Dragon Ball Takes Over the Internet as Goku’s Actor Turns 86

October 25, 2022, 11:33am

Dragon Ball has enjoyed a solid comeback this year, and of course, Goku is just as popular now as he has ever been. Thanks to his latest movie, the Saiyan is thriving, and he has more adventures on the way when Dragon Ball Super brings its manga off hiatus. Despite his age, Goku has only just begun his journey, and now his voice actor is taking over social media in light of their 86th birthday.

Yes, that is right. Masako Nozawa has turned 86 years old. The actress is celebrating their birthday in Japan this week, and netizens are hyping Nozawa as thanks for all the work she’s done on Dragon Ball.

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Who Is Masako Nozawa?

If you are not familiar with Nozawa, the actress has a long history of acting. Born in October 1936, Nozawa began acting in 1963 with the TV anime Tetsuwan Atom. She went on to nab her first starring role in Gegege no Kitaro as Kitaro. However, Nozawa is known best for her work on Dragon Ball.

The actress was cast as Goku in the original 1986 anime and has stayed with the Saiyan ever since. In 1989, Nozawa returned to voice Goku in Dragon Ball Z and added other major roles to her catalog. So even if Goku is Nozawa’s priority, she voices much of his family including Gohan, Gotten, and Bardock.

She recently reprised these roles in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, so Goku is very much a part of Nozawa’s life. In fact, the star’s skill at voicing shonen heroes has earned her the nickname ‘The Eternal Boy’ over the decades. But as of late, Nozawa has made it a point to voice older women as heard in projects like Weathering With You.

Can you believe Nozawa has been working on Dragon Ball for this long? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.