Nanae Katou is a Japanese voice actress from Ibaraki Prefecture, born on February 24, 1976. She began her voice acting career in the 1990s and was initially affiliated with the agency Ace Deuce Entertainment before becoming a freelancer in 2009. Katou is known for her versatile voice, which has brought to life a wide range of characters, from energetic young boys and少女 to cute mascot creatures and non-human roles.

Her breakthrough role came in 2002 when she was cast as the lead character Ahiru, also known as Princess Tutu, in the ballet-themed anime series Princess Tutu. This performance remains one of her most celebrated works. Another significant early role was as the protagonist Croket in the 2003 anime series Croket!. In the same year, she became the leader of the voice-acting unit Pastel, which was active until 2004 and later reunited in 2016.

Throughout her career, Katou has taken on numerous prominent roles in long-running and popular franchises. She voiced Miki in the Shugo Chara! series and KuroMametchi in the long-running Tamagotchi! anime. In the Inazuma Eleven franchise, she voiced multiple characters, including Kensuke Megane and Makoto Kurosaki, appearing across the television series, films, and video games. She also voiced Skids in Transformers: Galaxy Force and appeared in series such as Shrine of the Morning Mist as Chika Yurikasa, Magical Play as Mustard, and as the safety mascot Shinjuku Shin-chan in educational videos. Her filmography also includes roles in Magical Play, The Animal Shop, Shakugan no Shana, and Natsume's Book of Friends.

Katou has been a frequent collaborator with director Sato Junichi, often appearing in works he has overseen. Her career has spanned television anime, original video animations, web animations, and video games, often reprising her anime roles in their game adaptations. Known for her energetic and lovable portrayals, Katou has built a diverse and enduring career in the voice acting industry.