Arisa Date

Arisa Date (伊達朱里紗, Date Arisa; born May 10, 1991) is a Japanese voice actress and professional riichi mahjong player affiliated with the talent agency 81 Produce.^[1] She gained prominence in the anime industry for voicing characters such as Narumi Momose, the socially awkward office worker in Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, and Emi Namba, an energetic idol in The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls franchise.^[2] In the competitive mahjong scene, Date has been a member of the Japan Professional Mahjong League since 2019 and plays for the Konami Mahjong Fight Club team in the professional M-League, where she earned accolades including the 2021–22 season's highest hanchan score, the 2022–23 MVP award, and the 2023–24 4th place avoidance award.^[3]^[4] Date was born in Hyogo Prefecture and stands at 159 cm tall, with blood type B.^[2] Her hobbies include watercolor and colored pencil drawing, attending live music events, and digital tools like Photoshop and Illustrator, which complement her creative voice acting pursuits.^[1] She debuted as a voice actress in 2013, building a diverse portfolio that spans anime, video games, and foreign dubs; notable additional roles include Qingque in the gacha game Honkai: Star Rail, Marcy Wu in the English dub of Amphibia, and supporting characters in series like Little Witch Academia and Pokémon the Series: XY.^[2] Date has also performed theme songs, such as the ending for the OVA of Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku and an ending for Idol Time PriPara.^[2] Transitioning to professional mahjong in 2014 while balancing her voice career, Date won her first major title with the inaugural Cherry Bud Cup in 2019, shortly before joining the M-League.^[3] Drafted third overall by Konami Mahjong Fight Club in 2021, she quickly established herself as a top player, achieving a record-breaking hanchan score of 105,500 points in November 2021 and contributing to her team's competitive showings in multiple seasons.^[5]^[6] In the 2025–26 M-League season (as of November 2025), Date continues to compete actively, maintaining a high 4th place avoidance rate while her individual scores place her mid-pack, while maintaining her dual career in entertainment.^[7] Her unique blend of talents has made her a notable figure in both otaku culture and the growing esports scene of Japanese mahjong.

Personal life

Early life

Arisa Date was born on May 10, 1991, in Sanda, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. As the only daughter in her family, she spent her early childhood there, living in the region until the end of her first year of junior high school. In 2004, at around age 13, her family relocated to Osaka Prefecture, where she resided from the start of her second year of junior high school through the completion of high school. Public information on her family background remains limited, with Date occasionally referencing the cultural environment of Hyogo and Osaka as formative to her youthful pursuits.^[8] From a young age, Date showed artistic inclinations influenced by her relatives. Her mother, who installed karaoke equipment at home, fostered her passion for singing; Date recalls performing children's songs like "Mori no Kumasan" for her mother's friends during elementary school. Similarly, her grandmother's enthusiasm for drawing inspired Date to begin sketching and crafting as early as 4 or 5 years old, activities she continued enjoying into adolescence. These initial hobbies highlighted her creative tendencies amid the dynamic Kansai setting.^[9]^[10] During her teenage years in Osaka, Date's interests in performing arts began to emerge, though she deferred deeper involvement until later.

Education and influences

Arisa Date attended Osaka Municipal Craft High School in the video design department, where she created independent animations as part of club activities and gained proficiency in software tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. She later enrolled at Ritsumeikan University in the Division of Image Arts and Sciences to study visual and image-related fields, including design and digital media.^[9]^[8] These experiences allowed her to explore her longstanding interest in visual arts, which complemented her emerging aspirations in performance. Date took a leave of absence from the university in 2013 to prioritize her voice acting career after joining the training program of the agency 81 Produce.^[9] Date's pursuit of voice acting was profoundly shaped by her early exposure to anime and video games, which ignited her fascination with character performance and storytelling in the medium.^[11] She has cited prominent voice artists such as Yukari Tamura and Nana Mizuki as major inspirations, admiring their expressive ranges and contributions to anime soundtracks that influenced her decision to enter the industry.^[11] These figures, known for their roles in iconic series, represented the blend of artistry and entertainment that Date sought to emulate in her own work. As elements of her public persona in Japanese entertainment circles, Date's blood type B and height of 159 cm are frequently noted in profiles, reflecting cultural conventions that tie such traits to personality insights and fan engagement.^[2]

Professional career

Voice acting

Arisa Date made her debut as a voice actress in 2013, shortly after graduating from Ritsumeikan University's College of Image Arts and Sciences, Department of Visual Arts. Her early career began with affiliation to the 81 Produce agency, which has represented her throughout her professional trajectory.^[1] Date's career progressed steadily from minor supporting roles in anime starting in 2014, such as voicing Suzu Ueshige in Saki: The Nationals, to more prominent lead positions by 2018, including Narumi Momose in Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku.^[2] A notable early milestone was her participation in the long-running Pokémon XY series from 2014 to 2015, where she provided voices for characters like Karen in select episodes.^[2] She expanded into video game voice acting around 2015, taking on the role of Emi Namba in The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls, and continued with additional titles thereafter.^[2] By the late 2010s, Date balanced her growing voice acting commitments with her emerging professional mahjong career starting in 2019, maintaining dual professions without reported interruptions. Her activities reflect consistent engagement in both anime and games, including Qingque in Honkai: Star Rail (2023), while remaining affiliated with 81 Produce and showing no hiatuses as of late 2025.^[2]

