Akiko Hinagata is a Japanese actress and former gravure idol who was born in Tokyo on January 27, 1978. She began her entertainment career in 1992 after being scouted as a middle school student, making her acting debut in the TBS drama Obenkyo. Her early success included being named Fuji Television Visual Queen in 1994 and receiving the Golden Arrow Graph prize in 1996. While primarily known for her extensive work in television dramas, films, and as a television personality, Hinagata has also contributed voice work to animated projects.

Her filmography includes a small number of notable voice acting roles. In 1996, she voiced a fictionalized version of herself in the animated film Crayon Shin-chan: Great Adventure in Henderland. She is also recognized for providing the voice of Princess Kirara in the eleventh theatrical film of the long-running children's series, Soreike! Anpanman: Yuuki no Hana ga Hiraku toki, which was released in 1999. This role as Princess Kirara in the Anpanman franchise remains one of her most frequently cited anime voice performances.

Beyond these two credits, publicly available information does not indicate a substantial body of work as an anime voice actor. Her career is predominantly defined by her live-action roles in numerous television dramas such as Ring, Mito Kōmon, and Ōoku, as well as films like Ghost Shout. She has also been active as a model, releasing multiple photo books, and has hosted several radio programs. For her performance in the 1997 television drama Kiken na Kankei, she won the award for Best Supporting Actress at the 12th Japan Academy Prize.