Popular Anime Featuring Mayumi Tanaka

Key Takeaways

Mayumi Tanaka, known for voicing Luffy, has also portrayed iconic characters in Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, and Yu Yu Hakusho.
Tanaka’s versatile voice talents shine in roles like Pazu from Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Turbo Granny from DanDaDan.
From her early performances in Urusei Yatsura to recent roles like Phyllis in The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Tanaka’s career spans diverse characters.

Reflecting on Mayumi Tanaka’s illustrious career, it is simply astounding to witness the versatility and depth she has brought to countless characters throughout her journey. From the quirky and comedic roles like Sunakake-Babaa in Gegege no Kitaro, to the darker and more serious performances such as Phyllis in The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Tanaka continues to amaze us with her incredible vocal range and ability to embody characters that are both captivating and memorable.

The main character from the popular series “One Piece“, named Monkey D. Luffy, is widely recognized as one of the most iconic anime figures globally. Part of this recognition stems from various factors, including his distinctive voice in the original Japanese version, which is voiced by the renowned actress, Mayumi Tanaka.

She’s a highly skilled and experienced voice actress who has been giving life to Luffy for over 27 years, but she’s also lent her voice to numerous characters before “One Piece” started airing. It’s quite possible that “One Piece” fans have heard Mayumi Tanaka’s voice in other shows, and these are some of her most memorable performances as examples.

1 Dragon Ball

As Krillin And Yajirobe

Despite the fact that Mayumi Tanaka’s portrayal of Luffy has been significant, it is not what initially made her famous. Dragon Ball fans might recall her voice from two of her most memorable and influential roles: Krillin and Yajirobe. Both performances were exciting in their own way, and there are hints of the voice she would later use for Luffy in both of these characters.

It’s undeniable that Tanaka has played a crucial role in the Dragon Ball series. She has been providing voices for these characters for more than 38 years, which is longer than her time voicing Luffy (though she hasn’t voiced Mini Krillin in Dragon Ball DAIMA).

2 Sailor Moon

As Robert

In a different phrasing, the beloved anime series known as Sailor Moon, produced by Toei Animation, has left an indelible mark on audiences worldwide. Interestingly, while Mayumi Tanaka is often heard voicing leading or supporting characters, she lent her voice to Robert, a character who made his appearance in episode 143 of the show, marking a slight deviation from her usual roles.

Despite his limited screen time, Tanaka gave a remarkable performance. Robert, on the other hand, deviates from his typical macho roles, as he lacks the exaggerated humor and limited intelligence associated with characters like Luffy or Krillin. In summary, she has been featured in three of Toei’s most prominent series: Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, and One Piece.

3 Urusei Yatsura

As Ryūnosuke Fujinami

Many fans of anime will likely recognize the 2022 animated rendition of Urusei Yatsura. However, given that the original manga was published in 1980, it’s not shocking that there was an earlier adaptation in 1981. In this version, Mayumi Tanaka lent her voice to Ryūnosuke Fujinami, a significant character from the series.

Her portrayal of Ryunosuke Fujinami stands out as captivating since it departs significantly from the typical characters she usually plays – young boys and elderly women. Instead, Fujinami is a young woman herself, suggesting that Tanaka likely utilized her natural voice more for this role, given that she was approximately 26 years old during production.

4 Yu Yu Hakusho

As Koenma

Besides Dragon Ball and One Piece, Mayumi Tanaka also showcased her talents in other renowned action shonen anime. In 1992, she made her debut voicing the character Koenma in Studio Pierrot’s adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho, another classic series that further solidified her status as a beloved figure within the genre’s fanbase.

Koenma assumes two distinct shapes: one resembling a baby (akin to Luffy’s Chibi Gear 3) and another teenage form (more serene than Luffy). This amusing trait allows Tanaka to demonstrate her vast and impressive vocal skills. Given that Koenma governs the Spirit Realm, she has voiced this character for an extended period of time.

5 Laputa: Castle In The Sky

As Pazu

Indeed, Mayumi Tanaka is well-known for lending her voice to numerous iconic characters across various TV shows. However, it’s worth noting that she hasn’t only worked on television adaptations; she has also contributed to a significant number of feature films, including those based on popular series like Dragon Ball and One Piece. A notable role among these was that of Pazu, one of the principal characters in Hayao Miyazaki’s second film, Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

Time and again, Tanaka excelled in her portrayal of Pazu, a spirited young lad with a golden heart. Coincidentally, she started voicing Krillin around the same period, which appears to have significantly shaped Tanaka’s career. It could be argued that without these outstanding performances as these characters, she may not have taken on the role of Luffy.

6 Gegege no Kitaro

As Sunakake-Babaa

In the course of her career, Mayumi Tanaka’s roles outside of Luffy were predominantly from before the debut of “One Piece,” given that this long-running and highly popular anime has likely kept her very occupied. This is further amplified when you consider additional materials like movies, video games, commercials, etc. Nevertheless, she has occasionally made appearances in other shows. One of her more notable roles was as Sunakake-Babaa in the 2018 adaptation of “Gegege no Kitaro.

Now that she’s in her 60s, Tanaka has utilized her age and wisdom to portray older female characters effectively. Her portrayal of Sunakake-Babaa is both endearing and humorous. She shines as this yokai who serves as Kitaro’s advisor and the landlady of Yōkai Apartments. In one scene, the animators even added a straw hat beside her, a likely tribute to Tanaka’s most recognized role.

7 The Ancient Magus’ Bride

As Phyllis

Release Date: October 7, 2017
Genre(s): Dark Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural
Studio: Wit Studio, Studio Kafka
Creator: Kore Yamazaki

These days, I might be known for lending my voice to older women characters in anime, but that doesn’t limit me to strictly comedic or lighthearted roles. In fact, back in 2018, I had the opportunity to step into a different world with a popular series called The Ancient Magus’ Bride. There, I voiced the character named Phyllis.

Phyllis serves as the enigmatic head of a coven, devoid of the humorous, caricatured traits typically associated with Tanaka’s characters. This unexpected portrayal underscores Tanaka’s versatility in tackling complex and somber roles when the story demands it.

8 DanDaDan

As Turbo Granny

DanDaDan’s “Turbo Granny” embodies the pinnacle of Mayumi Tanaka’s voice acting career, for it encapsulates both types of characters she consistently shines in. Turbo Granny initially appears as a formidable vengeful entity, yet her vulgar language lends an unexpectedly chilling air to her character.

Later in the series, Seiko Ayase is confined within a plush cat toy, revealing her humorous character traits. Remarkably, even though Turbo Granny seems to resemble Monkey D. Luffy, Tanaka skillfully maintains its unique identity. In my opinion, this role is one of her finest performances and showcases her remarkable vocal versatility. In the premiere episode, Ayase acts alongside the Serpo Aliens, voiced by Kazuya Nakai, a fellow voice actor and Roronoa Zoro’s voice provider.

2024-11-06 07:34