Tomori Kusunoki

Tomori Kusunoki is a Japanese voice actress and singer-songwriter known for her expressive performances in anime, video games and animated films. She has earned recognition for playing Makima in Chainsaw Man, LLENN in Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, Shizuka Mikazuki in Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead and Kanade Yoisaki in Project SEKAI: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku. Her performances range from quiet, emotionally complex characters to energetic heroines and determined young protagonists. Alongside voice acting, Kusunoki has developed a music career, writing and composing songs that reflect her individual artistic style.

Who Is Tomori Kusunoki?

Tomori Kusunoki, written in Japanese as 楠木ともり, was born on December 22, 1999, in Tokyo, Japan. She works professionally as a voice actress and singer-songwriter and is represented by Sony Music Artists.

Kusunoki became one of the prominent young voices in the Japanese anime industry after securing leading roles early in her career. Her work spans television anime, animated movies, web animation and video games. She is particularly associated with characters whose personalities combine emotional depth, individuality and inner strength.

Her career also extends beyond acting. Kusunoki writes lyrics, composes music, performs live and contributes to the visual design of her merchandise. This combination of creative interests has helped establish her as both a performer and an independent-minded music artist.

Early Life and Career

Kusunoki developed an interest in anime voice acting and anime music while growing up. During her high school years, she pursued an opportunity that would introduce her to the professional entertainment industry.

In October 2016, she received the Special Award at the fifth Anistoteles audition organised by Sony Music Artists. The audition helped open the door to her voice acting career and provided an opportunity to develop her skills in a professional environment.

Her first voice acting work came in 2017. She subsequently secured her first major starring role in the television anime Märchen Mädchen in 2018, playing Hazuki Kagimura. This early opportunity placed her in a leading position while she was still in her teens.

Kusunoki’s progress was recognised in 2019 when she received the Best New Actress Award at the 13th Seiyu Awards. The honour marked an important milestone and reflected the attention her early performances had attracted.

Voice Acting Career

Kusunoki’s career developed quickly through a series of prominent anime roles. One of her most important early successes was playing LLENN, the pink-clad player character in Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, which premiered in 2018. The role required her to portray both Karen Kohiruimaki, a reserved young woman in everyday life, and her confident, fast-moving gaming persona.

In 2020, Kusunoki expanded her professional activities by making her major solo music debut with the single Hamidashimono. The song served as the ending theme for The Misfit of Demon King Academy, in which she voiced Misha Necron. This connected her work as a voice actress with her developing career as a singer-songwriter.

Another major milestone arrived with Chainsaw Man in 2022, when she voiced Makima. Her controlled delivery and understated intensity suited the character’s enigmatic personality. The performance introduced her to an even wider international anime audience.

In 2023, Kusunoki voiced Shizuka Mikazuki in Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. Shizuka’s practical outlook contrasts with the chaos surrounding her, allowing Kusunoki to demonstrate a different side of her acting range. She has also built a substantial presence in video games, including Project SEKAI: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku and Heaven Burns Red.

Most Famous Anime Roles

Kusunoki’s best-known roles demonstrate her versatility across action, fantasy, psychological drama and comedy.

Makima – Chainsaw Man

Makima is one of Kusunoki’s most recognisable characters. As a high-ranking Public Safety Devil Hunter, Makima appears composed, persuasive and difficult to understand. Kusunoki’s restrained performance helps preserve the character’s mystery while allowing subtle shifts in emotion to carry significant weight.

The role became an important part of Kusunoki’s public profile following the anime’s 2022 debut. She also reprised Makima in the 2025 animated film Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.

LLENN – Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online

LLENN is a player in a virtual reality battle game and the central character of Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online. Despite her small in-game appearance, she is a capable fighter who combines speed, tactical thinking and determination.

Kusunoki gives LLENN an energetic, expressive voice while also conveying the insecurities of Karen Kohiruimaki, the young woman behind the avatar. The role remains one of the defining performances of her early career.

Shizuka Mikazuki – Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

In Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, Shizuka is a careful, rational survivor who approaches the zombie apocalypse with a strong emphasis on preparation and risk management. Her personality initially contrasts with Akira Tendo’s spontaneous approach to life.

Kusunoki balances Shizuka’s practical nature with moments of vulnerability and warmth, making her an important part of the series’ character-driven comedy and adventure.

Kanade Yoisaki – Project SEKAI: Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku

Kanade Yoisaki is a music-focused character associated with the online music unit Nightcord at 25:00. She is deeply committed to composing music and helping others through her creative work, although her personal struggles make her story emotionally complex.

Kusunoki voices Kanade in the Japanese-language game and related animated projects. The character is particularly significant because music is also an important part of Kusunoki’s own professional life.

Misha Necron – The Misfit of Demon King Academy

Kusunoki voiced Misha Necron in the fantasy anime The Misfit of Demon King Academy. Misha is a quiet, reserved character whose relationships and personal development contribute to the emotional side of the series.

The role is also closely connected to Kusunoki’s music career, as she performed the ending theme Hamidashimono for the show’s first season.

Tomori Kusunoki’s Notable Characters

The following table highlights selected roles from Kusunoki’s Japanese-language voice acting career.

