Kumiko Asou is a Japanese actress who has built a significant career in both live-action film and television as well as voice acting in anime. Born on June 17, 1978, in Chiba Prefecture, her birth name is Kumiko Hiramaru. She entered the entertainment industry in 1995 after winning a magazine contest and made her film debut the same year. Her career was propelled forward by her award-winning performance in the. Akagi, for which she received the Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actress and Best Newcomer. While she is primarily known as a live-action actress, she has lent her voice to a notable number of animated films, often playing maternal roles.

Asou's filmography includes several high-profile anime films. In the 2022 film Lonely Castle in the Mirror, she voiced the role of Kokoro's Mother. She provided the voice for Midori in the 2019 fantasy film The Wonderland. In the 2018 Mamoru Hosoda film Mirai, she voiced the character of Mother. Her voice acting credits also include the 2010 film Colorful, where she played Makoto's Mother, and the 2015 film Miss Hokusai, in which she voiced the character Sayogoromo.

Throughout her career, Asou has been a recurring presence in the works of acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda, with voice roles in several of his films. Beyond the aforementioned Mirai, she also had roles in his films The Boy and the Beast (2015) as Kyuta's Mother and Wolf Children (2012) as Mrs. Hotta.

Her talent has been recognized with numerous accolades throughout her career. In addition to her early wins for Dr. Akagi, she received the Blue Ribbon Award, the Mainichi Film Award, and the Hochi Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 2007 film Yunagi City, Sakura Country. She also won the TV Drama Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 2020 series MIU404.