, more commonly known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer, dancer and actress. Born in Tokyo, she started work as a singer from a young age. In 2007, Natsuki announced her engagement to percussionist Nobu Saitō, with their marriage taking place in Spring 2008.
Natsuki has participated in musical theatre, including that of Yukio Ninagawa. She provided the voice of Yubaba in Spirited Away, played the young witch's mother in the Japanese TV remake of Bewitched and has twice been nominated for a Japanese Academy Award. Natsuki played the character Big Mama in the Japanese version of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and has also acted in television dramas, such as the 2005 series Nobuta o Produce, playing the Vice Principal, Katharine.
Filmography
Film
Otoko wa Tsurai yo series: Tora-san, My Uncle (1989) Tora-san Takes a Vacation (1990) Tora-san Confesses (1991) Tora-San Makes Excuses (1992) Tora-san to the Rescue (1995) Tora-san, Wish You Were Here (2019) Onimasa (1982) Legend of the Eight Samurai (1983) Fireflies in the North (1984) Jittemai (1986) Death Powder (1986) The Hunted (1995) Samurai Fiction (1998) Spirited Away (2001), Yubaba (voice) Shōjo (2001) Ping Pong (2002) Okusama wa Majo (2004) Sugar and Spice (2006) Sakuran (2007) Girl in the Sunny Place (2013) Isle of Dogs (2018), Auntie (voice) Ikiru Machi (2018) Vision (2018) Over the Sky (2020), Mori Obaa-chan (voice) Angry Rice Wives (2021), Taki Yudo: The Way of the Bath (2023) From the End of the World (2023) See Hear Love (2023), Tae Izumimoto
Television
G-Men '75 (1979–80) Yoshitsune (2005) Carnation (2011) Montage (2016) Meet Me After School (2018) Okaeri Mone (2021) I Will Be Your Bloom (2022) – Yuki Hanamaki
Video games
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Big Mama) (2008) Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (Katherine Marlowe) (2011)
Japanese dub
Live-action
The Devil Wears Prada (2010 NTV edition) (Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep)) Feud (Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange)) The West Wing (seasons 1–4) (C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney))
Animation
Ballerina (Régine Le Haut) Moana (Tala)