Reina Ueda

is a Japanese voice actress and singer from Toyama Prefecture. She is affiliated with 81 Produce. Beginning her career as a voice actress in 2012, her first main role was Naru Sekiya, the protagonist of the 2014 anime series Hanayamata. She is also known for her roles as Mira Yurisaki in Dimension W, Hane Sakura in Bakuon!!, Mallow in Pokémon: Sun & Moon, Shiori Shinomiya in Sakura Quest, and Akane Shinjō in SSSS.Gridman. She was one of the recipients of the Best New Actress Award in the 9th Seiyu Awards in 2015. She released a mini-album in 2016, and her first solo single in 2018. Biography Ueda was born in Toyama Prefecture on January 17, 1994. From an early age, she had an interest in performing, joining her school's theater club in elementary. While a member of her junior high school's theater club, she became interested in becoming a voice actress after interacting with a club member who wanted to pursue that profession. She decided to become a voice actor because, among other reasons, she wanted to change her personality. During her third year of high school, she applied for a voice acting audition only three days before the deadline of it. Ueda won the Second Class Grand Prix in an audition held by the agency 81 Produce in 2011, and formally joined the agency the following year. Her first role was in the anime series Inazuma Eleven: Chrono Stone. She also became part of the voice actor unit Anisoni∀ together with three other 81 Produce newcomers: Rie Takahashi, Chiyeri Hayashida, and Kayoto Tsumita. In 2013, she voiced 18 sisters in the anime series Tesagure! Bukatsu-mono. In 2014, Ueda was cast in her first main role as Naru Sekiya, the protagonist of the anime series Hanayamata; she and her co-stars performed the series' opening theme under the name Team Hanayamata. The following year, she was cast as Meika Katai in Mikagura School Suite, Mikan Akemi in My Monster Secret, and Elena Arshavina in World Break: Aria of Curse for a Holy Swordsman. She was also one of three recipients of the Best New Actress Award at the 9th Seiyu Awards.