Rie Kitahara is a Japanese voice actress and former idol singer. She debuted as a voice actress on August 13, 2010, in the anime series Gakkō no Kowai Uwasa: Shin Hanako-san ga Kita!!, playing the role of Howa Howa. She is best known for voicing Miyo Takano in the anime series Higurashi no Naku Koro ni and its sequel Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai. She also lent her voice to an unnamed character in the eighth season of the horror anthology series Yami Shibai in 2021. Her voice acting career, though limited in scope, includes these notable roles. Kitahara first gained widespread recognition as a member of the idol group AKB48 in 2008, later serving as captain of NGT48, and has also appeared in live-action television dramas and films.