JAPANESE VOICE ACTOR: Manaka Iwami
Tohru Honda, the kind-hearted protagonist of Fruits Basket (2019), is voiced by Manaka Iwami in the Japanese reboot anime. Her gentle and emotionally sincere performance became one of the defining elements of the modern adaptation and earned widespread praise from both fans and critics. In the original 2001 anime adaptation, Tohru was voiced by Yui Horie, but the 2019 reboot introduced a completely new Japanese cast led by Iwami.
Date of Birth
April 30, 1998.
About Manaka
Manaka Iwami is a Japanese voice actress known for portraying gentle, compassionate, and emotionally expressive heroines. Since her debut in the mid-2010s, she has become one of the most acclaimed younger talents in the anime industry. Her portrayal of Tohru Honda is widely considered a breakout role and helped introduce her to a global audience.
Hometown
Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
Career Highlights
- Tohru Honda — Fruits Basket (2019)
- Mahiru Shiina — The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
- Euphyllia Magenta — The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady
- Rice Shower — Uma Musume Pretty Derby
- Maquia — Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
- Teresa Wagner — Tada Never Falls in Love
Full Current Filmography
The following reflects documented major credits and may not be exhaustive.
Television Anime
- Fruits Basket (2019) — Tohru Honda
- The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten — Mahiru Shiina
- Uma Musume Pretty Derby — Rice Shower
- Tada Never Falls in Love — Teresa Wagner
- Spy × Family — Millie
- The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady — Euphyllia Magenta
Anime Films
- Fruits Basket: Prelude — Tohru Honda
- Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms — Maquia
- Various franchise-related film appearances connected to her anime roles.
Critical Reception
Manaka Iwami received significant praise for capturing Tohru’s warmth, optimism, and emotional depth. Many fans consider her performance one of the strongest aspects of the 2019 adaptation, especially during the series’ more dramatic later arcs.
Our Sources
- Behind The Voice Actors — Tohru Honda Voice Cast (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Fruits-Basket-2019/Tohru-Honda/)
- Wikipedia — Tohru Honda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tohru_Honda)
- Wikipedia — Manaka Iwami (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manaka_Iwami)
- Fruits Basket: Prelude Cast Listing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruits_Basket:_Prelude)
ENGLISH VOICE ACTOR: Laura Bailey
In both the original 2001 anime and the 2019 reboot, Tohru Honda is voiced in English by Laura Bailey. Her return for the reboot was celebrated by longtime fans, making her one of the few original English cast members to reprise her role nearly two decades later. Bailey has repeatedly described Tohru as one of her favorite characters and one of the most meaningful roles of her career.
Date of Birth
May 28, 1981.
About Laura
Laura Bailey is one of the most successful voice actresses in animation, anime, and video games. Beyond anime dubbing, she is internationally known for her work in major gaming franchises and as a cast member of Critical Role. Her portrayal of Tohru Honda has remained one of the most beloved performances in her extensive career.
Hometown
Mississippi, United States.
Career Highlights
- Tohru Honda — Fruits Basket
- Maka Albarn — Soul Eater
- Lust — Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Rise Kujikawa — Persona 4
- Lucina — Fire Emblem Awakening
- Jaina Proudmoore — World of Warcraft
- Chun-Li — Street Fighter
- Abby Anderson — The Last of Us Part II
Full Current Filmography
The following reflects documented major credits and may not be exhaustive.
Anime Series
- Fruits Basket (2001) — Tohru Honda
- Fruits Basket (2019) — Tohru Honda
- Soul Eater — Maka Albarn
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood — Lust
- Shin Chan — Shin Chan
- Gunslinger Girl — Henrietta
Anime Films
- Fruits Basket: Prelude — Tohru Honda
- Various Fullmetal Alchemist and anime franchise film appearances.
Video Games
- The Last of Us Part II — Abby Anderson
- Persona 4 — Rise Kujikawa
- Fire Emblem Awakening — Lucina
- Street Fighter series — Chun-Li
- World of Warcraft — Jaina Proudmoore
- Marvel’s Spider-Man — Mary Jane Watson
- Final Fantasy XIII — Serah Farron
Critical Reception
Laura Bailey’s portrayal of Tohru Honda is often considered one of the most iconic performances in English anime dubbing. Fans frequently praise her ability to preserve Tohru’s kindness, sincerity, and optimism while making the character feel natural to English-speaking audiences. Bailey herself has said that Tohru influenced her outlook on life and remains one of her favorite roles.
Our Sources
- Behind The Voice Actors — Tohru Honda Voice Cast (https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Fruits-Basket-2019/Tohru-Honda/)
- Fruits Basket Wiki — Laura Bailey (https://fruitsbasket.fandom.com/wiki/Laura_Bailey)
- Wikipedia — Laura Bailey (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Bailey)
- Crunchyroll News — Laura Bailey Returns to Voice Tohru Honda (https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2019/2/16/laura-bailey-returns-to-voice-tohru-honda-in-new-fruits-basket-anime)
Social Media
- Official Website: https://laurabaileyvo.com/
- X (Twitter): https://x.com/LauraBaileyVO
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurabaileyvo/
