From 2002-2003 she was a member of the short lived girl band Springs. Her big break came in 2006, when she was cast as the voice of Haruhi Suzumiya, the title character of the anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The show's public success has greatly enhanced her popularity and career in Japan. Her CD single Bōken Desho Desho? containing the opening song of the show sold out in Japan the very day it was released. This success is followed by her voicing two lead characters in anime based on popular manga (Reira in Nana and Misa in Death Note). Her popularity was confirmed at the first Seiyū Awards, where she won "Best Newcomer (female)", for her role as Haruhi Suzumiya; the same role also won her a nomination as "Best Main Character (female)". At the same awards, she was also nominated for "Best Supporting Character (female)", and earned two nominations for "Best Single" (One of which is a solo, Bōken Desho Desho?; the other was a group nomination for the single Hare Hare Yukai.).
