Dragon Ball: Shozo Iizuka, the Voice of Nappa, Dead at 89

Today, it seems the Dragon Ball fandom is mourning the loss of one of its own. Reports from Japan have confirmed the actor who brought Nappa to life has passed away. Shozo Iizuka diedin Japan on February 15, 2023 from heart failure at the age of 89.

The announcement has left fans stunned as Shozo was known well by Dragon Ball lovers. After all, they originated the role of two beloved androids in the Dragon Ball anime. First, they tackled Android #8 in 1996 before returning to the anime in 1989. At that time, Shozo was asked to reprise his role of Android 8 while also taking up a new character named Nappa.

Of course, the latter character is one everyone knows. Nappa played a crucial part in the earliest days of Dragon Ball Z. Acting a Vegeta’s mentor-turned-lackey, Nappa was a terrifying Saiyan with a large personality. He went on to dominate the Saiyana saga, and Nappa has gone on to capture fans year after year.

Shozo saw Nappa through Dragon Ball Z before exiting the role. When we hear new lines from the Saiyan now, they come from Tetsu Inada overseas. As for Shozo, the voice actor continued to work in the anime industry up until his death. In 2020, the star appeared in What Cat Project: Zero Chronicle. They also lent their voice to other big series like The Seven Deadly Sins, Bleach, Soul Eater, and more.

Our thoughts are with Shozo’s loved ones at this time. May the actor rest in peace.