Takashi Tanaka is the birth name of a prominent and long-established Japanese voice actor, professionally known as Banjo Ginga. He was born on November 12, 1948, in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Tanaka began his career in the mid-1970s and is affiliated with the talent management firm Aoni Production. He is married to fellow voice actor Gara Takashima.

Tanaka's voice is a deep and resonant bass-baritone, a quality that has defined his extensive body of work. He made his debut in 1975 using his real name, Takashi Tanaka, in the series UFO Robo Grendizer. In his early career, he was credited under this name for roles in various anime, including a role as a soldier in the 1980 Galaxy Express 999 television special, Galaxy Express 999: Eternal Traveler Emeraldas. He is also credited as Takashi Tanaka for the role of Doctor Ban in the same Galaxy Express 999 series. During this period, he also voiced the character Antonio Inoki in the 1981 anime Tiger Mask II under his birth name.

He later adopted the stage name Banjo Ginga, under which he has become widely known for his commanding presence. His roles are incredibly diverse, frequently encompassing villains, mentors, narrators, and authoritative figures. Some of his most iconic roles under his stage name include the narrator and Souther in the original Fist of the North Star anime, Gihren Zabi in Mobile Suit Gundam, and Isaac Netero in Hunter x Hunter (second voice). In the fantasy comedy series Ochamegami Monogatari Korokoro Poron, he provided the voice for the character Poseidon.

Beyond anime, Tanaka is highly regarded for his work in video game and foreign film dubbing. He is particularly famous for voicing Liquid Snake in the Metal Gear Solid series and Heihachi Mishima in the early Tekken games. He is also a frequent voice for actors like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Japanese-language dubs of their films.

Throughout his career, which began in 1975, Takashi Tanaka, as Banjo Ginga, has established himself as one of Japan's most reliable and versatile voice actors, leaving a significant mark on the industry with his powerful voice and wide-ranging character portrayals.