Mahjong

Arisa Date became a professional mahjong player in April 2019, affiliating with the Japan Professional Mahjong League as part of its 35th generation of pros. Her interest in mahjong dated back to 2014, during her university years, when she began competitive play as a hobby. In August 2021, Date was selected in the M.League draft as the first pick by the Konami Mahjong Fight Club team (third overall), marking her entry into the professional league's team-based competition for the 2021-22 season. This move positioned her alongside teammates including Hisato Sasaki, Mari Takamiya, and Kazunori Takizawa, with the season commencing in October 2021. A significant early milestone in her career was securing first place in the inaugural Sakura Bud Fight tournament in 2021, a JPML event dedicated to young female professionals. This victory highlighted her rising prowess and contributed to her visibility ahead of the M.League draft. She has earned further accolades in the M.League, including the 2021–22 season's highest hanchan score, the 2022–23 MVP award, and the 2023–24 4th place avoidance award.^[3] Date has competed in all M.League seasons since 2021-22, playing a key role for Konami Mahjong Fight Club through the 2025-26 season, where she has participated in 10 matches as of November 2025. Her individual performances have been strong, with notable statistics including an average points per game of 6,697 and a high 4th-place avoidance rate of 90% across seasons; for instance, in the 2024-25 season, she achieved a personal score of +98.6 points over 23 games. While the team has not won a championship, Date's consistent contributions underscore her sustained involvement without additional major tournament victories reported beyond her 2021 title. Date maintains a balance between her mahjong career and voice acting commitments, occasionally drawing on her professional skills for media appearances that bridge her dual professions.^[3]

Filmography

Television animation

Arisa Date's first television anime role was Hillarize in Beast Saga in 2013.^[2] She followed with a minor role as Suzu Ueshige in Saki: The Nationals in 2014, a series centered on competitive mahjong matches among high school girls.^[2] In 2013-2016, she provided voices in Pokémon the Series: XY, including Karen in episodes 73-74 and a maid in episode 18, contributing to the long-running adventure anime's ensemble cast.^[2] In 2015, Date voiced Emi Namba in episodes 16, 18, and 25 of (The) IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls (TV 2).^[2] In 2017, Date voiced the lead character Yui Yumekawa in Idol Time PriPara, a musical idol anime that follows aspiring performers in a fantastical pripara world, marking one of her prominent early supporting-to-lead transitions. She also voiced Maril Cavendish in episode 19 of Little Witch Academia that year.^[2] Date took on another lead role in 2018 as Narumi Momose, a socially awkward office worker navigating romance and otaku culture, in the romantic comedy Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku.^[2] That same year, she portrayed the supporting character Sigrun, a valkyrie-like figure in a historical fantasy setting, in (The) Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar.^[2] In 2020, Date reprised similar roles as Yui Gekikawa and Yui Yumekawa in Kiratto Pri☆Chan (TV 3), continuing her work in idol anime.^[2] In 2021, she voiced multiple characters, including Gillie, Lyla, and Tiffany, across episodes of the Sylvanian Families: Mini Story series.^[2] In 2022, Date appeared in World's End Harem (also known as Shūmatsu no Harem), voicing supporting roles including Rika Yanagi in episodes 7-9, within the sci-fi drama's post-apocalyptic narrative.^[2] In 2023, she voiced Keitaro Kitamura in episode 13 of Tohai: Ura Rate Mahjong Tohai Roku.^[2] As of November 2025, no major new television anime roles for Date have been announced, though she has continued involvement in related idol and family-oriented series extensions from prior projects.^[2]

Video games

Arisa Date's contributions to video games highlight her ability to portray dynamic characters in interactive formats, distinct from her anime work, often infusing roles with emotional depth and personality suited to gameplay mechanics. In 2015, she debuted in video games voicing Emi Namba, a cheerful and determined young idol, in THE iDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls Starlight Stage, a mobile rhythm game that emphasizes performance and fan interaction within the idol management franchise.^[2] Date expanded her game portfolio in 2019 with the role of Felicia in Action Taimanin, an action RPG involving fast-paced combat against supernatural foes, where Felicia is a playable demoness character. In 2023, she voiced Qingque in Honkai: Star Rail, a free-to-play turn-based RPG with space-fantasy elements, depicting Qingque as a laid-back, mahjong-enthusiast diviner whose witty, carefree attitude provides comic relief amid epic interstellar adventures.^[2] That same year, Date lent her voice to Alicelicia in Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, a monster-collecting RPG emphasizing breeding and exploration, with Alicelicia as a spirited elf ally who aids the protagonist in strategic team composition and story progression.^[2] As of November 2025, Date has continued dubbing work for ongoing game updates, with no major new character roles in flagship releases announced. This builds on her voice acting success in anime, allowing her to explore character development through player choices and replayability.^[2]