Uesaka Sumire
Birth place: Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Height: 160 cm (5'3")
Blood type: O
Uesaka Sumire is a voice actress at Space Craft Entertainment best known for her roles as Nonna in *Girls und Panzer* and Sora in *Papa no Iukoto wo Kikinasai!* Her nickname Sumipe comes from her deep love of Russia—the Cyrillic letter R resembles a P, hence the joke. Fans also call her Suminya (because of her love for cat-ear accessories) and Gundanchou (Corps Commander), a nod to her passion for military history and tanks.
She was scouted at eight years old while leaving an English proficiency test and appeared in a Vidal Sassoon commercial. Her path to voice acting solidified during web radio work from 2009-2011, where she wanted to inject real emotion into her performances. She's also cited voice actress Momoi Haruko as a major influence after stumbling upon *Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte* as a kid.
In January 2012, Uesaka made her voice acting debut as Sora. Directors Matsu Tomohiro and Kawasaki Itsurou said they cast her despite some rough edges because they couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. She quickly became busy afterward.
Russia obsession and education
Uesaka's fascination with Russia started in high school after hearing the Soviet national anthem by chance. She taught herself about Russian history and culture, eventually majoring in Russian Studies at Sophia University. Her graduation thesis focused on early Red Army history, and she received the university's prize for excellent work in 2012. Beyond Russian, she's fluent in English and Chinese, having passed multiple language proficiency tests.
Voice acting and media work
Her role as the Russian character Nonna in *Girls und Panzer* (cast in October 2012) was a natural fit. She performed and sang Russian folk covers for the series, including "Cossack no Komoriuta" and "Katyusha," earning significant recognition both domestically and internationally. She's hosted her own radio show, *Uesaka Sumire's Armored Guards Infantry Regiment Broadcast*, on Nico Nico Live since April 2012.
Other interests
Uesaka models for the *Baby, The Stars Shine Bright* Lolita fashion brand and regularly appears in *Kera* and *Gothic & Lolita Bible*. She enjoys drawing and frequently shares artwork on her blog and pixiv. Her tastes are eclectic: she loves lamb chops and Kinoko no Yama snacks, admires Soviet politician Vyacheslav Molotov, and is partial to characters like Chirico Cuvie and Rudolf von Stroheim. Her favorite tank is the Soviet BT-5. In May 2012, she served as a one-day captain of the JS Yamayuki during a Marine Fiesta event in Funabashi.
Online presence
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
