Kazuko Sawada is a respected Japanese voice actor, or seiyū, born on September 23, 1940, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She has also been credited under the name Kazuko Sawada and the艺名 Kazuko Neko. Her career flourished primarily during the 1970s, a golden era for anime, during which she became known for her versatile vocal performances, frequently portraying young boys and energetic characters.

Sawada is perhaps most recognized for her long-standing association with the Mazinger franchise, created by Go Nagai. She provided the voice for Shiro Kabuto, the younger brother of the protagonist, in the seminal series Mazinger Z. She reprised this role in its sequel, Great Mazinger, and in numerous theatrical films of the era, including Mazinger Z Vs. Devilman, Mazinger Z Vs. Dr. Hell, and Mazinger Z Vs. The Great Dark General. Her involvement with Nagai's works extended to the UFO Robo Grendizer series, where she voiced both the young Goro Makiba and the villainous Lady Gandal.

Beyond the mecha genre, Sawada's filmography is rich with iconic roles in classic anime. She voiced the character Kizao in the 1971 series Shin Obake no Q-Taro, as well as P-ko in the original 1965 Obake no Q-Taro. She also played Touch Watari in Marvelous Melmo and Chibita in the 1966 version of Osomatsu-kun. In the world of animal tales, she was the voice of the titular beaver in Don Chuck Monogatari and its sequel, Shin Don Chuck Monogatari. She also took on the role of Jemmy the Cat in the 1975 film Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid.

Her other notable credits from this period include Kantaro Hoshi in Astroganger, Benkei in Ganbare Gonbe, Lupang in Tongari Bōshi no Memoru: Marielle no Hōsekibako, and roles in series such as Devilman, Chargeman Ken!, and Dokonjō Gaeru. Her work demonstrates frequent collaboration with Toei Animation and with fellow actors like Jōji Yanami and Kōsei Tomita, as well as creator Go Nagai. Through her extensive body of work, Kazuko Sawada left a lasting mark on the formative years of Japanese anime.