Chieko Kawabe

Biography

Chieko Kawabe (河邉 千恵子, Kawabe Chieko), born February 24, 1987, in Tokyo, is a Japanese singer, model and actress. She played Sailor Mercury in the Sailor Moon musicals and was Naru Osaka in the live action adaptation of Sailor Moon.
Several of her songs have been used in anime series and other television shows, from a localization of Lizzie McGuire to Ouran High School Host Club.

Biography

She was born to a Japanese father and Filipina mother.

Career

Kawabe was involved in the Sailor Moon Musicals in 2000 when she was 12. She played Sailor Mercury and participated in five productions including the 10th anniversary special in 2002. She made guest appearances at Fan Kansha and released a DVD called Sera Myu. Afterwards, she handed her Sailor Mercury role to Wakayama Manami, but got involved in the live-action Sailor Moon drama as Naru Osaka in 2003.
Kawabe released the single "Be Your Girl×be your girl28 April 2004 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11be your girl4:302☆に願いを4:183be your girl (instrumental)4:304☆に願いを (instrumental)4:15Disc 21“be your girl” VIDEO CLIP2EXTRA EDITION: CHIECO’S OFF SHOT" on April 27, 2004. This became the ending theme song to the anime Elfen Lied, and her other song, "Hoshi ni Negai wo" was the end theme song to Otogizoshi. She released "Shining" in 2004, and "Kizunairo" in 2005. The song "I Can't Wait", from the "Kizunairo" single was used as the theme song to the Japanese version of the show Lizzie McGuire. She released her first album, Brilliance×brilliance16 March 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1brilliance3:222Shining!3:303絆色4:144Pink!Pink!Pink!4:205little wing4:506over4:017I Can't Wait3:168cry baby4:519be your girl4:3110leave me alone5:4011☆に願いを4:18 in March 2005, and the single "Candy Baby" in July. Kawabe's next major single was "Sakura Kiss" which was the theme song for the anime Ouran High School Host Club. The single charted in Oricon, peaking at 71.
In addition to acting and singing, she has worked as a model, appearing in publications such as Tokuma Shoten's Love Berry magazine. She hosted a weekly show in Harajuku.
Since April 2016, she currently works as a certified Pilates instructor.

Personal life

Kawabe married producer Masato Ochi on August 8, 2008, who was twenty one years her senior. After her marriage she started using the name Chieko Ochi (越智 千恵子, Ochi Chieko) during that time they were married in both public and personal activities. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter, on May 21, 2010. After seven years of marriage, the couple amicably divorced in 2015. Kawabe's ex-husband has custody of their daughter.
Shortly after divorcing, she went back to using her maiden last name, but with different characters.
In November 2020, she announced on her blog the registration of her second marriage to a chiropractor 5 years older after meeting in one of Kawabe's Pilates lessons. They celebrated their wedding in June 2021 at her husband's hometown in Hokkaido. On June 1, 2022, she gave birth to her second daughter. And on December 11, 2024, she gave birth to her third child, a son.