Noriko Hidaka, born Noriko Itō on May 31, 1962, in Tokyo, is a veteran Japanese voice actress, singer, and narrator with a career spanning several decades. She began her entertainment career as a child actor and later debuted as an idol singer in 1980, but transitioned to voice acting in 1984 after a radio listener suggested her voice was well-suited for the profession. Her debut role was Musicaa in the television anime The Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross.

Hidaka's career-defining role came in 1985 when she was cast as Minami Asakura in the highly popular anime series Touch. Despite being a novice with little voice acting experience, her performance was shaped under the guidance of her co-star, Mitsuo Yaoki, and the production staff, an experience she credits for her professional growth. This role established her as a leading voice actress and was quickly followed by other iconic parts that showcased her versatility, including Satsuki Kusakabe in the Studio Ghibli film My Neighbor Totoro (1988) and the titular role of Noriko Takaya in the pioneering OVA Gunbuster (1988).

Throughout her career, Hidaka has demonstrated a wide vocal range, convincingly portraying young girls, boys, and adult women. In 1989, she took on her first major boy role as Peter Pan in The Adventures of Peter Pan and also began her long-running part as Akane Tendo in the beloved comedy series Ranma ½, a character she considers the most similar to herself. Other significant roles from this period include Jean Roque Raltique in Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (1990), Danpei Ichigeki in Honō no Tōkyūji Dodge Danpei (1991), and Kikyo in the long-running series InuYasha (2000). Her later work includes the role of Near in Death Note (2006) and Masumi Sera in the long-running Detective Conan franchise.

Hidaka has remained active in the industry into the 2010s and 2020s, taking on roles in a wide array of series, many of which were listed in the initial query. These include Arudi in Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastrale (2019), Shem-Ha Mephorash in Senki Zesshō Symphogear XV (2019), Pipimi in Pop Team Epic (2018), Bakabon's mother in Late Night! The Genius Bakabon (2018), Eua in both Higurashi: When They Cry – GOU (2020) and Higurashi: When They Cry – SOTSU (2021), the Spirit of the Tree of Ages in Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (2020) and its second act, and the narrator for Kandagawa Jet Girls. She has also appeared in more recent hits, providing the voice of Yuki Tsukumo in Jujutsu Kaisen (2021), the narrator for Komi Can't Communicate (2021), Fengming in The Apothecary Diaries (2023), and reprising her iconic role as Akane Tendo in the 2024 remake of Ranma ½.

Beyond acting, Hidaka has lent her voice to the Dominator in the Psycho-Pass series and has been involved in various music units over the years, such as DoCo with other Ranma ½ cast members and the Banana Gritters with fellow voice actors Kōichi Yamadera and Toshihiko Seki. In 2015, she formed the unit backdrops with voice actresses Wakana Yamazaki and Naoko Matsui. She is currently affiliated with the agency Combination, which she co-founded in 2009. Known for her clear and earnest voice, Hidaka is widely regarded as one of the most successful examples of an idol successfully transitioning to a long and distinguished career in voice acting.