person/0000036727/)
**Studio Ghibli and theatrical films.** Her film credits include Jiji in *Kiki's Delivery Service* (1989) and Mei in *My Neighbor Totoro*, two of the roles most often cited as her representative work.[1](https://www.tvguide.or.jp/db/cast/cast-2360/) • [9](https://eiga.com/person/32240/movie/) She has also appeared in the *Doraemon* and *Crayon Shin-chan* theatrical films, including *Doraemon: Nobita and the Tin Labyrinth* (1993), *Crayon Shin-chan: Unhidenzai no Yabō* (1995), *Doraemon: Nobita's the Legend of the Sun King* (2000), and *Doraemon: The New Record of Nobita's Spaceblazer* (2009).[1](https://www.tvguide.or.jp/db/cast/cast-2360/) Later film work includes Tamaki in *[A Whisker Away](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-whisker-away)* (2020) and Otsumun in *Crayon Shin-chan: Mystery Meki! Hana no Tenkasu Gakuen* (2021).[9](https://eiga.com/person/32240/movie/)
**Television anime.** Her television credits span from the 1989 series *Oishinbo* and *T.P. Bon* to the 2024 remake of *Ranma 1/2* produced by MAPPA, whose second and third seasons followed in 2025.[1](https://www.tvguide.or.jp/db/cast/cast-2360/) • [10](https://www.animejikan.com/person.php?name=%E4%BD%90%E4%B9%85%E9%96%93%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4) She also voiced Mariemaia Kushrenada in *Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz* and Kazumi Amano in *Top o Nerae!*, where she additionally performed an insert song.[9](https://eiga.com/person/32240/movie/)
## Dubbing and narration
A substantial part of Sakuma's work is dubbing foreign productions into Japanese. She voiced [Little My](https://www.edgepedia.org/little-my) in the Japanese dub of the Moomin films, including *Moomin and the South Seas Adventure* (2014), and her dubbing credits include Ma Yi-fen in *The Hospital* and Gordy in *[Angela Anaconda](https://www.edgepedia.org/angela-anaconda)*.[5](https://thetv.jp/person/0000036727/) • [9](https://eiga.com/person/32240/movie/)
Her narration work covers a wide range of Japanese broadcasting. She has provided voice-over for NHK and BS-TBS documentary and travel programs such as *Sekai Fureai Machi Aruki*, *BS World Documentary*, and *Shin Chikyū Zekkei Kikō*, and has narrated commercials and government video productions, including a Ministry of Justice public-awareness campaign.[7](https://www.81produce.co.jp/actor_search/index.php/item?cell003=%E3%81%95%E8%A1%8C&cell004=&cell029=&empty=1&id=213&label=1&name=%E4%BD%90%E4%B9%85%E9%96%93%E3%80%80%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4&page=7)
## Recognition and other activities
At the 20th Seiyu Awards, held in 2026, Sakuma received the Tomiyama Kei and Takahashi Kazue Award, which honors veteran voice performers; the Seiyu Awards have been held annually since 2007.[6](https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2442426/full/)
Beyond voice acting, Sakuma works as a singer and scriptwriter and appears in storytelling concerts, including performances with pianist Yume Sada at public halls and libraries.[4](https://www.aiport.jp/_files/00000383/no_47.pdf) • [11](https://www.iwate-pta.or.jp/kaihou/159/kai159.pdf) Her listed skills include piano, drawing, and handicrafts, and her hobbies include kimono dressing.[8](https://www.vip-times.co.jp/?talent_id=W93-1311)
## References
1. [佐久間レイ | TVガイドWeb](https://www.tvguide.or.jp/db/cast/cast-2360/)
2. [佐久間レイのプロフィール | TVランキング](https://www.tv-ranking.com/detail/1067/profile/)
3. [佐久間レイ | koikoi anime portal](https://koikoi.co.jp/koikoi-anime-portal/seiyuu-detail.php?id=96111)
4. [あいぽーと徳島 事業案内（佐久間レイ プロフィール）](https://www.aiport.jp/_files/00000383/no_47.pdf)
5. [佐久間レイのプロフィール | WEBザテレビジョン](https://thetv.jp/person/0000036727/)
6. [佐久間レイ、第20回声優アワードで富山敬・高橋和枝賞を受賞 | オリコンニュース](https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2442426/full/)
7. [佐久間レイ | 株式会社81プロデュース](https://www.81produce.co.jp/actor_search/index.php/item?cell003=%E3%81%95%E8%A1%8C&cell004=&cell029=&empty=1&id=213&label=1&name=%E4%BD%90%E4%B9%85%E9%96%93%E3%80%80%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4&page=7)
8. [佐久間レイ | 日本タレント名鑑](https://www.vip-times.co.jp/?talent_id=W93-1311)
9. [佐久間レイ : 関連作品（映画） | 映画.com](https://eiga.com/person/32240/movie/)
10. [佐久間レイ | アニメジカン](https://www.animejikan.com/person.php?name=%E4%BD%90%E4%B9%85%E9%96%93%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4)
11. [岩手県PTA会報（家庭教育セミナー記事）](https://www.iwate-pta.or.jp/kaihou/159/kai159.pdf)
12. [My Neighbor Totoro, Directors’ Films](https://directorsfilms.com/film/my-neighbor-totoro)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Voice performers › American voice performers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license