Machiko Soga (曽我 町子 Soga Machiko?, March 18, 1938 – May 7, 2006) was a Japanese voice actress and actress.
Life and career[]
Machiko had humble upbringings and was raised to be a singer, though her talents were with acting. She was “discovered” after doing a play in Tokyo Center. From that night on, her life would forever change as she met many important figures in the world of Japanese television.
Her mother died when she was a child; she was raised by her father. She had two brothers and a sister. One of her brothers died during a war; the other is still alive. Her sister died in childbirth, and her father died of cancer in 1991. In 1973, she went to study in Italy for two years.
After taking jazz dance lessons for a number of years, her first roles were mainly radio and voice character roles. She made her debut on NHK’s radio drama Chorinmura to Kurumi no Ki (1961), and later gained fame as the first voice actor to portray the lovable ghost Q-taro in Obake no Q-tarō (TBS, 1965-1968).
However, she is best known to fans of tokusatsu for her villainous roles in the Super Sentai franchise such as Queen Hedrian in Denshi Sentai Denziman and Taiyou Sentai Sun Vulcan, as well as the evil sorceress Bandora in Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger, better known to audiences in English speaking countries as Rita Repulsa in the American adaptation of Zyuranger, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. In an odd twist, she soon found herself re-dubbing her own lines as Rita after Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was broadcasted in Japan soon after the show became a hit in America. Her final tokusatsu role was Magiel, Queen of the Sky Saints in Mahou Sentai Magiranger, which incidentally was her one of few and final non-villainous roles and her first female role as such since Bellbara in Go-nen San-kumi Mahō-gumi (In her memory, the producers of Power Rangers: Mystic Force used footage of Soga as Magiel in the two-part final episode of Mystic Force, “Mystic Fate.”).
Her very final role was in the PlayStation 2 game Space Sheriff Spirits as the voice and the “face” of Ankoku Ginga Jyoou (Dark Galaxy Queen), last boss and original character of this game inspired to the 80s Metal Hero series. Soga also played the voices of Cyborg 007 in the 1968 Cyborg 009 anime series and the sidekick Ball Boy in 1984 series Seiun Kamen Machineman. Machiko also ran her own shop, selling jewellery, antique clothing, and tapestry among other goods.
Death[]
In early August 2005, it was revealed that she had been fighting pancreatic cancer for almost two years. On the morning of May 7, 2006, she ultimately lost that battle, and her body was found by a friend visiting her home. She was 68 years old.
Live action and tokusatsu and movies[]
- Battle Fever J
- Denshi Sentai Denziman/Taiyou Sentai Sun Vulcan (Queen Hedrian)
- Hikari Sentai Maskman (Laraba)
- Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (Witch Bandora)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Rita Repulsa via Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger footage)
- Mahou Sentai Magiranger (Heavenly Arch Saint Magiel)
- Power Rangers: Mystic Force (Mystic Mother via Mahou Sentai Magiranger footage)
- Uchū Keiji Gavan (Honey Manda (Double Girl disguise), ep. 21)
- Uchū Keiji Sharivan (Shinigami Beast, ep. 22)
- Jikuu Senshi Spielban (Queen Pandora)
- VR Troopers (Desponda via Jikuu Senshi Spielban footage)
- Kamen Rider Stronger (voice of Doctor Kate)
- West Night
- Hiroshima
- Later It Fell
- Forever
- 5-nen 3-kumi Mahō-gumi (Bellbara the Witch)
- Domuraishi-tachi
- Kugatsu no Sora (Yoshida's mother)
- Miyo-chan no Tame nara: Zen'in Shūgō!!
- Pretty Invader Milli (Steradian)
- Warrior of Love, Rainbowman (God Iguana)
- Seiun Kamen Machineman (voice of Ballboy)
- Sekai Ninjasen Jiraiya (Yōnin Kumo Gozen)
- Tōmei Dori-chan (Kikuko Shirakawa)
- TV Champion
- Zatoichi Kenka Daiko (AKA: Samaritan Zatoichi)
TV anime[]
- Obake no Q-taro (first voice of Q-taro)
- Batten Robomaru (voice of Batten Robomaru)
- Cyborg 009 (1966 series) (voice of Cyborg 007: Great Britain)
- Microid S (voice of Mamezō)
- Hana no PyunPyun Maru (voice of Kemeko)
- KabaTotto (voice of Totto)
Dubbing roles[]
- Alvin and the Chipmunks (voice of Theodore Seville and Vinny)
- Fievel's American Tails (voice of Yasha Mousekewitz)
- The Little Engine That Could (voice of Chip the Bird and Sally)
- Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (voice of Rita Repulsa)
Movie anime[]
- Cyborg 009 (1968 movie) (voice of Cyborg 007: Great Britain)
- Maken Liner 0011: Henshin Seiyo! (voice of Liner)
Games[]
- Tengai Makyou: Daishi no Mokushiroku
- Valkyrie Profile
- Space Sheriff Spirits (voices of Dark Galaxy Queen, Honey Manda, and Mitsubachi Doubler (Double Girl))
Songs[]
- Obake no Q-taro (Obake no Q-taro 8 songs: opening, ending and insert songs)
- Batten Robomaru (Batten Robomaru 3 songs: opening and insert songs)
- Nazo no Onna B
- Majo wa Ijiwaru (5-nen 3-gumi mahogumi ending song)
- Ball Boy no uta (Seiun Kamen Machineman insert song)
- Dora! Majo Bandora no theme (Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger insert song)
- Ankoku Ginga Jyoou no Blues (Space Sheriff Spirits insert song)
Radio[]
- Million Nights (Nazo no Onna B)
External links[]
- Template:Title without disambig at the Internet Movie Database
- Soga Machiko Collection: Stella (in Japanese)
id:Machiko Soga it:Machiko Soga pl:Machiko Soga pt:Machiko Soga