Kugimiya is most known for the roles of Alphonse Elric in Full Metal Alchemist, Shana in Shakugan no Shana, Kagura in Gin Tama and more recently, Taiga Aisaka in Toradora!. She is typecasted to tsundere roles due to her voicing of tsundere characters Nagi (Hayate no Gotoku!), Shana (Shakugan no Shana) and Louise (Zero no Tsukaima), all of whose anime aired around the same time. Due to her popularity in such roles, some of her fans have named her as the Queen of Tsundere.

She has also contributed her voice to various merchandise such as with Mugen Puchi Puchi Moe, a virtual bubble-wrap popping game, and voiced various characters on a set of moe Karuta cards.

She was nominated for Best Actress in Leading Role in the first Seiyu Awards for the role of Louise in Zero no Tsukaima, and jointly won Best Actress in a Supporting Role with Mitsuki Saiga at the second Seiyu Awards. Kugimiya won Best Actress in the third seiyu awards for the role of Taiga Aisaka in Toradora.