Jefferson Utanes was a highly respected Filipino voice actor and dubbing director, widely regarded as a foundational figure in the Philippine anime dubbing industry. Born on June 9, 1979, in Antipolo, Rizal, he began his career in voice acting in 1997 and over nearly three decades lent his voice to hundreds of characters across anime, cartoons, and live-action programs for networks like ABS-CBN.

Utanes was perhaps best known as the definitive Tagalog voice of Son Goku from the Dragon Ball franchise, a role that earned him the enduring nickname "Goku ng Pinas" (Goku of the Philippines). His extensive and varied filmography included iconic roles such as the titular character in Doraemon, James and Professor Oak in Pokémon, Kogoro Mori in Detective Conan, Usopp in One Piece, and Hisoka in Hunter x Hunter. He also voiced Germany and America in Hetalia: Axis Powers, Kyon in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Yami Yugi in Yu-Gi-Oh!, Kousei Arima in Your Lie in April, Ryomen Sukuna in Jujutsu Kaisen, and Okarun in Dandadan, which was his final anime role.

Beyond anime, his versatility extended to Western animation and local television. He voiced Mr. Krabs, the French Narrator, and Patchy the Pirate for the Tagalog dub of SpongeBob SquarePants, and served as a voice-over announcer for the long-running noontime program It's Showtime.

In addition to his on-screen work, Utanes was an accomplished dubbing director, leading the Filipino adaptations for popular series such as Kuroko's Basketball, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, Haikyuu!!, Love Live! Sunshine!!, and Death Note.

Jefferson Utanes passed away on December 16, 2025, at the age of 46 after a public battle with stage 5 chronic kidney disease. His death prompted an outpouring of grief from fans and colleagues, who celebrated his immense contributions and the way his voice became a cherished part of the childhoods of countless Filipinos.