Anime / Project	Character	Year	Role Type
Märchen Mädchen	Hazuki Kagimura	2018	Leading anime role
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online	LLENN / Karen Kohiruimaki	2018	Main character
The Misfit of Demon King Academy	Misha Necron	2020	Main character
Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club	Setsuna Yuki	2020	Main character
Wonder Egg Priority	Neiru Aonuma	2021	Main character
Chainsaw Man	Makima	2022	Major supporting role
Aharen-san wa Hakarenai	Hanako Satō	2022	Supporting role
Bastard!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy-	Tia Noto Yoko	2022	Main character
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead	Shizuka Mikazuki	2023	Main character
Chained Soldier	Aoba Wakura	2024	Major supporting role
Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra	Atou	2025	Main character
Witch Watch	Nemu Miyao	2025	Supporting role

These are selected credits rather than a complete filmography. Release years refer to the original Japanese productions, and the table does not imply that Kusunoki performed the English-language versions.

Movies, Television and Other Voice Roles

Kusunoki has worked in animated films as well as television anime. Her film credits include High School Fleet: The Movie (2020), in which she voices Azumi Abe, and Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure the Movie: The Snow Princess and the Miraculous Ring! (2021), in which she voices Howan.

In 2025, she reprised Makima for Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. She also voices Kanade Yoisaki in Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing, an animated film connected to the Project SEKAI franchise.

Her work in web animation includes Tiger & Bunny 2, in which she voices Lara Tsaikoskaya, also known as Magical Cat. She also voices Tia Noto Yoko in the animated adaptation of Bastard!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy-.

Video games represent another major part of her career. In addition to Kanade Yoisaki in Project SEKAI, she voices Tsukasa Kayamori in Heaven Burns Red. These roles allow her to develop characters over extended storylines, including performances shaped by dialogue, emotional scenes and interactive storytelling.

Kusunoki is primarily known for Japanese-language voice performances. English-language streaming releases and international game versions may feature separate voice casts, so her Japanese credits should not automatically be treated as English dub credits. Her established profile is chiefly rooted in animation and games rather than live-action screen acting.

Awards and Recognition

One of Kusunoki’s earliest major achievements was receiving the Special Award at the fifth Anistoteles audition in 2016. This helped launch her professional career and was followed by her first leading anime role in 2018.

In 2019, she won the Best New Actress Award at the 13th Seiyu Awards, one of Japan’s prominent awards recognising voice acting. Receiving this honour at the beginning of her career helped establish her as a performer to watch.

Her music career has also earned recognition. Kusunoki made her major-label solo debut in August 2020 with Hamidashimono under SACRA MUSIC. Her releases include the albums PRESENCE and ABSENCE, issued simultaneously in 2023, and several EPs that charted in Japan.

Her popularity among anime audiences is also reflected in the continued visibility of her performances in series such as Chainsaw Man, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online and Zom 100. These roles have helped connect her with fans of different genres and generations.

Career Highlights

Kusunoki’s career stands out for several reasons:

• Early breakthrough: She progressed from an industry audition in 2016 to her first voice acting work in 2017 and a leading anime role in 2018.
• Memorable lead performances: LLENN, Shizuka Mikazuki and Kanade Yoisaki showcase her ability to portray distinct personalities.
• A widely recognised character: Her portrayal of Makima in Chainsaw Man brought her performance to a broad international audience.
• Award-winning talent: Her 2019 Best New Actress win at the Seiyu Awards recognised her early promise.
• A parallel music career: She writes and composes songs while continuing to work in anime and video games.
• Range across genres: Her credits cover action, fantasy, psychological drama, comedy and music-centred stories.

Kusunoki’s appeal lies in her ability to adapt her delivery to the needs of each character. She can sound lively and determined as LLENN, quietly thoughtful as Kanade, or unsettlingly composed as Makima. That range, together with her songwriting, has made her a distinctive figure in contemporary Japanese entertainment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Tomori Kusunoki?

Tomori Kusunoki is a Japanese voice actress and singer-songwriter born on December 22, 1999, in Tokyo. She is known for anime roles including Makima, LLENN, Shizuka Mikazuki and Kanade Yoisaki.

2. What is Tomori Kusunoki most famous for?

She is particularly well known for voicing Makima in Chainsaw Man, LLENN in Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, Shizuka Mikazuki in Zom 100 and Kanade Yoisaki in Project SEKAI.

3. Does Tomori Kusunoki voice Makima?

Yes. Kusunoki performs Makima’s original Japanese voice in the Chainsaw Man anime and the 2025 film Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.

4. Does Tomori Kusunoki voice LLENN?

Yes. She voices LLENN, whose real-world identity is Karen Kohiruimaki, in Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online.

5. What character does Tomori Kusunoki play in Zom 100?

She voices Shizuka Mikazuki, a practical and analytical survivor who joins Akira Tendo during the zombie apocalypse.

6. Is Tomori Kusunoki also a singer?

Yes. She is a singer-songwriter who writes lyrics and composes music. She made her major solo music debut in 2020 with Hamidashimono, the ending theme for The Misfit of Demon King Academy.

7. Has Tomori Kusunoki won any awards?

Yes. She won the Best New Actress Award at the 13th Seiyu Awards in 2019 and received the Special Award at the fifth Anistoteles audition in 2016.

8. Does Tomori Kusunoki perform English anime dubs?

Her best-known credits are original Japanese voice performances. English-language versions may use different voice actors, and individual international releases should be checked separately rather than assuming Kusunoki performed every language version.