Michiko Hirai (平亠éÂÂÃ¥ÂÂ, Hirai Michiko, September 9, 1935 â July 3, 1984) was a Japanese actress and voice actress from Tokyo. She worked for Theater Echo. She is most known for originating the roles of Sally in Sally the Witch, Starsha in Star Blazers, and Ran in Ryu, the Cave Boy.
She has been active as an NHK exclusive singer since the age of 10. After graduating from Ferris Women's Junior College in Music Department, she was invited by Kazuo Kumakura to join Theater Echo in 1957.
While she was acting for her theater company, she was also active as a voice actress dubbing Faye Dunaway and the role of Sally Yumeno in the TV anime Sally the Witch among many.
She was married to fellow voice actor Shinji Nakae. She was also a skilled singer and a Mahjong lover
She died at the age of 48 on July 3, 1984, at the Mishima Clinic in Koganei, Tokyo, due to heart failure. Her last works were Mrs Dracula in ' which was broadcast 4 days after her death, and the historical drama Onna goroshi abura no jigoku which was broadcast 2 months after her death.