Jefferson Utanes was a highly acclaimed Filipino voice actor and dubbing director, renowned for his extensive work in the Filipino-language dubs of numerous popular anime series and other animated programs. He was born on June 9, 1979, and began his career in voice acting and dubbing on February 8, 1997, working with ABS-CBN's programs and acquired content. His career, which spanned over two decades, established him as one of the most prominent and recognizable voices in the Philippine anime community.

Utanes is best remembered for voicing the lead character Son Goku across multiple iterations of the Dragon Ball franchise, including the original Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super. This role earned him the moniker Goku ng Pinas, or Goku of the Philippines. In addition to this iconic role, his filmography includes a vast array of major characters. He was the voice of the titular character in Doraemon, James in Pokémon, Kogoro Mouri in Detective Conan, and Usopp in One Piece. He also lent his voice to characters such as Hisoka in Hunter x Hunter, Roy Mustang in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Ken Okarun Takakura in Dandadan, and Kousei Arima in Your Lie in April. His versatility extended to other anime, including roles in Yu-Gi-Oh!, Gundam SEED, and Cardcaptor Sakura. Beyond anime, he also voiced characters in Western animations, such as Eugene H. Krabs in the Tagalog dub of SpongeBob SquarePants.

Beyond his on-screen performances, Jefferson Utanes made significant contributions to the industry as a voice director. He directed the Filipino dubs for several well-known anime, including Kuroko's Basketball, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, Haikyuu!!, Love Live! Sunshine!!, and Death Note. He was also involved in the script adaptation for series like Dragon Ball Super. His work was not limited to animation; he also performed voice-over work for local television programs, most notably as an announcer for the noontime show It's Showtime.

Jefferson Utanes passed away on December 16, 2025, at the age of 46. His death was widely mourned by fans and colleagues, who celebrated his legacy as a foundational figure in Filipino dubbing whose voice was an integral part of many childhoods. His final anime role was as Ken Okarun Takakura in the series Dandadan.