Yumi Kikuchi

Born in New York on March 15, 1974, Yumi Kikuchi was raised in Saitama, Japan, and entered entertainment after being scouted. She works as an actress, voice actress, and radio personality. Best known for voicing Raging Raven in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Strangelove in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and The Phantom Pain, and Miyuki Sakura in Mahoromatic.

Yumi Kikuchi’s Career in Japanese Voice Acting and Media

Born in New York and raised in Saitama, Japan, Yumi Kikuchi built a career that spans voice acting, television, film, and radio. She entered the entertainment industry after being scouted, initially focusing on voice acting before expanding into live-action roles and radio presenting. Her long-standing relationship with director Hideo Kojima brought her to international attention through the Metal Gear franchise, first appearing as a gravure poster model in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater before transitioning into full voice roles.

Most Known Roles of Yumi Kikuchi

Raging Raven – Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (2008)
Strangelove – Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010)
Strangelove – Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015)
Miyuki Sakura – Mahoromatic (anime series, 2001-2009)
Amika Kurebayashi – This Ugly Yet Beautiful World (2004)
Miho Hoshino – Comic Party (2001)
Haruna Mizuki – Tokimeki Memorial 4 (2009)
Sara – Sushi Police (2016)

The Metal Gear Series and Raging Raven

Kikuchi’s involvement with Kojima Productions goes beyond a single role. In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, she not only voiced Raging Raven but also served as the character’s physical model, giving the role an unusually personal dimension. She then returned in Peace Walker as the scientist Strangelove, voicing both the main character and the AI Weapons DLC, and reprised the role again in The Phantom Pain. Her connection with Kojima extended off-screen as well: she served as a navigator on his radio program “Hideo Kojima no Hideradio” for years.

Anime and Broader Voice Work

Outside of gaming, Kikuchi’s most sustained anime role was Miyuki Sakura in Mahoromatic, a part she held across two full series and two special editions spanning nearly a decade. She also appeared in Clannad, Tales of the Abyss, and the 2009 anime Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas. Her live-action credits include the 2002 film Sky High and Godzilla: Final Wars (2004).