Tokyo-based artist Megumi Hayashibara is a versatile Japanese talent known for her work as a voice actress, singer, and radio host. She gained fame for her roles in popular anime series like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pokémon, while also achieving success in her solo music career. Hayashibara's peak period in the pop scene saw her release six consecutive Top Ten hits, with her 2010 album Choice marking another chart success.

Born in Kita in 1967, Hayashibara initially aimed to become a nurse but found her calling in anime voice acting after a fortuitous audition. Her career took off in the 1980s with roles in Maison Ikkoku and Ranma ½, leading to prominent parts in acclaimed series like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pokémon. Alongside her voice work in visual media, she pursued a successful pop music career, releasing a string of albums that topped the Japanese charts, including her gold-certified eighth album Bertemu in 1996. Despite a slower output in the 2000s, Hayashibara continued to make waves in the music industry, with her 2018 comeback album Fifty-Fifty and a notable appearance on the U.S. charts in 2021 with the compilation Evangelion Finally.