Kitabayashi, Tanie

Personal Information

Kitabayashi Tanie (May 21, 1911 – April 27, 2010) was a celebrated Japanese actress. Born Reiko Ando in Tokyo, she launched her career on the stage and quickly gained recognition for her portrayals of elderly women. In 1950, she became a founding member of the renowned Mingei Theatre. Her filmography is adorned with numerous accolades. In 1960, her performance in Kiku to Isamu earned her Best Actress honors at both the Mainichi Film Concours and the 10th Blue Ribbon Awards. Decades later, she received the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actress for her role in Rainbow Kids. She also secured the Japanese Academy Award for Best Actress for Daiyukai in 1991, a role that further garnered her Best Actress titles at the Mainichi Film Concours and the Kinema Junpo Award. Perhaps her most iconic contribution to animation was providing the voice for grandmother Kanta no Obaa-san in the 1988 Studio Ghibli classic Tonari no Totoro. Kitabayashi passed away from pneumonia at a hospital in Tokyo on April 27, 2010, at the age of 98.

Seiyuu / Dub

Kanta's Grandmother