Masumi Taira is a Japanese actress and voice actress born in 1958 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She is a graduate of Tokyo Woman's Christian University and furthered her performance training at Meijiza Art Create and the Voice Expression Academy. Taira is affiliated with the talent agency Production Tanc.

Her career as a voice actress encompasses a wide range of roles in anime television series, animated films, and dubbing for international productions. In anime, she is frequently cast in supporting roles, often portraying maternal figures, grandmothers, and other characters that benefit from her warm and versatile vocal quality. One of her notable anime roles is Sakurada in the 2016 short-form anime series Tabi Machi Late Show. She is also recognized for her role as the grandmother of the protagonist Nadeshiko Kagamihara in the popular series Laid-Back Camp and its second season. Other significant anime credits include Obito's grandmother in Naruto Shippuden, Saho in Mushishi: The Next Chapter, a nun in Dororo, and various guest roles in long-running series such as Detective Conan (Case Closed).

Taira's film work in animation includes roles in Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop, The House of the Lost on the Cape, and the 2024 film Look Back. She has also lent her voice to original net animation (ONA) productions like Japan Sinks: 2020 and T·P Bon.

Beyond original anime, Taira is active in voice-over work for dubbing foreign films and television series. Her dubbing credits include providing the Japanese voice for Mona Simpson in The Simpsons, as well as roles in Cruella, Grey's Anatomy, The Good Wife, and Ms. Marvel.

A notable aspect of Taira's career is her work as a dialect coach, where her expertise in regional Japanese dialects, such as Akita dialect, is highly valued in the industry. She has served as a dialect coach for television projects including Hiyokko and Tsuribaka Nisshi, and for the animated film Hula Fulla Dance. Her linguistic skills also extend to English and French.

In addition to her on-screen and voice work, Taira has a background in stage acting and narration. She is the head of the theater group Ohanashi Takkyubin and is involved in organizing storytelling salons and workshops, reflecting her commitment to the performing arts and education.