Natsue Washizu (小鳩くるみ, January 20th, 1948, Ichinomiya, Aichi, Japan) is Japanese singer and voice actress. Her real name is Natsue Washizu (鷲津名都江) professionally also known as Kurumi Kobato (小鳩 くるみ), is a Japanese academic, translator, children's singer, actress, television personality and voice actress.
Having debuted as a child singer and actress at the age of four in 1952, she subsequently signed with Victor Entertainment and acted in Japan's first television drama Ponpoko Monogatari. From 1964 to 1972, she was the Onē-san on Captain Doremifa and its successor Nakayoshi Rhythm. As a voice actress she is known for portraying Kozue Ayuhara in the anime Attack No. 1 as well as Snow White in the Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
A graduate of Aoyama Gakuin University and University of London, she later served as professor of British and American literature at Mejiro University and professor of linguistic and cultural studies at Mejiro University Graduate School. She conducted research on English nursery rhymes making several publications; in 2004 she returned on television in Yōkoso! Mother Goose no sekai he, lecturing about her research.
In October 1952, at the age of four, Washizu debuted as a singer under the name Kurumi Kobato at Nihon Gekijō's Aki no Odori, as the youngest singer in the history of Nihon Gekijō. From December of the same year, she appeared on Chienowa Club on Radio Tokyo as a children's singer, and when this program was transferred to Radio Tokyo TV with the establishment of the TV station, she became the host, appearing regularly for 16 years until March 1968, when the program was terminated. In 1953, she signed with Victor Entertainment.
While in elementary school, between 1955 and 1961, she was the cover girl of the magazine Nakayoshi, and acted in the Japan's first television drama Ponpoko Monogatari on Radio Tokyo TV and the television drama series Donguri Nikki on Nippon TV.
From 1964 to 1966, when she was a high school student, she was the Onē-san on Captain Doremifa on NHK Educational, which became a regular program, and appeared as the first Onē-san on Nakayoshi Rhythm, the successor program of Captain Doremifa, from 1966 to 1972 after entering university. From April 1972 to March 1974, she appeared on Okāsan to issho on NHK as Uta no Onē-san. She was also the host of the talk and variety show Afternoon Show on TV Asahi.
As a voice actress, Washizu voiced the character Kozue Ayuhara, the heroine of the anime Attack No. 1 aired on Fuji TV. In 1980, she voiced Snow White, the main character in the Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She was chosen as the voice actress for Snow White for her non-classic singing style and young-sounding singing voice.
From 1976 to 1986, she appeared on Otassha desuka, and for ten years served as the host of Otassha Club, the first TV program for the elderly in Japan, aired on NHK Educational.
| Year | Image | Character | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 
|
Snow White | Once Upon a Studio |
| 2018 | 
|
Snow White | Ralph Breaks the Internet |
| 1980 | 
|
Snow White | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs |