Naoko Takano is a Japanese voice actress and narrator. She was born on June 16, 1968, in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating from high school, she worked as an office lady before pursuing a career in voice acting, attending a voice actor training school while working part-time. She is a graduate of Hosei University's Faculty of Sociology. Takano is affiliated with the talent agency Sigma Seven.

Takano made her debut as a voice actress in 1996, with her first role being Cello in the anime series VS Knight Lamune & 40 Fire. Her breakthrough role came in the same year when she was cast as Megumi Reinard in the series Martian Successor Nadesico, a part that brought her widespread recognition. In 1999, she gained further popularity for her role as Miyuki Kotobuki in the popular恋爱 simulation game Tokimeki Memorial 2.

Throughout her career, Takano has taken on a variety of notable roles. She is well-known for her long-running portrayal of the character Kohaku in the Melty Blood game series, a role she voiced from 2002 for over a decade. In the Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya anime franchise, she voices the magical wand Magical Ruby. Her other significant anime roles include Kaoru Kono in Gate Keepers, Yuko Aoshima in Monkey Turn, and Emilia Lunarief in Tokyo Underground. In the 1999 OVA series Ten Tokyo Warriors, she provided the voice for the character Tsuina. Takano has also worked extensively in video games and as a narrator for television programs.

She has been involved in recurring collaborations, most notably forming a music unit called Waffle☆ra-mel with fellow Tokimeki Memorial 2 cast member Kazusa Murai, and they released CDs through Konami. For certain roles, particularly in adult-oriented games, she has used the pseudonym Midori Kawamura, most famously for the title character Saya in the 2003 game Saya no Uta. Her voice is often described as having a distinctive, cute high-pitched quality, making her well-suited for energetic and lively young girl characters.