Ai Orikasa is a veteran Japanese voice actress and singer born on December 12, 1963, in Tokyo, Japan. Her career began after she graduated from the drama department of the Nihon Denshikōgakuin College and performed as a stage actress. In 1988, she successfully auditioned for the lead role of Cedric Errol in the World Masterpiece Theater animation series Little Lord Fauntleroy, which marked her official debut as a voice actress. For many years, she was affiliated with Production Baobab before moving to the agency AXL-ONE in September 2011.

Orikasa is known for her versatile vocal range, frequently taking on roles that require energetic boys, strong or attractive women, and mothers. One of her most iconic and personally memorable roles is that of the space pirate Ryoko in the long-running Tenchi Muyo! series, a character she has voiced across numerous television series, OVAs, and films for decades. Another landmark role is Quatre Raberba Winner in the popular mecha anime Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. Her portrayal of the gentle and wealthy Gundam pilot earned her widespread recognition among anime fans.

Her filmography is extensive and spans a wide variety of genres. In the 1990s, she played significant roles such as the determined Romeo in Romeo's Blue Skies, the swordsman Snake Bone in Inuyasha, and Shizuru Kuwabara in Yu Yu Hakusho. She also voiced Ayame Fujieda in the Sakura Wars franchise, a role that connected her with a large fanbase through both the anime and games. In the 2000s and beyond, her work has included the voice of Shizuka Minamoto's mother in the long-running series Doraemon (2005 series), K.K. in Blood Blockade Battlefront, and the villainous Ren Soma in the 2019 adaptation of Fruits Basket. She has also voiced younger male characters like Kozuki Momonosuke in One Piece.

Beyond anime, Orikasa has been active in dubbing foreign films and television series, famously providing the Japanese voice for the animated character Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Her talent has also been featured in video games, including the Tales of Symphonia series as Genius Sage and various entries in the Super Robot Wars franchise. In 1996, her popularity and the impact of her performances in series like Tenchi Muyo! and Gundam Wing earned her the eighth position in the prestigious Anime Grand Prix voice actor rankings.