Ikue Ootani is a prominent Japanese voice actress born on August 18, 1965, in Tokyo, Japan. She is affiliated with the talent management firm Mausu Promotion. Ootani began her career in 1986 and has since become widely recognized for her distinctive, high-pitched, and cute vocal quality, which she has employed to portray a vast array of young boy and girl characters across numerous long-running and popular anime series.

Ootani is celebrated for several iconic roles that have defined her career. She is globally renowned as the voice of Pikachu in the Pokémon franchise, a role she has played since the character's debut. In the long-running series One Piece, she voices the beloved reindeer doctor Tony Tony Chopper. She is also the voice of Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya, a member of the Junior Detective League, in the Detective Conan series, a role she has performed consistently since 1996, including in the 2021 film Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet as requested. Other significant roles include Konohamaru Sarutobi in the Naruto series, Gash Bell in Konjiki no Gash Bell, Morgana in Persona 5, and Candy in Smile PreCure!.

Throughout her career, Ootani has been known for her ability to play both male and female characters, sometimes taking on multiple roles within a single production. Her extensive filmography demonstrates recurring collaborations with major anime franchises, contributing to the long-term consistency of characters like Pikachu, Chopper, and Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya for decades. In early 2006, Ootani took a temporary leave of absence from voice work due to health concerns. During this period, several of her roles were temporarily filled by other voice actors, including her part as Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya, which was taken over by Kikuko Inoue. She returned to her regular work by May of the same year.

In recognition of her contributions to the industry, particularly for her appeal to younger audiences, Ikue Ootani was awarded the Kids Family Award at the 6th Annual Seiyu Awards in 2011. She continues to be active in voice acting, with credits in recent productions such as the anime series Pokémon Horizons: The Series and the 2025 Detective Conan film, The Million-Dollar Pentagram.