Miyoko Asō Explained

Miyoko Asō
Native Name:	麻生 美代子
Native Name Lang:	ja
Birth Date:	1926 4, mf=yes
Birth Place:	Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
Years Active:	1949–2018
Agent:	Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society
Spouse:	Hiroshi Sakonjō (–2008)

was a Japanese actress. She is best known for her role as the first voice of Fune Isono from 1969 to 2015 in the longest-running Japanese anime series Sazae-san, which first aired in 1969. She was the voice of Dr. Pinako Rockbell in both Fullmetal Alchemist anime adaptations. Asō also starred as an actress in cinema, in the 2006 movie Aogeba Tōtoshi, directed by Jun Ichikawa.^[1] On September 18, 2015, it was announced that Asō would step down from her role in Sazae-san. She was replaced by Yorie Terauchi on October 5, 2015.^[2] On September 3, 2018, it was reported that Asō had died on August 25 from senility.^[3]

Filmography

Television animation

• Gegege no Kitarō (1968)
• Akane-chan (1968)
• Sazae-san (1969), Fune Isono (first voice)
• Andersen Stories (1971) Ferone's Nanny (eps 38–40)
• Wandering Sun (1971)
• Marvelous Melmo (1971), Melmo's aunt (first version) (eps 1, 21)
• Kashi no Ki Mokku (1972)
• Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (1972)
• Kerokko Demetan (1973)
• Fables of the Green Forest (1973), Narrator
• Wansa-kun (1973), Animal hospital director
• Alps no Shōjo Heidi (1974), Miss Rottenmeier
• Maya the Bee (1975), Cassandra-sensei
• Huckleberry no Bōken (1976)
• Marco (1976)
• Piccolino no Bōken (1976), Giulietta the cat
• Candy Candy (1976), Mary Jane
• Attack on Tomorrow (1977), Kada sei
• Ippatsu Kanta-kun (1977), Kumiko Tabase
• Angie Girl (1977), Barbara
• The Story of Perrine (1978)
• Tōshō Daimos (1978), Margarete, Okane
• Galaxy Express 999 (1978), Boarding old lady (eps 60–61), Fimeru (ep 42)
• Anne of Green Gables (1979), Rachel Lynde
• Maegami-Taro (1979 special), Grandma
• Captain (1980 special), Takao's Mother
• Botchan (1980 special), Kiyoshi
• Hello! Sandybell (1981), Scott's wife
• Meiken Jolie (1981)
• Andromeda Stories (1982 special), Tarama (Jimsa's nurse)
• Captain (1983), Takao's Mother
• Manga Nihon-shi (1983), Nene
• Mori no Tonto-tachi (1984), Muori (Santa's wife)
• Harp Burma (1986 special), Old Woman
• Ranma ½ (1989), Cologne, Faith curer (ep 127), Theme Song Performance (eps 42–56)
• YuYu Hakusho (1992), Elder Ice Maiden
• Romeo and the Black Brothers (1995), Mimi Rossi
• Vampire Princess Miyu (1997), aquarium director (ep 15)
• Master Keaton (1998), Mrs. Burnham (ep 12)
• Inuyasha (2000), Shoga (ep 65)
• The Galaxy Railways (2003), Ine (ep 12)
• Fullmetal Alchemist (2003), Pinako Rockbell
• Maria Watches Over Us (2004), Academy Principal (ep 11)
• Maria Watches Over Us: Printemps (2004), Academy Principal (ep 2)
• El Cazador de la Bruja (2007), Salma (special guest; ep 1)
• Devil May Cry (2007), Margret (ep 8)
• Kure-nai (2008), Old woman (ep 3)
• Clannad After Story (2008), Shino Okazaki (ep 18)
• (2009), Pinako Rockbell

Original video animations

• Yamataro Comes Back (1986), Woman
• Xanadu Dragonslayer Densetsu (1987), Sherin
• Little Twins (1992), Hara
• Ranma ½ (1993), Cologne
• The Final Flight of the Osiris (2003)
• (2008), Sannova
• Fairy Tail (2011), Hilda

Animated films

• Galaxy Express 999 (1979), Tochiro's Mother
• Captain (1981), Takao's mother
• (1982), Maid
• (1991), Cologne
• (2000), Maid
• (2005), Pinako Rockbell

Dubbing roles

Live-action

• Colleen Dewhurst
  • The Dead Zone (1989 TV Asahi edition) (Henrietta Dodd)
  • Anne of Green Gables (Marilla Cuthbert)
  • Anne of Avonlea (Marilla Cuthbert)
  • Dying Young (Estelle Whittier)^[4]
  • (Marilla Cuthbert)
• Gemma Jones
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Poppy Pomfrey)
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Poppy Pomfrey)
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (Poppy Pomfrey)
• The Blues Brothers (1983 Fuji TV edition) (Sister Mary Stigmata (Kathleen Freeman))
• Chocolat (Armande Voizin (Judi Dench))^[5]
• Duel (Lady at Snakerama (Lucille Benson))^[6]
• Dune (Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (Siân Phillips))^[7]
• Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Mary Prentice (Beah Richards))
• La Cage aux Folles II (Mrs. Baldi (Paola Borboni))
• Lilies of the Field (1971 TV Asahi edition) (Mother Maria (Lilia Skala))
• Music of the Heart (Assunta Guaspari (Cloris Leachman))
• Sleeping with the Enemy (Chloe Williams (Elizabeth Lawrence))^[8]
• Superman Returns (Martha Kent (Eva Marie Saint))^[9]
• The Time Machine (1960) (Mrs. Watchett (Doris Lloyd))
• The Time Machine (2002) (Mrs. Watchit (Phyllida Law))

Animation

• Robin Hood (1975), Mrs. Rabbit^[10]
• The Rescuers (1981), Ellie Mae^[11]
• An American Tail (1986), Mama Mousekewitz
• (1991), Mama Mousekewitz
• Fievel's American Tails (1992), Fievel; Mama Mousekewitz
• Sleeping Beauty (1995), Flora^[12]
• Home on the Range (2004), Pearl Gesner

Others

• Japanese Style Originator (2008–18), Narrator

External links

• 『サザエさん』フネ役の麻生美代子が急病のため急遽代役で放送 News article about Miyoko Asō on Oricon

• Oricon profile

Notes and References

1. Web site: Aogeba tôtoshi (2006) - IMDb. 2011-06-08. IMDb.
2. Web site: Miyoko Asou Steps Down from Sazae-san Role of Fune After 46 Years. October 11, 2023 .
3. Web site: Voice Actress Miyoko Asou Passes Away . . September 3, 2018 . September 3, 2018.
4. Web site: 愛の選択. August 12, 2020. Fox Japan. August 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200804054430/http://www.foxjapan.com/dying-young. dead.
5. Web site: ショコラ[吹]]. July 6, 2019. Star Channel.
6. Web site: 激突！. March 17, 2019. Star Channel.
7. Web site: デューン/砂の惑星 日本公開30周年記念特別版 Blu-ray BOX. July 23, 2020. Amazon. August 4, 2015.
8. Web site: 愛がこわれるとき. March 14, 2020. Star Channel.
9. Web site: スーパーマン リターンズ. November 22, 2021. Wowow.
10. Web site: ロビン・フッド. January 30, 2023. The Cinema.
11. Web site: ビアンカの大冒険. February 2, 2023. The Cinema.
12. Web site: 眠れる森の美女. January 30, 2023. The Cinema.