Krillin in Dragon Ball is voiced by Mayumi Tanaka in Japanese and Sonny Strait in the English dub. As Goku’s lifelong best friend and one of the franchise’s most beloved characters, Krillin became iconic for his bravery, humor, emotional sincerity, and underdog spirit. Both actors delivered performances that helped establish Krillin as one of the emotional hearts of the Dragon Ball series across multiple generations of anime fans. (behindthevoiceactors.com)

Japanese Voice Actor: Mayumi Tanaka

Date of Birth

January 15, 1955. (en.wikipedia.org)

About Mayumi

Mayumi Tanaka is one of Japan’s most legendary voice actresses, famous for portraying energetic and emotionally expressive protagonists. Her portrayal of Krillin in Dragon Ball helped define the character’s balance of comedy, courage, and emotional warmth throughout the franchise. Tanaka’s energetic vocal style made Krillin instantly recognizable and helped audiences connect with the character’s humanity despite the increasingly cosmic scale of the series. (en.wikipedia.org)

Hometown

Tokyo, Japan. (en.wikipedia.org)

Career Highlights

Mayumi Tanaka has had one of the most celebrated careers in anime history, voicing iconic characters across multiple generations. Beyond Dragon Ball, she is globally recognized for starring roles in One Piece, Castle in the Sky, and Sakura Wars. Her performance as Krillin remains one of the longest-running and most beloved roles of her career.

Full Current Filmography

The following list reflects publicly documented major credits from available sources and may not be exhaustive.

Television Anime

  • Dragon Ball franchise — Krillin
  • One Piece — Monkey D. Luffy
  • Castle in the Sky — Pazu
  • Sakura Wars — Kanna Kirishima
  • Urusei Yatsura — Ryunosuke Fujinami
  • Ninja Hattori-kun — Shinzo Hattori
  • Yaiba — Yaiba Kurogane
  • Ikkyū-san — Additional Voices

Video Games

  • Dragon Ball FighterZ — Krillin
  • Dragon Ball Xenoverse series — Krillin
  • Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot — Krillin
  • Jump Force — Luffy / Krillin
  • One Piece Odyssey — Luffy
  • Granblue Fantasy — Guest Voices

Critical Reception

Mayumi Tanaka’s portrayal of Krillin received widespread praise for making the character feel relatable, humorous, and emotionally sincere throughout the franchise. Fans especially praised her performances during emotionally intense arcs such as the Saiyan Saga, Namek Saga, and Android Saga. Many viewers consider her voice inseparable from Krillin’s identity as a character.

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English Voice Actor: Sonny Strait

Date of Birth

June 28, 1965.

About Sonny

Sonny Strait is an American voice actor, ADR director, and comic book creator known for energetic and comedic anime performances. His portrayal of Krillin in the English dub of Dragon Ball became one of the franchise’s most recognizable voices among Western anime fans. Strait’s performance captured Krillin’s humor, loyalty, nervousness, and emotional sincerity while maintaining the character’s underdog charm throughout the long-running series. (behindthevoiceactors.com)

Hometown

Kansas, United States.

Career Highlights

Sonny Strait became one of Funimation’s most recognizable voice actors through major roles in Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Black Butler. His work as Krillin showcased his exceptional comedic timing and ability to deliver heartfelt emotional moments during major battles and character-driven scenes. Beyond acting, Strait is also respected for his work as a writer, ADR director, and comic artist.

Full Current Filmography

The following list reflects publicly documented major credits from available sources and may not be exhaustive.

Television Anime

  • Dragon Ball franchise — Krillin
  • One Piece — Usopp
  • Black Butler — Lupin
  • Fullmetal Alchemist — Maes Hughes (additional media)
  • Case Closed — Additional Voices
  • Yu Yu Hakusho — Additional Voices
  • Baccano! — Additional Voices
  • Space Dandy — Additional Voices

Video Games

  • Dragon Ball FighterZ — Krillin
  • Dragon Ball Xenoverse series — Krillin
  • Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot — Krillin
  • One Piece Odyssey — Usopp
  • Borderlands 3 — Additional Voices
  • Smite — Voice Roles

Critical Reception

Sonny Strait’s portrayal of Krillin received widespread praise from English dub viewers for balancing comedy and emotional sincerity throughout the Dragon Ball franchise. Fans especially appreciated his performances during emotional arcs involving Android 18, Goku, and the Z Fighters. Many viewers consider Strait’s energetic delivery and comedic timing essential to Krillin’s enduring popularity in the English dub.

Our Sources

Social Media

Published by Limarc Ambalina

Limarc Ambalina is the founder of Japan Bound, a website covering all things Japan — from travel and culture to anime, manga, and pop culture. He is also the Director of Content at ISNation and the former VP of Editorial at HackerNoon. Based in Japan, he has been writing about Japanese life and entertainment since 2019, growing the site to over 2.4 million views.

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