Honestly, if you’ve watched more than three anime series in the last decade, you’ve probably heard Mutsumi Tamura. You just might not have realized it was her. She’s one of those rare talents in the seiyuu world who doesn't just "do a voice"—she basically disappears into her characters. Whether she’s playing a tired office worker living with a dragon or a high-energy shonen protagonist, she’s got this raspy, distinct texture that stays with you.
Most people recognize her as the deadpan Kobayashi, but her range is actually kind of wild.
Why the Mutsumi Tamura Movies and TV Shows List is So Diverse
Tamura has built a massive career by being the go-to person for "boyish" roles. In the industry, they call it shonen-yaku. She’s got this natural huskiness that makes her perfect for young boys, tough women, and everything in between. It's not just about the pitch; it's the attitude.
Take Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, for instance. As the titular Kobayashi, she isn't doing some high-pitched "moe" voice. She sounds like a real, exhausted person. It’s grounded. That performance turned a weird premise about dragon maids into something surprisingly relatable. Then, you flip the switch to her role as Ermes Costello in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean. Suddenly, she’s a hardened prisoner with a vendetta. The grit she brings to Ermes is a masterclass in intensity.
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The Career Highlights You’ve Likely Seen
If you’re looking to binge through the best Mutsumi Tamura movies and TV shows, you have to start with the essentials.
- Sand Land (2023/2024): Playing Beelzebub in both the movie and the series was a huge win for her. She managed to capture that "prince of demons" vibe while keeping the character likable and funny.
- Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna: For those who grew up with Digimon, she stepped into the role of Koshiro "Izzy" Izumi during the Tri and Last Evolution era. It was a tough act to follow, but her version of Izzy felt like a natural evolution of the character we knew.
- Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!: Sayaka Kanamori is arguably one of the best "producer" characters in anime history. Tamura’s performance is legendary here—fast-talking, cynical, and deeply motivated by money. It’s iconic.
- Drifting Home (2022): This Netflix film showed her softer side. Playing Kosuke, she had to carry a lot of the emotional weight of a group of kids lost at sea on an apartment building.
What’s New in 2025 and 2026?
She isn't slowing down. In fact, 2026 is looking like a massive year for her.
We just saw the premiere of Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World with Garbage Balancing in January 2026. She’s playing Allen, the protagonist who gets reincarnated as a serf. It’s a classic "zero to hero" story, but Tamura’s voice gives Allen a level of determination that keeps it from feeling like every other isekai.
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There’s also Kaya-chan Isn't Scary, another 2026 release where she plays the lead. It’s a bit of a departure, mixing action and horror, which really lets her stretch those vocal muscles in tense scenes. Plus, fans are still buzzing about the Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid film that hit theaters recently. Seeing her return to that role after so long felt like a homecoming for many.
The "Hidden" Roles You Missed
You’ve probably seen her in Naruto Shippuden and didn’t even know it. She voiced the young Kakashi Hatake. Think about that—the legendary Kakashi, and she captured that childhood isolation perfectly. She also popped up in Darling in the Franxx as Zorome, the loudmouthed but secretly sensitive pilot.
Ranking the Best Mutsumi Tamura Performances
Ranking art is subjective, but if we’re talking about cultural impact, Kobayashi is number one. It changed how people viewed her. Before that, she was mostly known for "the kid roles." After that, she was a leading lady. Ermes Costello is a close second because of how much Tamura personally fought for that role—she’s a massive JoJo fan herself and even climbed Mt. Fuji to wish for the part.
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Why Her Voice Matters
In an industry where many female voices are pushed toward the higher, "cuter" registers, Tamura stands out. She’s proof that you don't need to sound like a bell to be a star. Her voice has weight. It has history.
When you look back at the Mutsumi Tamura movies and TV shows catalog, you see someone who isn't afraid to sound ugly, tired, or angry. That’s what makes her human. That’s why she keeps getting cast in the biggest projects year after year.
If you want to truly appreciate her work, go back and watch Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! and then immediately switch to Stone Ocean. The contrast is jarring in the best way possible. You’ll see exactly why she’s a legend in the making.
To get the most out of her filmography, start by checking out her recent work in Hell Mode or Sand Land to see her current range, then dive into the classics like Dragon Maid to understand the foundation of her popularity. Check your local streaming platforms like Crunchyroll or Netflix, as most of her major 2024-2026 projects are currently headlined there.