Mayumi Tanaka

Mayumi Tanaka, born smack-dab in the middle of Tokyo on January 15, 1955, isn’t just your run-of-the-mill actress. Nope, she’s one of those legends you’ve probably heard, even if you didn’t realize it. Her voice is pretty much iconic in the world of anime. If you’ve watched One Piece—which, honestly, at this point, who hasn’t stumbled across it?—then you know her as the one and only Monkey D. Luffy, that rubber-limbed captain with the unbreakable will and endless appetite. She’s been voicing Luffy since the late '90s, which is wild when you think about how long that show’s been going. But she’s not just a one-trick pony. She’s also got her name attached to Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, where she voices Krillin, another fan favorite who’s always in the thick of the action (even if he’s getting knocked around a lot). And, oh man, let’s not forget Laputa: Castle in the Sky—she brought Pazu to life in that classic Studio Ghibli adventure. That movie’s got heart, big airships, and that nostalgic Ghibli magic, and her voice acting’s a huge part of its charm. Mayumi’s career is basically a highlight reel of anime history—she’s been shaping childhoods and keeping fans hyped for decades. Off-screen, she’s not super flashy; she lets her roles do the talking. But anyone who’s followed anime for a while knows her voice is one you can’t forget.