Hiromi Tsuru was a Japanese actress, voice actress, and narrator affiliated with Aoni Production at the time of her death. Born on March 29, 1960, in Chitose, Hokkaido, she began her entertainment career in childhood after joining the Himawari Theatre Group in the second grade of elementary school alongside her sister. Her on-screen debut came in 1968 with a role in the drama Princess Comet, followed by appearances in television dramas, fashion shows, and magazines.

Tsuru's voice acting debut occurred in 1978 when she was still a high school junior, landing the lead role of Perrine Paindavoine in the World Masterpiece Theater series The Story of Perrine. After a brief hiatus from voice work, she returned to the craft in 1981. A pivotal moment in her early career was her successful audition for the role of Revi in Arcadia of My Youth: Endless Orbit SSX in 1982, after which she transferred her affiliation to Aoni Production to focus more seriously on voice acting.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Tsuru established herself as one of the most prominent voice actresses of her generation, taking on a wide array of iconic roles. She was best known for her 31-year portrayal of Bulma in the Dragon Ball franchise, a role that began with the original Dragon Bell in 1986 and continued through Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Kai, and Dragon Ball Super. This performance became her signature and a defining voice of the long-running series.

Her other major television anime roles included Madoka Ayukawa in Kimagure Orange Road, the title character Miyuki Kashima in Miyuki, Ukyo Kuonji in Ranma ½, Dokin-chan in Soreike! Anpanman, Reiko Mikami in Ghost Sweeper Mikami, Meryl Stryfe in Trigun, and Asuna Kujo in Maison Ikkoku. Her filmography was extensive, encompassing a vast number of original video animations (OVAs) and animated films from the 1980s onward. Notable OVA and film credits included Yohko Asagiri in Leda: The Fantastic Adventure of Yohko, Leona Ozaki in Dominion Tank Police, Sonnet Barje in Blue Sonnet, Kiddy Phenil in Silent Möbius, and roles in numerous Dragon Ball and Anpanman theatrical releases. Her work was not limited to anime; she also voiced characters in video games, most notably Dr. Naomi Hunter in the Metal Gear Solid series.

Beginning in the 1990s, Tsuru expanded her career to include narration for variety shows and newscasts, a field in which she remained active until shortly before her death. Her long-running roles as Bulma and Dokin-chan were considered her lifetime anime roles, making her voice a familiar presence to multiple generations of Japanese viewers.

Hiromi Tsuru passed away on November 16, 2017, at the age of 57 due to an aortic dissection. In recognition of her extensive contributions to the industry, she was posthumously awarded a Special Achievement Award at the 12th Seiyu Awards. Her funeral was attended by hundreds of fans and fellow voice actors, reflecting the deep impact she had on the anime community.